Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf
The circulation in the northwestern North Atlantic Ocean is highly complex, characterized by the confluence of two major western boundary current systems and several shelf currents. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of transport paths and timescales for the northwestern North Atlantic...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:os68862 2023-05-15T17:29:45+02:00 Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf Rutherford, Krysten Fennel, Katja 2018-11-30 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 https://os.copernicus.org/articles/14/1207/2018/ eng eng doi:10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 https://os.copernicus.org/articles/14/1207/2018/ eISSN: 1812-0792 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 2020-07-20T16:23:05Z The circulation in the northwestern North Atlantic Ocean is highly complex, characterized by the confluence of two major western boundary current systems and several shelf currents. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of transport paths and timescales for the northwestern North Atlantic shelf, which is useful for estimating ventilation rates, describing circulation and mixing, characterizing the composition of water masses with respect to different source regions, and elucidating rates and patterns of biogeochemical processing, species dispersal, and genetic connectivity. Our analysis uses dye and age tracers within a high-resolution circulation model of the region, divided into nine subregions, to diagnose retention times, transport pathways, and transit times. Retention times are shortest on the Scotian Shelf ( ∼ 3 months), where the inshore and shelf-break branches of the coastal current system result in high along-shelf transport to the southwest, and on the Grand Banks ( ∼ 3 months). Larger retention times are simulated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ( ∼ 12 months) and the Gulf of Maine ( ∼ 6 months). Source water analysis shows that Scotian Shelf water is primarily comprised of waters from the Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence, with varying composition across the shelf. Contributions from the Gulf of St. Lawrence are larger at near-shore locations, whereas locations near the shelf break have larger contributions from the Grand Banks and slope waters. Waters from the deep slope have little connectivity with the shelf, because the shelf-break current inhibits transport across the shelf break. Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence waters are therefore dominant controls on biogeochemical properties, and on setting and sustaining planktonic communities on the Scotian Shelf. Text North Atlantic Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Ocean Science 14 5 1207 1221 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
The circulation in the northwestern North Atlantic Ocean is highly complex, characterized by the confluence of two major western boundary current systems and several shelf currents. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of transport paths and timescales for the northwestern North Atlantic shelf, which is useful for estimating ventilation rates, describing circulation and mixing, characterizing the composition of water masses with respect to different source regions, and elucidating rates and patterns of biogeochemical processing, species dispersal, and genetic connectivity. Our analysis uses dye and age tracers within a high-resolution circulation model of the region, divided into nine subregions, to diagnose retention times, transport pathways, and transit times. Retention times are shortest on the Scotian Shelf ( ∼ 3 months), where the inshore and shelf-break branches of the coastal current system result in high along-shelf transport to the southwest, and on the Grand Banks ( ∼ 3 months). Larger retention times are simulated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ( ∼ 12 months) and the Gulf of Maine ( ∼ 6 months). Source water analysis shows that Scotian Shelf water is primarily comprised of waters from the Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence, with varying composition across the shelf. Contributions from the Gulf of St. Lawrence are larger at near-shore locations, whereas locations near the shelf break have larger contributions from the Grand Banks and slope waters. Waters from the deep slope have little connectivity with the shelf, because the shelf-break current inhibits transport across the shelf break. Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence waters are therefore dominant controls on biogeochemical properties, and on setting and sustaining planktonic communities on the Scotian Shelf. |
format |
Text |
author |
Rutherford, Krysten Fennel, Katja |
spellingShingle |
Rutherford, Krysten Fennel, Katja Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
author_facet |
Rutherford, Krysten Fennel, Katja |
author_sort |
Rutherford, Krysten |
title |
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
title_short |
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
title_full |
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
title_fullStr |
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf |
title_sort |
diagnosing transit times on the northwestern north atlantic continental shelf |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 https://os.copernicus.org/articles/14/1207/2018/ |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
eISSN: 1812-0792 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 https://os.copernicus.org/articles/14/1207/2018/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018 |
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Ocean Science |
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14 |
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5 |
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1207 |
op_container_end_page |
1221 |
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1766124542258839552 |