Low-frequency variability of currents and temperatures on the Pacific continental shelf off northern Baja California, 1978 to 1979

Currents, coastal winds, coastal sea level, and coastal ocean temperatures were observed at a number of northern Baja California Pacific sites between October 1978 and October 1979. Coastal winds were weakly southward on average and fluctuated north-south throughout the year. Fluctuations were uncorrelated over alongshore separations of 200 km. Coastal winds differed considerably from the large-scale offshore wind estimate (Bakun's Index) both in strength and in variability. At 30°50′N the mean currents were weakly equatorward at 25 m depth and weakly poleward at 42 and 60 m in a water depth of 75 m. The seasonal mean flow was equatorward from October to April and poleward from April to October at the shallower level but poleward all year near bottom. The fluctuations on a time scale of days to weeks were about an order of magnitude stronger than the seasonal variation, were oriented predominantly alongshore, and were quasi-barotropic in nature. Empirical orthogonal analyses showed that almost 90% of the variability could be represented by a single empirical mode. The alongshore fluctuations were significantly correlated with coastal sea level from October to July but during the rest of the year correlation was insignificant, possibly as a result of offshore eddies approaching the shelf.Observations at 25- and 60-m depth at a second mooring 100 km south of the first indicated a mean alongshore divergence from April to July 1979, consistent with long-term mean geostrophic flow patterns for the area. In general, currents were correlated alongshore but a two-week event in May, which manifested itself differently at the two sites, was suggestive of the impingement of an eddy onto the continental shelf. Currents and winds were poorly correlated in general.Temperature variation at sites along 700 km of coast showed a strong seasonal variation with the winter cool period extended by spring upwelling. Days-to-weeks scale fluctuations were similar at the five northernmost sites and correlations alongshore were significant for separations of up to 400 km. No evidence of propagating events was found in coastal temperatures or in currents.     

Seasonal variation in sediment transport on the Russian River shelf,California

Near-bottom currents, light transmission and scattering, and bottom pressure were measured with GEOPROBE tripods and vector-averaging current meters during June 1979 to April 1980 on the central shelf 10 km west of the Russian River, California. The instruments were located on the mid-shelf mud belt composed of bimodal sandy clayey silts contributed principally by the Russian River. During the summer season of persistent northwesterly, upwelling-favorable winds, the average and maximum current speeds 5 m above the bottom were 11 and 31 cm s^?1, respectively. The mean (subtidal) flow at 5 m above bottom was poleward and slightly offshore at about 6 cm s^?1. The strongest wave-generated bottom currents were about 10 cm s^?1, but oscillatory velocities > 5 cm s^?1 were infrequent. Suspended-matter concentrations, derived from the optical data at 1.9 m above the bottom, ranged from 1 to 6 mg l^?1. The optical data show that the currents and waves were generally below threshold levels for sediment erosion through the summer. In contrast, during the autumn and, particularly, the winter months, the average and maximum concentrations of suspended matter increased substantially. The increases were primarily caused by larger waves from distant storms and short intervals of strong currents associated with local storms and, secondarily, by the large seasonal flow of the Russian River. Wind-driven and wave-generated bottom currents were as large as 37 and 45 cm s^?1, respectively, during local storms in December 1979 and February 1980. Suspended-matter concentrations averaged about 7 mg l^?1 during non-storm winter periods, but increased to nearly 150 mg l^?1 during a December storm. Estimates of suspended-matter flux near the bottom show that the local winter storms, which had a combined duration of about 12 days, could account for 30 to 50% of the total annual suspended-sediment transport at the mid-shelf site. Although intervals of large swell were at times superimposed on southward advective currents, the major sediment-transport events were caused by strong southerly winds that produced poleward bottom currents with a significant offshore component. The primary aspects of the distribution of modern sediments on this shelf are in good agreement with the observed poleward transport.     

