Shipboard ADCP observations in a coastal upwelling zone off northern Baja California
Abstract
During October 2009 shipboard observations were made in the coastal upwelling zone off northern Baja California coast (31-28 °N) . The experiment began during an upwelling-favorable wind event after a relaxation event. There was also a relaxation event during the experiment. The wind patterns included a positive wind stress curl along the coast stronger at the southern part of the study area. Analysis of the shipboard mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data of the subsurface (40 m) layer reveled an equatorward coastal jet on the continental shelf at the northern part, a mesoscale anticyclonic eddy at the middle part, and a coastal countercurrent on the slope at the southern part. Analysis of the hydrographic measurements reveled that the equatorward costal jet was associated with an upwelling event, that the eddy was associated with the countercurrent, and that the countercurrent was generated at the southern part. A frontal zone in the coastal upwelling region was established. The eddy was below of the mixed layer. The countercurrent was barotropic at the southern part where the wind curl was positive. The circulation pattern was confirmed with Lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler (LADCP) data.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFMOS51E1935G
- Keywords:
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- 4223 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL / Descriptive and regional oceanography;
- 4279 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL / Upwelling and convergences;
- 4516 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL / Eastern boundary currents;
- 4528 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL / Fronts and jets