The following is a description of Gulf of Mexico data sets (CTD, XBT, IES, Currents, and river discharge) which are available through this server via OPeNDAP (aka DODS). The physical oceanographic data are derived from three programs sponsored by the U.S. Mineral`s Management Service (MMS) commonly refered to as the LATEX, NEGOM, and Deepwater Reanalysis Programs. The river discharge data were collected by the USGS and US Army Corps of Engineers. The AOML data are being served by TAMU until technical issues can be worked out at AOML and they can serve this data themselves.

• The LATEX program (1992-1994) studied waters in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf.
  
• The NEGOM program (1997-1999) studied the waters in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico between the 10 and 1000m isobaths.
  
• The Deepwater Reanalysis Program assembled all available physical oceanographic data for the Gulf of Mexico seaward of the 200m isobath.
  
• River discharge records were obtained from the USGS regional offices, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or their respective (USGS, USACOE) web sites.
  
• The AOML Drifter and XBT profiles are provided by NOAA/PMEL in Florida. AOML
  

The LATEX Program (Louisiana-Texas Shelf Physical Oceanography Program) "Part A", was conducted by Texas A&M University. During the field program approximatley 30 moorings, each containing 2 or 3 current meters, were deployed between the 20 and 200m isobaths for nearly 32 months. 1650 CTD casts were taken during 10 hydrographic cruises. The CTD casts provided vertical profiles from the surface to the seafloor of temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (probe), fluorescence, PAR, backscatterance, and transmittance. On the first four cruises only the eastern half of the shelf was surveyed; during subsequent cruises full-shelf surveys were conducted. Most stations were visited repeatedly.

The NEGOM Program (Northeastern Gulf of Mexico Physical Oceanography Program: Chemical and Hydrography Study) was conducted by Texas A&M University. During nine cruises (spring, summer, and fall) from fall of 1997 to summer of 1999, 892 full water depth CTD casts were made. Parameters measured included temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (probe), fluorescence, PAR, backscatterance, and transmittance. Stations were arranged along 11 cross-shelf lines between the 10 and 1000m isobaths and were revisited on each cruise.

The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Physical Oceanographic Data Renalysis program was also conducted by Texas A&M University. All available data were assembled - primarily from the NOAA, Academic institutions, and companies involved in gas and oil exploration and production in the Gulf. The resulting data set was subjected to extensive screening for quality prior to use in the analysis and synthesis phases. The assembled usable data set includes nearly 7000 CTD/STD/Bottle casts, almost 29000 XBT profiles, and more than 8 million hours of unrestricted moored current meter measurements. (A few of the data sets assembled during the Deepwater Reanalysis Program were deemed proprietary and are not available here).

USGS and USACOE river discharge (aka stream flow) records from the beginning of record through 2000 for the rivers in the northern Gulf of Mexico (many as long as 70 years) have been assembled, converted into metric units, and reformatted for OPeNDAP use. Available records are from: 14 minor rivers west of the Atchafalaya River, 17 minor rivers east of the Mississippi River, and the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers.

Below are a series of maps showing the locations where the data we offer were collected. Clicking on the LATEX and NEGOM thumbnail figures will display larger maps for a more detailed view. Text files containing latitude, longitude and DODS URLs for each file are here. These text files can be downloaded and sorted by the user to produce custom URLs lists to be used to access data of interest.

station_____Startdate__ Enddate___latitude longitude_Station_name

02320500.nc 07/01/1931 09/30/2002 29.9556 -82.9278 Suwannee R at Branford, FL
02324000.nc 03/01/1950 09/30/2001 29.7864 -83.3217 Steinhatchee R nr Cross City, FL
02324400.nc 10/01/1955 09/30/2002 30.0981 -83.4719 Fenholloway R nr Foley, FL
02326000.nc 02/01/1950 05/14/2001 30.1706 -83.8239 Econfina R nr Perry, FL
02326512.nc 03/30/1976 10/07/1997 30.2311 -83.9189 Aucilla R nr Scanlon, FL
02330000.nc 07/01/1926 09/30/2001 30.3831 -84.6550 Ochlockonee R nr Bloxham, FL
02359170.nc 10/01/1997 09/30/2001 29.9492 -85.0156 Apalachicola R nr Sumatra, FL
02366500.nc 10/01/1930 09/30/2001 30.4508 -85.8983 Choctawhatchee R nr Bruce, FL
02368000.nc 08/01/2001 09/30/2001 30.7528 -86.6292 Yellow R at Milligan, FL
02370000.nc 04/01/1950 09/30/2001 30.8333 -86.7347 Blackwater R nr Baker, Fl
02375500.nc 10/01/1934 09/30/2001 30.9650 -87.2342 Escambia R nr Century, FL
02376033.nc 06/09/1983 09/30/2001 30.6681 -87.2667 Escambia R nr Molino, Fl
02427506.nc 05/01/1970 10/16/2002 32.1000 -87.3978 Alabama R at Millers Ferry
02376500.nc 06/09/1941 09/30/2001 30.6903 -87.4403 Perdido R at Barrineau Park, FL
02428400.nc 10/01/1975 09/30/2000 31.6114 -87.5531 Alabama R at Claiborne L&D nr Monroeville,AL
02467000.nc 08/01/1928 09/30/2001 32.5194 -87.8783 Tombigbee R at Demopolis L&D nr Coatopa,AL
02469761.nc 10/01/1960 09/30/2000 31.7583 -88.1292 Tombigbee R at Coffeeville L&D nr Coffeeville,AL
02479310.nc 10/01/1993 09/30/1999 30.6103 -88.6406 Pascagoula R at Graham Ferry,MS
02488500.nc 10/01/1938 09/30/2000 31.5533 -90.0878 Pearl R nr Monticello, MS
01100mis.nc 01/01/1930 12/31/2002 31.0083 -91.6236 Mississippi R at Tarbert Landing, MS
03045atc.nc 01/01/1930 12/31/2002 30.9825 -91.7983 Atachafalya at Simmesport, LA
08015500.nc 09/01/1922 09/30/2000 30.5028 -92.9153 Calcasieu R nr Kinder, LA
08030500.nc 10/01/1924 09/30/2001 30.3036 -93.7436 Sabine R nr Ruliff, TX
08041000.nc 08/01/1904 09/30/2001 30.3556 -94.0931 Neches R at Evadale, TX
08066500.nc 05/01/1924 09/30/2001 30.4250 -94.8506 Trinity R at Romayor, TX
08068090.nc 05/01/1984 09/30/2001 30.0858 -95.2997 West Fork San Jacinto abv Lake Houston nr Porter
08116650.nc 04/01/1967 09/30/2001 29.3494 -95.5822 Brazos R nr Rosharon, TX
08117500.nc 05/01/1954 09/30/2001 29.3133 -95.8936 San Bernard R nr Boling, TX
08162500.nc 05/01/1948 09/30/2001 28.9739 -96.0122 Colorado R near Bay City, TX
08164000.nc 09/01/1938 09/30/2001 28.9597 -96.6861 Lavaca R nr Edna, TX
08176500.nc 12/01/1934 09/30/2001 28.7928 -97.0128 Guadalupe R at Victoria, TX
08189500.nc 07/01/1939 09/30/2001 28.2917 -97.2789 Mission R at Refugio, TX
08188500.nc 07/01/1924 09/30/2001 28.6494 -97.3844 San Antonio R at Goliad, TX
08189700.nc 04/01/1964 09/30/2001 28.2822 -97.6206 Aransas R nr Skidmore, TX
08211000.nc 09/01/1939 09/30/2001 28.0381 -97.8600 Nueces R nr Mathis, TX