Sediment transport on the Palos Verdes shelf,California

Sediment transport and the potential for erosion or deposition have been investigated on the Palos Verdes (PV) and San Pedro shelves in southern California to help assess the fate of an effluent-affected deposit contaminated with DDT and PCBs. Bottom boundary layer measurements at two 60-m sites in spring 2004 were used to set model parameters and evaluate a one-dimensional (vertical) model of local, steady-state resuspension, and suspended-sediment transport. The model demonstrated skill (Brier scores up to 0.75) reproducing the magnitudes of bottom shear stress, current speeds, and suspended-sediment concentrations measured during an April transport event, but the model tended to underpredict observed rotation in the bottom-boundary layer, possibly because the model did not account for the effects of temperature–salinity stratification. The model was run with wave input estimated from a nearby buoy and current input from four to six years of measurements at thirteen sites on the 35- and 65-m isobaths on the PV and San Pedro shelves. Sediment characteristics and erodibility were based on gentle wet-sieve analysis and erosion-chamber measurements. Modeled flow and sediment transport were mostly alongshelf toward the northwest on the PV shelf with a significant offshore component. The 95th percentile of bottom shear stresses ranged from 0.09 to 0.16 Pa at the 65-m sites, and the lowest values were in the middle of the PV shelf, near the Whites Point sewage outfalls where the effluent-affected layer is thickest. Long-term mean transport rates varied from 0.9 to 4.8 metric tons m⁻¹ yr⁻¹ along the 65-m isobaths on the PV shelf, and were much higher at the 35-m sites. Gradients in modeled alongshore transport rates suggest that, in the absence of a supply of sediment from the outfalls or PV coast, erosion at rates of ∼0.2 mm yr⁻¹ might occur in the region southeast of the outfalls. These rates are small compared to some estimates of background natural sedimentation rates (∼5 mm yr⁻¹), but do not preclude higher localized rates near abrupt transitions in sediment characteristics. However, low particle settling velocities and strong currents result in transport length-scales that are long relative to the narrow width of the PV shelf, which combined with the significant offshore component in transport, means that transport of resuspended sediment towards deep water is as likely as transport along the axis of the effluent-affected deposit.     

Connectivity of the Apalachicola River flow variability and the physical and bio-optical oceanic properties of the northern West Florida Shelf

Maps of satellite-derived estimates of monthly averaged chlorophyll a concentration over the northern West Florida Shelf show interannual variations concentrated near the coastline, but also extending offshore over the shelf in a tongue-like pattern from the Apalachicola River during the late winter and early spring. These anomalies are significantly correlated with interannual variability in the flow rate of the Apalachicola River, which is linked to the precipitation anomalies over the watershed, over a region extending 150–200 km offshore out to roughly the 100 m isobath. This study examines the variability of the Apalachicola River and its impacts on the variability of water properties over the northern West Florida Shelf. A series of numerical model experiments show that episodic wind-driven offshore transport of the Apalachicola River plume is a likely physical mechanism for connecting the variability of the river discharge with oceanic variability over the middle and outer shelf.     

The seasonal variability of the northern Benguela undercurrent and its relation to the oxygen budget on the shelf

