Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS37 Linking Dynamic Temporal Processes with Spatial Domains (Spatial and Temporal Connections)

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 4:00:00 PM

Location: San Miguel

Dekshenieks, M, M, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI, USA, deks@holo.gso.uri.edu

Donaghay, P, L, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI, USA, donaghay@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu

Sullivan, J, M, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI, USA, jsully@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu

Rines, J, E, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI, USA, jrines@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu

Osborn, T, R, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, osborn@jhu.edu

Holliday, D, V, BAE Systems, San Diego, CA, USA, van.holliday@baesystems.com

McGehee, D, E, BAE Systems, San Diego, CA, USA, duncan.mcgehee@baesystems.com

Greenlaw, C, F, BAE Systems, San Diego, CA, USA, charles.greenlaw@baesystems.com

THE ROLE OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL PHYSICAL FORCING IN CONTROLLING THIN LAYER DYNAMICS IN A COASTAL FJORD

East Sound is a small fjord in the San Juan Islands, Washington USA. The water mass 'type' in East Sound varies due to regional-scale winds and tidal mixing occurring in the channels surrounding the San Juan Islands. Pulses of low salinity water have been observed in East Sound during neap tides and northwesterly winds. These physical events impact the dynamics of thin (sub-meter to meter scale) layers of phytoplankton and zooplankton. In general, thin layers are not detected when low salinity water is advected into the Sound. The mechanisms for the dissipation and eventual re-formation of thin layers will be discussed. The observed relationships between physical forcing and biological distributions have important implications for many areas of the coastal ocean.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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