NOAA Okeanos Explorer Expedition Data from Mid-Cayman Rise

Oceanographic data was collected during the EX1104 expedition aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer from August 2 to August 18, 2011. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA NCEI) compiled this dataset. It focuses on the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including transit data through the Panama Canal.

Use Cases

• Mapping seafloor bathymetry using sonar data collected during transit and primary operations.
• Analyzing water column properties like temperature and salinity from Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) cast data.
• Studying biological communities and geological features from Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) dive observations.
• Correlating underway sensor data with specific geographic coordinates recorded during the cruise track.

Strengths

• Data collected during a dedicated 17-day oceanographic expedition by NOAA.
• Covers a specific, scientifically significant region: the Mid-Cayman Rise.

Limitations

• Dataset is from a single expedition in 2011, offering a temporal snapshot.
• Specific data volumes, row counts, and available file formats are unknown.
• Underway data collection excluded the coastal waters of Colombia and Cuba.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information).

Collection Method

Collected via shipboard sensors, CTD casts, and ROV operations during the EX1104 expedition.

Time Range

2011-08-02 to 2011-08-18.

Freshness

Data collection ended on 2011-08-18; no update frequency specified.

Geography

Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, focusing on the Mid-Cayman Rise near the Cayman Islands, with transit through the Panama Canal.