The seasonal variations in the advection and mixing of water masses in the northern Benguela were studied in relation to the oxygen minimum zone over the Namibian shelf. The used data set consists of hydrographic and current measurements from an oceanographic mooring 20 nm off Walvis Bay, monthly CTD transects from the Namibian 23°S monitoring line and recent large-scale hydrographic surveys. The current time series showed an intermittent southward continuation of the Angola Current (AC) through the Angola–Benguela frontal zone (ABFZ) into the northern Benguela, commonly known as poleward undercurrent. In austral summer hypoxic, nutrient rich South Atlantic central water (SACW) from the Angola Gyre is transported into the northern Benguela, whereas during the winter season the oxygen rich Eastern SACW (ESACW) spreads northward. The water mass analysis reveals a mixing between both water masses in the northern Benguela between the ABFZ and the Lüderitz upwelling cell (27°S). The oxygen balance over the Namibian shelf depends to a high extent on the water mass composition of the upper central water layer, controlled by the large scale and local circulation. The deviation of the measured oxygen concentration from its mixing concentration, calculated with the source water mass properties, was used to quantify the oxygen consumption. A new local definition SACW was derived to exclude biogeochemical processes, taking place in the Angola Gyre. The oxygen deficit in the northern Benguela central water amounted to about 60–80 μmol l⁻¹ at the shelf edge and increased up to 150 μmol l⁻¹ on the shelf, due to local oxygen consumption. In the austral summer anoxic bottom waters are observed at the central Namibian shelf, which correlate to an SACW fraction >55%. Periods with high SACW fraction in the water mass composition were congruent with hydrogen sulphide events detected by remote sensing.     

Interacting physical,chemical and biological forcing of phytoplankton thin-layer variability in Monterey Bay,California

During the 2005 Layered Organization in the Coastal Ocean (LOCO) field program in Monterey Bay, California, we integrated intensive water column surveys by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with satellite and mooring data to examine the spatiotemporal scales and processes of phytoplankton thin-layer development. Surveying inner to outer shelf waters repeatedly between August 18 and September 6, the AUV acquired 6841 profiles. By the criteria: [(1) thickness ≤3 m at the full-width half-maximum, (2) peak chlorophyll at least twice the local background concentrations, and (3) a corresponding peak in optical backscattering], thin layers were detected in 3978 (58%) of the profiles. Average layer thickness was 1.4 m, and average intensity was 13.5 μg l^?1 above (3.2x) background. Thin layers were observed at depths between 2.6 and 17.6 m, and their depths showed diurnal vertical migration of the layer phytoplankton populations. Horizontal scales of thin-layer patches ranged from <100 m to>10,000 m. A thin-layer index (TLI), computed from layer frequency, intensity and thinness, was highest in mid-shelf waters, coincident with a frontal zone between bay waters and an intrusion of low-salinity offshore waters. Satellite observations showed locally enhanced chlorophyll concentrations along the front, and in situ observations indicated that phytoplankton may have been affected by locally enhanced nutrient supply in the front and concentration of motile populations in a convergence zone. Minimum TLI was furthest offshore, in the area most affected by the intrusion of offshore, low-chlorophyll waters. Average thin-layer intensity doubled during August 25–29, in parallel with warming at the surface and cooling within and below the thermocline. During this apparent bloom of thin-layer populations, density oscillations in the diurnal frequency band increased by an order of magnitude at the shelfbreak and in near-bottom waters of the inner shelf, indicating the role of internal tidal pumping from Monterey Canyon onto the shelf. This nutrient transport process was mapped by the AUV. Peak TLI was observed on August 29 during a nighttime survey, when phytoplankton were concentrated in the nutricline. Empirical orthogonal function decomposition of the thin-layer particle size distribution data from this survey showed that throughout the inner to outer shelf survey domain, the layers were dominated by phytoplankton having a cross-section of ～50 μm. This is consistent with the size of abundant Akashiwo sanguinea cells observed microscopically in water samples. During a subsequent and stronger intrusion of low-salinity offshore waters, spatially-averaged vertical density stratification decreased by > 50%, and phytoplankton thin layers disappeared almost completely from the AUV survey domain.     

