Abstract:

This dataset contains MOCNESS (Multiple Opening/Closing Net Environmental Sensing System) profile data collected on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith during Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Plankton Survey Walton Smith 1 (WS1) in the Gulf of Mexico from 2010-09-08 to 2010-09-16. This survey (WS1, chief scientist: Malinda Sutor) was part of a series of NRDA cruises conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the distribution and densities of ichthyoplankton and other zooplankton in northern Gulf of Mexico waters potentially affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS). The dataset includes the original profile data in three formats (.RAW, .TAB, .PRO) for individual MOCNESS tows, as well as combined and summary data (all tows) for the full cruise. Datasets include sampling event data (e.g., time, latitude, longitude, salinity, temperature, depth, fluorescence, velocity, and volume filtered). This dataset corresponds with the MOCNESS Ichthyoplankton dataset available under GRIIDC Unique Dataset Identifier (UDI) R6.x815.000:0007 (DOI: 10.7266/n7-30jw-aq82).

Suggested Citation:

Zapfe, Carley, Verena Wang, and Frank Hernandez.. 2019. MOCNESS profile data collected during NRDA Plankton Survey Walton Smith 1 (WS1) in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2010-09-08 to 2010-09-16 on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith Cruise WS1017. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-z8ry-6j20

Publications:

Wang, V. H., Zapfe, C. R., & Hernandez, F. J. (2021). Assemblage Structure of Larval Fishes in Epipelagic and Mesopelagic Waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.766369

Purpose:

This data was collected as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) of the MC252 Deepwater Horizon 2010 oil spill.

Data Parameters and Units:

Time[Julian Days since 2010-01-01 00:00:00], latitude [degrees], longitude [degrees], pressure [dBar], temperature [deg C], potential temperature [degC], salinity [PSU], sigma_t [kg/m^3], signal strength/echo intensity [counts], water flow [number of revolutions], horizontal velocity [knots], vertical velocity [m/s], volume filtered [m^3]. Note: Sample time in xxxx.PRO files are UTC, and in xxxx_all.csv file is Central time. For the detailed dataset information including file descriptions, file naming conventions, and all the headers descriptions, please refer to the readme file (MOCNESS READ ME FILE_WS1.xlsx) included in the dataset.

Methods:

MOCNESS data (RAW, PRO, and TAB files) were acquired from the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive (DWHPAA) and NCEI, and are provided here in their original form for reference. MOC All and MOC summary files were generated by the dataset authors to collate and summarize the MOCNESS environmental data after additional processing and QC. The MOC Deployment ID file is included for organizational reference and does not contain environmental data. The dataset authors are curating the deep-pelagic plankton data and associated environmental data for analysis and were not part of the sample collection effort.

Instruments:

1-m^2 Multiple Opening/Closing Net Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS) outfitted with 9 .333mm nets.

Provenance and Historical References:

Data provided in this dataset are generated from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Plankton Processing Plan. Stations sampled are on the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Gulf of Mexico grid.

Individual Files: