GOM

Five measurement programs using PIES have been funded by the Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior to study deepwater currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Three PIES were deployed during a pilot program as part of the DeSoto Canyon Eddy Intrusion Study from February to September 2001. Subsequently, PIES arrays have been deployed in the Central (3/03-4/04), Western (10/04-8/05), and Eastern (12/04-1/06) Gulf of Mexico. A new study of the dynamics of the loop current began in 2009. The map below shows the PIES deployment locations in these arrays.

 

Western Gulf Central Gulf Eastern Gulf Dynloop

Survey of Deepwater Currents in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico

Field Program: 2004-2006

Principal Investigators:

Kathleen Donohue, University of Rhode Island D. Randolph Watts, University of Rhode Island Carol Coomes, Evans-Hamilton, Inc. Jeff Cox, Evans-Hamilton, Inc. George Forristall, Forristall Ocean Engineering, Inc. Peter Hamilton, Science Applications International Corporation Robert Leben, University of Colorado/CCAR Steven DiMarco, Texas A&M University

Publications:

  • Cox, J., C. Coomes, S. DiMarco, K. Donohue, G. Z. Forristall, P. Hamilton, R. R. Leben, and D. R. Watts. Study of deepwater currents in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. OCS Study BOEMRE 2010-041, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2010. 473 pp. (PDF)

Survey of Deepwater Currents in the Western Gulf of Mexico

Field Program: 2004-2005

Principal Investigators:

Kathleen Donohue, University of Rhode Island D. Randolph Watts, University of Rhode Island Evans Waddell, Science Applications International Corporation Peter Hamilton, Science Applications International Corporation Robert Leben, University of Colorado/CCAR

Publications:

  • Donohue, K., P. Hamilton, R. Leben, R. Watts, and E. Waddell. Survey of deepwater currents in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Volume I: Executive summary. OCS Study MMS 2008-030, U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2008. 73pp. (PDF)
  • Donohue, K., P. Hamilton, R. Leben, R. Watts, and E. Waddell. Survey of deepwater currents in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Volume II: Technical report. OCS Study MMS 2008-031, U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2008. 375pp. (PDF)

Exploratory Study of Deepwater Currents in the Gulf of Mexico
(Central Gulf of Mexico)

Field Program: 2003-2004

Principal Investigators:

Kathleen Donohue, University of Rhode Island D. Randolph Watts, University of Rhode Island Mark Prater, University of Rhode Island Evans Waddell, Science Applications International Corporation Peter Hamilton, Science Applications International Corporation Kevin Leaman, University of Miami Robert Leben, University of Colorado/CCAR

Publications:

  • Donohue, K., P. Hamilton, K. Leaman, R. Leben, M. Prater, D. R. Watts, and E. Waddell. Exploratory study of deepwater currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Volume I: Executive summary. OCS Study MMS 2006-073, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2006. 86 pp. (PDF)
  • Donohue, K., P. Hamilton, K. Leaman, R. Leben, M. Prater, D. R. Watts, and E. Waddell. Exploratory study of deepwater currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Volume II: Technical report. OCS Study MMS 2006-074, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2006. 430 pp. (PDF)

Presentations:

Ocean Sciences Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii, February 2006

  • Hamilton, P., D. R. Watts, and K. A. Donohue. Interaction of topographic Rossby waves with the steep Sigsbee Escarpment in the Gulf of Mexico. Eos Trans. AGU, 87(36), 2006. Ocean Sci. Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS13K-05.

DeSoto Canyon Eddy Intrusion Study

Principal Investigators:

Kathleen Donohue, University of Rhode IslandEvans Waddell, Science Applications International CorporationPeter Hamilton, Science Applications International CorporationJ.J. Singer, Science Applications International Corporation

Publications:

  • Hamilton, P., J. J. Singer, E. Waddell, and K. Donohue. Deepwater observations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico from in-situ current meters and PIES. Final report, Volume I: Executive summary. OCS Study MMS 2003-048, U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2003. 14pp. (PDF)
  • Hamilton, P., J. J. Singer, E. Waddell, and K. Donohue. Deepwater observations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico from in-situ current meters and PIES. Final report, Volume II: Technincal report. OCS Study MMS 2003-049, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA, 2003. 95 pp. (PDF)

Data from the DeSoto Canyon Eddy Intrusion Study

BOEM Gulf of Mexico website: www.boem.gov/regions/gulf-mexico-ocs-region