Numerical study of seasonal circulation and variability over the inner shelf of the northern South China Sea

This study examines seasonal circulation, hydrography, and associated spatial variability over the inner shelf of the northern South China Sea (NSCS) using a nested-grid coastal ocean circulation model. The model external forcing consists of tides, atmospheric forcing, and open boundary conditions based on the global ocean circulation and hydrography reanalysis produced by the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean model. Five numerical experiments are conducted with different combinations of external forcing functions to examine main physical processes affecting the seasonal circulation in the study region. Model results demonstrate that the monthly mean circulation in the study region features the Guangdong Coastal Current (GCC) over coastal waters and the South China Sea Warm Current (SCSWC) in the offshore deep waters. The GCC produced by the model flows nearly southwestward in winter months and northwestward in summer months, which agrees with previous studies. The SCSWC flows roughly northeastward and is well defined in summer months. In winter months, by comparison, the SCSWC is superseded by the southwestward strong wind-driven currents. Analysis of model results in five different experiments demonstrates that the monthly mean circulation over coastal and inner shelf waters of the NSCS can be approximated by barotropic currents forced by the southwestward monsoon winds in winter months. In summer months, by comparison, the monthly mean circulation in the study region is affected significantly by baroclinic dynamics associated with freshwater runoff from the Pearl River and advection of warm and saline waters carried by the SCSWC over the NSCS.     

High-frequency time-series of the dynamic sedimentation processes on the western shelf of the Mississippi River Delta

Multiple box cores were collected on the continental shelf in the Mississippi Deltaic Region adjacent to Southwest Pass and analyzed for particle reactive radionuclides ²³⁴Th and ⁷Be to examine seasonal sediment dynamics associated with variations of river discharge and hydrodynamics. Three stations located along a line west of Southwest Pass were cored and reoccupied in October, November, and December of 2003 and March, April, and May of 2004. High-frequency sampling (∼monthly) comparable to the short half-life of the radiotracers (²³⁴Th t_1/2=24.1 d; ⁷Be t_1/2=53.3) enabled us to isolate the relative influence that various forcing agents (river discharge, waves, currents) had on sediment inventories of ⁷Be and ²³⁴Th. In addition, the primary source of ⁷Be (fluvial) differs from ²³⁴Th (marine), providing further insight into processes affecting sediment transport and supply. Monthly ⁷Be inventories showed a significant positive relationship to river discharge (P=0.03) proximal to Southwest Pass. Sites further from Southwest Pass exhibited little to no relationship between ⁷Be inventories and river flow. At these sites, monthly ⁷Be inventories demonstrated a significant positive relationship with average wave orbital velocity (P<0.01). During our sampling period, the transport of ⁷Be-rich sediments to sites located on the middle to outer shelf were dependent on sea conditions not river discharge. Relatively high wave orbital velocities potentially allow particles to remain in suspension longer and travel further distances before initial deposition. In addition, ²³⁴Th inventories showed evidence of sediment focusing during periods of high wave orbital velocities.     

Modelling tidally induced sediment-transport paths over the northwest European shelf: the influence of sea-level reduction

A three-dimensional model covering the northwest European Shelf and part of the adjacent Atlantic Ocean is used to examine the influence of water depth change upon the distribution of maximum tidal bed stress. The direction of bed stress is an indicator of sediment movement as bed load and various regions of convergence and divergence in good agreement with observations are identified. Calculations are performed with water depths reduced by 35 m, corresponding to 10 000 years before present (B.P.). Initially, the model is forced by only the M₂ tide, although subsequently five constituents, namely M₂, S₂, N₂, K₁ and O_1, are used for tidal forcing. Although the distribution of extreme bed stresses computed with only M₂ tidal forcing is comparable to that computed with five tides, the additional tidal constituents modify the magnitude of the bed stress. In particular the diurnal tides show regions of local enhanced current amplitude in the shelf-edge region with corresponding changes in bed stress. When water depths are reduced such that the North Sea and English Channel are separated, then there is a significant change in the tidal distribution in the shallow Southern Bight which influences bed-stress distributions and hence bed-load sediment transport in the area. Besides changes in shallow regions, the distribution of tides at the shelf edge is affected. A discussion of the limitations of the present coarse-grid model in shelf-edge regions and how it can be used to provide boundary conditions for limited-area three-dimensional models that can include stratification is presented. Also the importance of stratification for sediment movement at the shelf edge is briefly discussed.Responsible Editor: Phil Dyke     

