NRDA CTD Data from R/V Brooks McCall Cruise 12

Gulf of Mexico water column measurements were collected aboard the R/V Brooks McCall, Cruise 12, from July 11 to July 13, 2010, as part of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. The dataset contains processed and quality-checked Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) casts, including dissolved oxygen and fluorometry data. It was used to determine physical oceanographic parameters and guide sample collection during the Natural Resource Damage Assessment.

Use Cases

• Analyzing water column stratification based on conductivity, temperature, and depth profiles.
• Tracking potential oil plume dispersion using fluorometry measurements.
• Assessing marine environmental health through dissolved oxygen levels.
• Calibrating hydrodynamic models with in-situ physical oceanographic parameters.

Strengths

• Data is processed and quality-checked, as stated in the descriptions.
• Covers a specific, critical event (Deepwater Horizon spill) with a precise time range (2010-07-11 to 2010-07-13).
• Available on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating vetting and importance.

Limitations

• Column names and precise data structure are not provided in any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (2010 vs. 2026) creates uncertainty about data currency.
• Key metadata like row count, file size, and specific license are unavailable.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected via shipboard CTD casts aboard the R/V Brooks McCall.

Time Range

2010-07-11 to 2010-07-13

Freshness

2026-03-05 (from Data.gov, though this may be a metadata refresh date)

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specifically the Mississippi Canyon area.