Premium
Episodic changes in lateral transport and phytoplankton distribution in South San Francisco Bay
Author(s) -
Huzzey Linda M.,
Cioern James E.,
Powell Thomas M.
Publication year - 1990
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.1990.35.2.0472
Subject(s) - bay , shoal , oceanography , channel (broadcasting) , forcing (mathematics) , environmental science , geology , flow (mathematics) , phytoplankton , climatology , telecommunications , engineering , physics , biology , ecology , nutrient , mechanics
Observations in South San Francisco Bay during 1982 showed that substantial cross‐channel, nontidal flows accompanied episodic increases in the longitudinal, nontidal flows. Along the channel the nontidal circulation was enhanced during the monthly minima in tidal energy or as a result of wind forcing, producing upestuary flows 2–3 times greater than normal. These longitudinal pulses modified the horizontal and vertical salinity distributions and generated cross‐channel flows of up to 0.07 m s −1 that persisted for several days. The increased lateral flows were directed to the west and may explain the large fluctuations in phytoplankton biomass observed over the broad eastern shoal during spring.