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Particle size distributions in a region of coastal upwelling analyzed by characteristic vectors 1
Author(s) -
Kitchen James C.,
Menzies David,
Pak Hasong,
Ronald J.,
Zaneveld V.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1975.20.5.0775
Subject(s) - particulates , range (aeronautics) , volume (thermodynamics) , weighting , particle (ecology) , salinity , particle size , environmental science , upwelling , chlorophyll a , atmospheric sciences , phytoplankton , mineralogy , chemistry , geology , oceanography , physics , materials science , nutrient , thermodynamics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , acoustics , composite material
Particle size distributions (8–105‐ µ m diameter), chlorophyll a, and particulate carbon were measured off the Oregon coast during July 1973. The particle counts were transformed to volume concentration and then subjected to characteristic vector analysis. Ninety‐two percent of the variance was accounted for by linear combinations of the first two characteristic vectors. Two weighting factors define the proportions of the two characteristic vectors which will, when added to the mean volume concentration curve, approximate the actual data for each sample. Variations in the first weighting factor correspond well with variations in total volume. Changes in the second weighting factor indicate which segment of the size range contains the largest proportion of the particulate volume. Comparison with temperature and salinity data indicated that the near surface water with proportionately large volumes of particles less than 20 µ m was warmer and less saline than the surface waters with large volumes between 20 and 50 µ m. High correlation with particulate carbon and chlorophyll suggests that in both cases a large proportion of the particles is phytoplankton.