CTD Oceanographic Measurements from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response

Conductivity, temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and fluorometry data were collected aboard the R/V F.G. Walton Smith during a 7-day cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from September 26 to October 2, 2010. This dataset, processed and quality-checked by NOAA NCEI, captures physical water column parameters associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event.

Use Cases

• Analyze temperature and salinity profiles to model water mass stratification and mixing post-spill.
• Correlate dissolved oxygen and fluorometry measurements with biological activity and potential oil degradation.
• Map depth-specific conductivity data to trace plume dispersion in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Use the time-series of CTD casts to study short-term temporal changes in oceanographic conditions during the spill response.

Strengths

• Data is processed and quality-checked, as stated in the description.
• Measurements cover five key oceanographic parameters: temperature, conductivity, depth, dissolved oxygen, and fluorometry.

Limitations

• The dataset covers only a single 7-day cruise, limiting temporal scope.
• Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes are unknown.
• Data is from 2010 and may not reflect current conditions.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI Accession 0130279).

Collection Method

Conductivity Temperature and Depth (CTD) measurements collected onboard the R/V F.G. Walton Smith.

Time Range

2010-09-26 to 2010-10-02.

Freshness

Data collection ended on 2010-10-02; no update frequency specified.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specific to Cruise 3 Leg 1 of the R/V F.G. Walton Smith.