Gulf of Mexico Currents, Toxics, and Wave Spectra from Brine Disposal Project

Moored instruments collected current direction, marine toxic substance concentrations, and wind wave spectra in the Gulf of Mexico from December 1977 to September 1979. The National Data Buoy Center submitted the data for the Brine Disposal project, processed by NODC into standard formats F005, F144, and F191.

Use Cases

• Analyzing current direction and speed time series from F005 format to model pollutant transport.
• Correlating chemical substance concentrations (identified by CAS codes) in F144 with discharge site characteristics like depth and volume.
• Examining wind wave spectra data in F191 to assess sea state conditions during sampling periods.
• Studying relationships between reported water temperature, salinity, and concurrent toxic substance levels.
• Mapping tar deposit observations from F144 against wind direction and speed data from F005.

Strengths

• Data spans nearly two years (1977-12-22 to 1979-09-30) for longitudinal analysis.
• Incorporates three distinct NODC standard formats (F005, F144, F191) for multi-faceted environmental measurement.
• Includes detailed metadata such as sensor depth, platform type, and laboratory techniques.

Limitations

• Sample size and row count are unknown, potentially limiting statistical power.
• Data is from a specific 1977-1979 period and may not reflect current conditions.
• Concentration values may include trace amount codes instead of precise measurements.

Provenance

Source

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), processed by NODC.

Collection Method

Collection via moored current meter casts and other instruments; laboratory analysis of water, sediment, and organism samples.

Time Range

1977-12-22 to 1979-09-30

Geography

Gulf of Mexico