Erosion characteristics and horizontal variability for small erosion depths in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta,California, USA

Erodibility of cohesive sediment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) was investigated with an erosion microcosm. Erosion depths in the Delta and in the microcosm were estimated to be about one floc diameter over a range of shear stresses and times comparable to half of a typical tidal cycle. Using the conventional assumption of horizontally homogeneous bed sediment, data from 27 of 34 microcosm experiments indicate that the erosion rate coefficient increased as eroded mass increased, contrary to theory. We believe that small erosion depths, erosion rate coefficient deviation from theory, and visual observation of horizontally varying biota and texture at the sediment surface indicate that erosion cannot solely be a function of depth but must also vary horizontally. We test this hypothesis by developing a simple numerical model that includes horizontal heterogeneity, use it to develop an artificial time series of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) in an erosion microcosm, then analyze that time series assuming horizontal homogeneity. A shear vane was used to estimate that the horizontal standard deviation of critical shear stress was about 30% of the mean value at a site in the Delta. The numerical model of the erosion microcosm included a normal distribution of initial critical shear stress, a linear increase in critical shear stress with eroded mass, an exponential decrease of erosion rate coefficient with eroded mass, and a stepped increase in applied shear stress. The maximum SSC for each step increased gradually, thus confounding identification of a single well-defined critical shear stress as encountered with the empirical data. Analysis of the artificial SSC time series with the assumption of a homogeneous bed reproduced the original profile of critical shear stress, but the erosion rate coefficient increased with eroded mass, similar to the empirical data. Thus, the numerical experiment confirms the small-depth erosion hypothesis. A linear model of critical shear stress and eroded mass is proposed to simulate small-depth erosion, assuming that the applied and critical shear stresses quickly reach equilibrium.     

On the role of physical processes on the surface chlorophyll variability in the Northern Mozambique Channel

Ocean Dynamics - In the Indian Ocean regions under the influence of monsoons, two phytoplankton blooms characterize the seasonal cycle of surface chlorophyll, one during summer, and the other...     

Assessment on variability of extreme climate events for the Upper Thames River basin in Canada

Climate change may affect magnitude and frequency of regional extreme events with possibility of serious impacts on the existing infrastructure systems. This study investigates how the current spatial and temporal variations of extreme events are affected by climate change in the Upper Thames River basin, Ontario, Canada. A weather generator model is implemented to obtain daily time series of three climate variables for two future climate scenarios. The daily time series are disaggregated into hourly to capture characteristics of intense and rapidly changing storms. The maximum annual precipitation events for five short durations, 6‐, 12‐, 24‐, 48‐, and 72‐h durations, at each station are extracted from the generated hourly data. The frequency and seasonality analyses are conducted to investigate the temporal and spatial variability of extreme precipitation events corresponding to each duration. In addition, this study investigates the impacts of increase in temperature using reliability, resilience, and vulnerability. The results indicate that the extreme precipitation events under climate change will occur earlier than in the past. In addition, episodes of extremely high temperature may last longer up to 19·7% than under the no‐change climate scenario. This study points out that the revision of the design storms (e.g. 100‐ or 250‐year return period) is warranted for the west and the south east region of the basin. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diurnal-period,wind-forced ocean variability on the inner shelf off Concepción,Chile

We characterize the response of diurnal-period ocean current variability to the sea breeze using measurements of current velocity taken off the mouth of the Itata River and wind stress collected at Hualpen Point (central Chile) in spring of 2007 and summer of 2006 and 2008. During these three periods, the winds are predominately towards the northeast, following the coastal topography, with the highest variability found in the near-diurnal and synoptic frequency bands. The sea breeze amplitude is intermittent in time and is associated with synoptic-scale variability on the order of three to 15 days, so that the diurnal-period winds (and currents) are enhanced when the alongshore wind (i.e. upwelling-favorable) is strong. The water current variability in the near-diurnal band is significant, explaining up to 40% (spring 2007) of the total current variance in the first 15 m depth.     

