GOM FT 2017-04-25: Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Research Flight Path

A flight path dataset collected as part of NOAA's Deepwater Horizon Lessons Learned Studies on detecting oil thickness and emulsion mixtures using remote sensing platforms. The data are from field research at the Mississippi Canyon lease block #20 (MC20) site, which has experienced a chronic oil discharge since 2004, and were funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior and NOAA. The data shown are part of the MC20 research undertaken in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Use Cases

• Analyze oil slick coverage and thickness based on synoptic collection methods described in the study.
• Correlate airborne and satellite imagery with surface oil characterization data from the MC20 site.
• Model chronic oil discharge patterns from the Mississippi Canyon lease block #20 based on the 2016-2018 field research.
• Validate remote sensing platform methods for oil spill detection and hazard mitigation.

Strengths

• Data originates from a NOAA-led study funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
• Research incorporates multiple data collection methods: satellite imagery, airborne imagery, surface characterization, and chemistry.
• Field research was conducted over three years (2016, 2017, 2018) at a known chronic discharge site.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Available file formats are PDF and HTML, which may not be optimal for direct geospatial analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Collected via remote sensing platforms (satellite, airborne) and field surveys as part of the Deepwater Horizon Lessons Learned Studies.

Time Range

Field research undertaken in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The specific flight path is dated 2017-04-25.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:29:30.104473; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Mississippi Canyon lease block #20 (MC20) in the Gulf of Mexico, near Louisiana.