ENDEAVOR Cruise: CTD Profiles from Deepwater Horizon Spill Response

Gulf of Mexico oceanographic data were collected aboard the R/V ENDEAVOR from June 17-30, 2010, as part of the Subsurface Monitoring Unit's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The dataset includes conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiles and likely contains other physical parameters like dissolved oxygen and density. Data underwent preliminary quality assurance by the National Coastal Data Development Center and is associated with cruise reports and documentation.

Use Cases

• Analyzing changes in water column structure (e.g., temperature, salinity) following the oil spill based on CTD profile data.
• Modeling subsurface oil plume dispersion using conductivity and temperature measurements.
• Assessing environmental conditions for impact studies by referencing the documented time and location of the cruise.
• Correlating physical oceanographic data with biological or chemical sampling from the same response mission.

Strengths

• Data collection is tied to a specific, well-documented environmental event (Deepwater Horizon spill, April 20, 2010).
• Underwent preliminary quality assurance and control procedures at a national data center (NCDDC).
• Associated with supplementary cruise-level documentation including reports, plans, and media.

Limitations

• Column names and a precise row count are not provided in the available metadata, limiting immediate usability.
• The exact data license is unspecified across all sources.
• One platform lists a last update date of 2026-03-05, which is a future date and suggests a metadata error or placeholder value.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), a consortium of multiple government and corporate agencies.

Collection Method

Collected via shipboard CTD and other physical sampling devices aboard the R/V ENDEAVOR.

Time Range

2010-06-17 to 2010-06-30

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:24:22.496674

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specifically the northern Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi Canyon area.