Assessing sub-daily rainstorm variability and its effects on flood processes in the Yangtze River Delta region

ABSTRACT

Taking a representative catchment of the Yangtze River Delta region as the study area, this research evaluated sub-daily rainstorm variability and its potential effects on flood processes based on an integrated approach of the HEC-HMS model and design storm hyetographs. The results show that the intensities of rainfall on sub-daily scale are getting more extreme. The annual maximum 1-, 2- and 3-hour rainstorms followed significant upward trends with increases of 0.32, 0.43 and 0.44 mm per year, respectively, while the annual maximum 6-, 12- and 24-h events had non-significant rising trends. The detected significant trends in short-duration rainstorms were then used to redesign storm hyetographs to drive the HEC-HMS model, the results show that these changes in short-duration rainstorm characteristics would increase the flood peak discharge and flood volume. These findings indicate that regional flood control capabilities must be improved to manage the adverse impacts of rainfall variation under changing environments.     

Deposition, mineralization, and storage of carbon and nitrogen in sediments of the far northern and northern Great Barrier Reef shelf

The flow of carbon and nitrogen in sediments of the far northern and northern sections of the Great Barrier Reef continental shelf was examined. Most of the organic carbon (81–94%) and total nitrogen (74–92%) depositing to the seabed was mineralized, with burial of carbon (6–19%) and nitrogen (8–20%) being proportionally less on this tropical shelf compared with other non-deltaic shelves. Differences in carbon and nitrogen mineralization among stations related best to water depth and proximity to river basins, with rates of mineralization based on net ∑CO₂ production ranging from 17 to 39 ( mean=23) mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹. The overall ratio of O₂:CO₂ flux was 1.3, close to the Redfield ratio, implying that most organic matter mineralized was algal. Sulfate reduction was estimated to account for ≈30% (range: 6–62%), and denitrification for ≈5% (range: 2–13%), of total C mineralization; there was no measurable CH₄ production. Discrepancies between ∑CO₂ production across the sediment–water interface and sediment incubations suggest that as much as 5 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ (≈25% of ∑CO₂ flux) was involved in carbonate mineral formation. Most microbial activity was in the upper 20 cm of sediment. Rates of net NH₄⁺ production ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹, with highly variable N₂ fixation rates contributing little to total N input. Ammonification and nitrification rates were sufficient to support rapid rates of denitrification (range: 0.1–12.4 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹). On average, nearly 50% of total N input to the shelf sediment was denitrified. The average rates of sedimentation, mineralization, and burial of C and N were greater in the northern section of the shelf than in the far northern section, presumably due to higher rainfall and river discharge, as plankton production was similar between regions. The relative proportion of plankton primary production remineralized at the seafloor was in the range of 30–50% which is at the high end of the range found on other shelves. The highly reactive nature of these sediments is attributed to the deposition of high-quality organic material as well as to the shallowness of the shelf, warm temperatures year-round, and a variety of physical disturbances (cyclones, trawling) fostering physicochemical conditions favorable for maintaining rapid rates of microbial metabolism. The rapid and highly efficient recycling of nutrients on the inner and middle shelf may help to explain why the coral reefs on the outer shelf have remained unscathed from increased sediment delivery since European settlement.     

Detecting,sourcing, and age-dating dredged sediments on the open shelf,southern California,using dead mollusk shells

Molluscan shell debris is an under-exploited means of detecting, sourcing, and age-dating dredged sediments in open-shelf settings. Backscatter features on the Southern California shelf are suggestive of dredged sediment hauled from San Diego Bay but deposited significantly inshore of the EPA-designated ocean disposal site. We find that 36% of all identifiable bivalve shells > 2 mm (44% of shells > 4 mm) in sediment samples from this 'short dump' area are from species known to live exclusively in the Bay; such shells are absent at reference sites of comparable water depth, indicating that their presence in the short-dump area signals non-compliant disposal rather than natural offshore transport or sea level rise. These sediments lack the shells of species that invaded California bays in the 1970s, suggesting that disposal preceded federal regulations. This inexpensive, low-tech method, with its protocol for rejecting alternative hypotheses, will be easy to adapt in other settings.     

