Seasonal along-isobath geostrophic flows on the west Florida shelf with application to Karenia brevis red tide blooms in Florida's Big Bend

TOPEX/Poseidon/Jason1 (T/P/J) sea surface height (SSH) measurements along tracks 91 and 15, crossing the wide West Florida continental shelf (WFS), were used to estimate seasonal across-shelf SSH gradients. SSH gradients and the knowledge that geostrophic flow approximately follows the isobaths enable estimation of the seasonal along-isobath geostrophic flows. The calculated along-isobath geostrophic flows are southeastward from December to March and northwestward in June, August, and September. The along-isobath geostrophic component of the flow is most likely small during the remaining months and, thus, not discernable in T/P/J SSH measurements. In agreement with previous theoretical, modeling, and observational work, the mid-shelf seasonal surface flow appears to be driven largely by the seasonal along-shore wind stress. Theory for flow driven by seasonal heat flux suggests negligible flow near the surface and on the bulk of the shelf away from the shelf break.