DISL Coastal Ocean Observation systems

Project Leader:Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski

Project Details Lead investigator involved in maintaining site CP, a long-term mooring site collect water column velocity and hydrographic data. This is one of the longest running high frequency hydrographic times series in coastal water of the Gulf of Mexico and has a tremendous potential for being a sentinel site for address anthropogenic impacts in the coastal zone (e.g., watershed urbanization, climate change issues). Interdisciplinary data from this have been used in a range of ways by numerous scientists.

Of particular note is the use of data and water samples from site CP during Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill disaster in 2010 as well as in the assessing the aftermath of the event. As a result of the past and ongoing efforts at this field site, 24 peer-reviewed publications have resulted (with several more currently in preparation), 24 data products have been produced, and 9 graduate student degrees have been awarded that are tied to this field site.

In addition, numerous undergraduate interns have been involved in sample collection, processing, and analysis. For instance, two NSF REU participants have worked directly on the mooring time series data for their summer research projects. The mooring site also has served as a critical component of the DISL scientific diver training program which has resulted in scientific diving qualifications to students, technicians, and faculty.