Seasonal dynamics of physical and biological processes in the central California Current System: A modeling study

A 3-D physical and biological model is used to study the seasonal dynamics of physical and biological processes in the central California Current System. Comparisons of model results with remote sensing and in situ observations along CalCOFI Line 67 indicate our model can capture the spatial variations of key variables (temperature, nutrients, chlorophyll, and so on) on annual mean and seasonal cycle. In the coastal upwelling system, it is the alongshore wind stress that upwells high nutrients to surface from 60 m and stimulates enhanced plankton biomass and productivity in the upwelling season. As a result, coastal species peak in the late upwelling period (May–July), and oceanic species reach the annual maxima in the oceanic period (August–October). The annual maximum occurs in the late upwelling period for new production and in the oceanic period for regenerated production. From the late upwelling period to the oceanic period, stratification is intensified while coastal upwelling becomes weaker. Correspondingly, the coastal ecosystem retreats from ～300 to ～100 km offshore with significant decline in chlorophyll and primary production, and the oceanic ecosystem moves onshore. During this transition, the decline in phytoplankton biomass is due to the grazing pressure by mesozooplankton in the 0–150 km domain, but is regulated by low growth rates in the 150–500 km offshore domain. Meanwhile, the growth rates of phytoplankton increase in the coastal waters due to deeper light penetration, while the decrease in offshore growth rates is caused by lower nitrate concentrations.     

Progress on shelf and slope circulation in the northern South China Sea

Influenced by the seasonally reversed monsoons, water exchange through straits, and topography, the shelf and slope circulation in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) is complex and changeable. The typical current system in the NSCS consists of the slope current, South China Sea warm current (SCSWC), coastal current, and associated upwelling (in summer) and downwelling (in winter). This paper reviews recent advances in the study of NSCS shelf and slope circulation since the 1990s, and summarizes the roles of Kuroshio intrusion, the monsoons, topography, and the buoyancy effect of the Pearl River plume in the shelf and slope current system of the NSCS. We also point out some potential scientific issues that require further study, such as the dynamic connection between the internal basin and shelf areas of the NSCS, the persistence of the SCSWC in winter, the temporo-spatial characteristics of downwelling during winter in the NSCS, and its material and energy transport.     

Microbial distribution and abundance in response to physical and biological processes on the continental shelf of southeastern U.S.A.

The distribution and abundance of bacteria and phytoplankton on the continental shelf of the southeastern United States were observed in relation to physical processes. Phytoplankton production was influenced by inputs of water of reduced salinity from the estuaries and by inputs of high salinity, low-temperature water from the west front of the Gulf Stream. The distribution of chlorophyll suggests that in each case production is influenced both by inputs of nutrients and by the enhanced vertical stability associated with the stratification of waters of different densities. The standing stock of bacteria on the inner shelf, 10⁶ ml^?1, is little changed by the influx of water of reduced salinity. On the outer shelf, where the usual standing stock of bacteria is 10⁵ ml^?1, the numbers increase to 10⁶ ml^?1 in and above intrusions of Gulf Stream water in which phytoplankton blooms have developed, suggesting that the bacteria respond to products of both phytoplankton and zooplankton production. Adenylate energy charge values in the waters of the southeastern shelf are variable and volatile. At times values of 0.7 to 0.8 are widespread over most of the shelf, while at other times values <0.6 are common, with localized patches of high values. Both autotroph-dominated and heterotroph-dominated microbial communities show these variations.