Seasonal Characteristics of Bottom Boundary Layer Detachment at the Shelfbreak Front in the Middle Atlantic Bight

• Main Authors: Linder, Christopher A., Gawarkiewicz, Glen G., Pickart, Robert G.
• Other Authors: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION MA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; *FRONTS(OCEANOGRAPHY); REPRINTS; BOUNDARY LAYER; CONTINENTAL SHELVES; SEASONAL VARIATIONS; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; BENTHONIC ZONES; UPWELLING; MIDDLE ATLANTIC BIGHT; SHELFBREAK FRONTS; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA422980; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA422980

The seasonality of various characteristics of the detached bottom boundary layer of the Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak front is examined using a collection of high resolution transects across the front. The analysis follows previous methodology in which accumulated temperature change along isopycnals within the front is used to infer the location of the detached layer. The seasonal mean isopycnal at which detachment occurs (approximately 26.0 kg cu.m) is fairly constant throughout the year. However, the vertical scale of the detached layer varies significantly with season, extending 60-80 m above the bottom in winter and spring, but only 20-40 m above the bottom in summer. The vertical scale is controlled by the strength and depth of the seasonal pycnocline. The observations suggest that the detached layer is capable of extending into the euphotic zone during winter and spring. INDEX TERMS: 4528 Oceanography: Physical: Fronts and jets; 4211 Oceanography: General: Benthic boundary layers; 4219 Oceanography: General: Continental shelf processes; 4279 Oceanography: General: Upwelling and convergences. The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white. Pub. in Journal of Geophysical Research v109 pc03049, 2004.