Environmental Guide to the Virginia Capes Operating Area

The general oceanography of the Virginia Capes (VACAPES) area is discussed with particular emphasis on near-surface thermal structure of water masses and oceanic fronts. Warm, saline Gulf Stream-Water, identified by temperature equal to or greater than 15 Celsius (C) at the 200-meter (m) level, is c...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Fisher, Jr, Alvan
Other Authors: NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC OFFICE BAY SAINT LOUIS MS
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1973
Subjects:
Physical and Dynamic Oceanography
Acoustics
*SEA WATER
BATHYTHERMOGRAPH DATA
CHARTS
CONTINENTAL SHELVES
CONTINENTAL SLOPES
GULF STREAM
INTERFACES
MASS
NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN
OCEAN SURFACE
SALINITY
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOUND TRANSMISSION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SUBSURFACE
SURFACE TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL PROPERTIES
UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS
VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA CAPES
OCEAN FRONTS
LAYERS(MARINE)
SONIC LAYER DEPTH
WATER MASS ANALYSIS
EDDIES(MARINE)
CAPE MAY
CAPE HATTERAS
CAPE HENRY
CAPE CHARLES
Cape Charles
Cape May
May Cape
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA102092
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA102092
Description
Summary:The general oceanography of the Virginia Capes (VACAPES) area is discussed with particular emphasis on near-surface thermal structure of water masses and oceanic fronts. Warm, saline Gulf Stream-Water, identified by temperature equal to or greater than 15 Celsius (C) at the 200-meter (m) level, is characterized by mean monthly sea surface temperature (SST) and sonic layer depth (SLD) ranging from 21 C and 78 m, respectively, in winter to 28 C and 25 m in summer. Slope Water, identified by temperatures between 9 and 15 C at the 200-m level, is characterized by a temperature inversion in spring and mean monthly SST and SLD ranging from 11 C and 203m, respectively, in winter to 25 C and 6m in summer. Relatively fresh Shelf Water, found on the Continental Shelf between the 30-m and 200-m isobaths, is characterized by a positive in-layer temperature gradient in winter and mean monthly SST ranging from 7 C in winter to 25 C in summer. SLD is at the bottom in winter and is 3m in summer. Two major oceanic fronts occur in the VACAPES area: the northern edge of the Gulf Stream separating Gulf Stream Water from Slope Water and the slope front separating Shelf Water from Slope Water.

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