Variability of physical and chemical characteristics along the 70-m isobath of the southeastern Bering Sea

From observations of ice cover, temperature, salinity, currents and nitrate, it is evident that along-shelf variability was significant over the middle shelf of the eastern Bering Sea, but less distinct than that observed in the cross-shelf domains. Along the 70-m isobath, three zones were evident i...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: P. J. Stabenoa, N. B. Kachelb, M. Sullivanb, T. E. Whitledgec
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.543.2126
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/publications/2002/stabB410.pdf
Description
Summary:From observations of ice cover, temperature, salinity, currents and nitrate, it is evident that along-shelf variability was significant over the middle shelf of the eastern Bering Sea, but less distinct than that observed in the cross-shelf domains. Along the 70-m isobath, three zones were evident in the summer: the southeastern cold pool (centered at B571N); an intermediate zone, consisting of warmer water, with weaker stratification; and the northern cold pool, extending northward from 581N. Small-scale (B20 km) horizontal features that persisted for months were common. Nutrient concentrations were related to salinity and were replenished more uniformly over the southern shelf, than north of the Pribilof Islands. Although mean currents were weak (B1 cm s1), short energetic advective events impacted the temperature and salinity structure.