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Dense shelf water formation along the south‐west Australian inner shelf
Author(s) -
Pattiaratchi Charitha,
Hollings Ben,
Woo Mun,
Welhena Thisara
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2011gl046816
Subject(s) - transect , oceanography , submarine pipeline , geology , continental shelf , shore , current (fluid) , water mass , salinity , temperature salinity diagrams , environmental science
Hydrological data from a repeated cross‐shore transect obtained using Teledyne Webb Research Slocum Electric gliders offshore Two Rocks in south‐western Australia over 13 months are presented. The data revealed that formation of dense water inshore and its transport across the shelf as a near bed gravity current (defined as Dense Shelf Water Cascade, DSWC) was a regular occurrence, particularly during autumn and winter months. In autumn, the dense water is mainly formed through changes in salinity resulting from evaporation, whilst in winter; temperature change through surface cooling was the dominant factor. The mean wind speeds also decrease during the transition during autumn. The speed of the DSWC was estimated to be 0.01–0.02 m s −1 , and similar to that measured in other selected regions globally. The offshore transport from the shelf is a significant component of the alongshore wind‐driven transport.