Gulf of Mexico Brine Disposal Project Chemical and Zooplankton Data 1978-1979

One year of chemical, zooplankton, and marine toxic substance measurements from the Gulf of Mexico, collected from June 2, 1978 to June 2, 1979. The data were submitted by Texas A&M University as part of the Brine Disposal project and processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center into standard formats. It includes water physics, chemistry, zooplankton species counts, and pollutant concentrations.

Use Cases

• Analyze correlations between water chemistry parameters like salinity, phosphate, and oxygen concentration with zooplankton abundance and species distribution.
• Model the spatial and temporal distribution of marine toxic substances in sediment and water samples relative to discharge site characteristics.
• Study zooplankton population structure by examining life history stage data, including counts of adults, juveniles, eggs, and larvae for different species.
• Investigate physical oceanography by analyzing time-series of current velocity components (east-west, north-south) alongside temperature and density (sigma-t) measurements.

Strengths

• Data covers a full annual cycle from June 1978 to June 1979, capturing seasonal variations.
• Integrates three distinct data types (water chemistry, zooplankton, toxic substances) from the same project and region.
• Structured according to established NODC standard formats (F004, F124, F144), ensuring consistency.

Limitations

• Data is over 40 years old (last updated 1979), limiting its relevance for studying current ocean conditions.
• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and geographic coordinates within the Gulf of Mexico are not provided in the description.
• The description notes complex reporting rules for zooplankton life stages, which could complicate data interpretation.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), originally from Texas A&M University.

Collection Method

Collected via moored current meter casts and other instruments during the Brine Disposal project.

Time Range

1978-06-02 to 1979-06-02

Freshness

null

Geography

Gulf of Mexico