Open AccessIntrusions of Gulf Stream waters onto the South Atlantic Bight shelf
Author(s) -
Castelao Renato
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2011jc007178
Subject(s) - downwelling , oceanography , upwelling , geology , continental shelf , gulf stream , stratification (seeds) , intrusion , bottom water , geochemistry , seed dormancy , botany , germination , dormancy , biology
Intrusions of Gulf Stream waters onto the South Atlantic Bight continental shelf are analyzed using historical observations spanning several decades. Intrusions of dense water near the bottom occur predominantly during summer, when they are observed 30% of the time at the middle and outer shelf, but less frequently (<10%) inshore of the 20 m isobath, where they are found predominantly following periods of strong upwelling favorable winds. Bottom intrusions can have an important effect on stratification, especially on the outer shelf, where the average near‐bottom temperature is 2°C lower when bottom intrusions are present. Surface intrusions, on the other hand, occur more evenly distributed throughout the year, although they are more frequent during summer, when they also tend to reach farther onshore. Surface intrusions occur slightly more frequently during times when winds are downwelling favorable. Both surface and bottom intrusions are more frequently observed in the northern and southern South Atlantic Bight, where the shelf is narrowest, and less frequently in the wider central region.