To provide an improved mapping of the seafloor fabric globally, we have used available sounding data along with an improved global marine gravity model to develop at grid at 15 arcsecond resolution (~500 m). Land elevations are based on the best available data from SRTM, ASTER digital elevation models while the ice topography of Greenland and Antarctica is based on CryoSat-2 and IceSat. Ocean bathymetry is based on bathymetric predictions from the latest global gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 along with 494 million carefully edited depth soundings at 15 arcsecond resolution.

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico and the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) was initiated to determine the extent of damage to the resources and habitat of the area impacted by the spill. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center Mississippi Laboratories has collected standardized data in the Gulf of Mexico since the 1980s through various fisheries resource surveys. These data were provided to the NRDA for inclusion as a baseline dataset on the health of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem prior to the oil spill.

Morphometric and meristic data from two species of rays within the genus Rhinoptera were collected to facilitate accurate identifications of the two species. Data were compared, based on genetic verification of specimens, to determine if both species (i.e., R. bonasus and R. brasiliensis) are present in the northern Gulf of Mexico and off the east coast of the United States. Specimens were obtained from a number of sources, including NOAA surveys, fishing tournaments and museum collections.

Reproductive data from Squalus cubensis (Cuban dogfish) were opportunistically collected from 2005-2012. Data include those necessary to examine reproductive cycle, fecundity, gestation period, and size at maturity for the species.

Reproductive data from Atlantic sharpnose sharks were collected from specimens captured throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico on various research vessels. Data included those necessary to describe the size at maturity, reproductive cycle, mating period, gestation time and fecundity of the species.

Life history data were collected from Atlantic sharpnose and blacknose sharks during the Congressional Supplemental Program during 2011. Data collected include length, sex, state of maturity and fecundity. Additionally, reproductive tracts were removed and measures of anatomical structures were obtained.

Gravity models are powerful tools for mapping tectonic structures, especially in the deep ocean basins where the topography remains unmapped by ships or is buried by thick sediment. We combined new radar altimeter measurements from satellites CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 with existing data to construct a global marine gravity model that is two times more accurate than previous models. We found an extinct spreading ridge in the Gulf of Mexico, a major propagating rift in the South Atlantic Ocean, abyssal hill fabric on slow-spreading ridges, and thousands of previously uncharted seamounts.

Energetic particle data from the CXD and BDD instrument on the GPS constellation are available to the space weather research community. The release of these data supports the National Space Weather Action Plan which was recently published by the Executive Office of the President's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).

Multibeam and singlebeam mapping operations were conducted 24 hours a day throughout the cruise. Sub-bottom profile mapping was conducted 24 hours a day at the discretion of the CO. XBT and/or Underway CTD (UCTD) sound velocity casts in support of multibeam sonar mapping operations were conducted at an interval defined by prevailing oceanographic conditions, but not to exceed 6 hours. All data was fully processed according to standard onboard procedures and is archived with the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Aiming for near-real-time data-quality monitoring of the Level-2 satellite sea surface salinity (SSS) products, the satellite oceanography team of NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) has generated quick-look 1.0-degree Level-3 experimental products from the NASA Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D satellites level-2 swath data.