HR: 14:15h
AN: OS23H-02    [Abstracts]
TI: COOL Observations on the Biogeochemistry of the Mid-Atlantic Bight
AU: * Schofield, O
EM: oscar@imcs.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Cahill, B
EM: brownwyn@marine.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Castaleo, R
EM: castelao@marine.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Kohut, J
EM: kohut@imcs.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Chant, R M
EM: chant@imcs.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Gong, D
EM: donglai@imcs.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Glenn, S T
EM: glenn@imcs.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AU: Yi, X
EM: xuyi@marine.rutgers.edu
AF: COOL, Rutgers, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
AB: The Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) has exhibited significant changes in the last decade; however the implications for the shelf biogeochemistry remain an open question. We are using an integrated ocean observatory to study the productivity and its associated transport on the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB). We have constructed a shelf-wide ocean observatory, anchored by four enabling technologies, to characterize the physical forcing of continental shelf primary productivity in the New York Bight (NYB). An international constellation of ocean color satellites, multi- static high frequency long-range surface current radar, real-time telemetry moorings, and long duration autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are all controlled through a centralized computer network dedicated to receiving, processing and visualizing the real-time data and then disseminating results to both field scientists and ocean forecasters working in the MAB. On an annual basis overall half of the primary productivity of the MAB is associated with winter and early spring productivity during the onset of shelf stratification. This is complemented by productivity associated with buoyant river plumes, dominated by the Hudson River, which provides 1/4 of the productivity largely during late spring and early summer. Close to 2/3s of the buoyant waters from the Hudson river flow out along the edge of the Hudson shelf valley which then flows south on the MAB along mid-shelf front. As the Hudson river contributes a significant fraction of the shelf productivity, the jet provides an efficient mechanism for transporting nearshore carbon and larval species to the shelf break/slope from the near shore waters. Transport onto the slope is mediated by offshore large warm rings. Transport across the Hudson canyon appears to be severely limited and is a defining feature for the biogeography of the shelf suggesting unique biotic provinces north and south of the Hudson canyon. Summer upwelling accounts for the remaining 25% of the annual shelf productivity; however much of the productivity remains nearshore which fuels local fisheries and topographically driven hypoxia/anoxia.
UR: http:marine.rutgers.edu/cool
DE: 4262 Ocean observing systems
DE: 4263 Ocean predictability and prediction (3238)
DE: 4264 Ocean optics (0649)
DE: 4279 Upwelling and convergences (4964)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly