Oceanographic Observations: Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (October-November 1969 and May-June 1970)

• Main Author: Hayes,Richard M.
• Other Authors: COAST GUARD WASHINGTON D C
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1975
• Subjects: Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; *SEA WATER; *GULF STREAM; *BATHYTHERMOGRAPH DATA; DENSITY; TEMPERATURE; WATER FLOW; WIND; CONTINENTAL SHELVES; CONTINENTAL SLOPES; SEASONAL VARIATIONS; MIXING; STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; SALINITY; SURFACE TEMPERATURE; CIRCULATION; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; SPRING SEASON; AUTUMN; MAINE GULF; Ocean circulation; Meanders; Water mass analysis; Geostrophic wind; Midatlantic bight; DOT/5M; North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA020308; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA020308

A volumetric statistical (T-S) analysis of water masses is presented for two Coast Guard oceanographic cruises in support of the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, from 25 Oct-22 Nov 1969 and 19 May-9 June 1970. The fall cruise data exhibited a 54% greater volume of Gulf Stream water in the survey area than the spring cruise, a result of a Gulf Stream meander which brought large volumes of tropical water into the slope region. Effectively the Gulf Stream meanders resulted in an exchange of water masses bringing oceanic water into the coastal zone and vice versa. Seasonal changes in the geostrophic conditions shoreward of the Gulf Stream may influence the extent of intrusion of that water mass into the continental shelf region.