Surface Drifter Study - Beaufort Sea, Alaska.

• Main Authors: Lissauer,Ivan M, Matthews,J B
• Other Authors: COAST GUARD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER GROTON CT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1982
• Subjects: Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Civil Engineering; *COASTAL REGIONS; *ALASKA; *CONTINENTAL DRIFT; *SURFACE WATERS; *OIL SPILLS; ORIENTATION(DIRECTION); CONTINENTAL SHELVES; CONTINENTAL SLOPES; DATA ACQUISITION; IMPACT PREDICTION; OIL POLLUTION; CIRCULATION; BEACHES; COAST GUARD RESEARCH; SEA ICE; OPEN WATER; FLOATING BODIES; BEAUFORT SEA; ICE BREAKUP; OFFSHORE DRILLING; Prudhoe Bay; Beaufort Sea; Sea ice; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA126350; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA126350

Surface drifters were released in the Beaufort Sea near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska for two years (1979-82). The releases were made under the shorefast ice just prior to summer breakup of the ice and in leads in the pack ice. The drifter recoveries indicate that the winds play a significant role in the surface circulation during the open water season. A significant number of drifters beached 'onshore' of their release sites. 'Preferred' beaching areas are identified from the drifter recoveries. All these results indicate the strong possibility that oil released offshore in the Beaufort Sea will impact the North Alaska Coast.