Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone
Optically-active constituents vary over short time and space scales in coastal waters, and they are impacted by a variety of complex, inter-related forcing processes. As part of the Integrated Coastal Bio-Optical Dynamics (ICoBOD) project, we conducted a field campaign in Mississippi Sound in the no...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/3/553 |
| _version_ | 1798017131382571008 |
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| author | Richard W. Gould Stephanie Anderson M. David Lewis W. David Miller Igor Shulman Geoffrey B. Smith Travis A. Smith David W. Wang Hemantha W. Wijesekera |
| author_facet | Richard W. Gould Stephanie Anderson M. David Lewis W. David Miller Igor Shulman Geoffrey B. Smith Travis A. Smith David W. Wang Hemantha W. Wijesekera |
| author_sort | Richard W. Gould |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Optically-active constituents vary over short time and space scales in coastal waters, and they are impacted by a variety of complex, inter-related forcing processes. As part of the Integrated Coastal Bio-Optical Dynamics (ICoBOD) project, we conducted a field campaign in Mississippi Sound in the northern Gulf of Mexico during spring 2018 to examine the impact of the passage of atmospheric and tidal fronts on fine-scale physical and bio-optical property distributions in a shallow, dynamic, coastal environment. During a 25-day experiment, we deployed eight moorings over a roughly 7 × 7 km box encompassing a frontal zone, to collect a time series of physical and bio-optical measurements. We describe changes in diver visibility related to the passage of a short-duration, high-turbidity surface plume and nepheloid layer development/decay during a tidal cycle. Maximum nepheloid layer development was observed during low tide and lasted about 9−12 h. The strongest turbidity signal extended about 4−5 m above the bottom (approximately half of the water column), although anomalously elevated values were observed all the way to the surface. In addition, high-resolution (50 m) hydrodynamic model simulations provide insight into the frontal dynamics and aid interpretation of the observed patterns. Mooring observations confirmed model-predicted heat flux changes associated with the passage of an atmospheric cold front. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:01:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bfb9b3406b01437aa3116324dfecefa4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:01:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-bfb9b3406b01437aa3116324dfecefa42022-12-22T04:14:58ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922020-02-0112355310.3390/rs12030553rs12030553Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence ZoneRichard W. Gould0Stephanie Anderson1M. David Lewis2W. David Miller3Igor Shulman4Geoffrey B. Smith5Travis A. Smith6David W. Wang7Hemantha W. Wijesekera8Ocean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USARemote Sensing Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7200, Washington, DC 20375, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USARemote Sensing Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7200, Washington, DC 20375, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USAOcean Sciences Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7300, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USAOptically-active constituents vary over short time and space scales in coastal waters, and they are impacted by a variety of complex, inter-related forcing processes. As part of the Integrated Coastal Bio-Optical Dynamics (ICoBOD) project, we conducted a field campaign in Mississippi Sound in the northern Gulf of Mexico during spring 2018 to examine the impact of the passage of atmospheric and tidal fronts on fine-scale physical and bio-optical property distributions in a shallow, dynamic, coastal environment. During a 25-day experiment, we deployed eight moorings over a roughly 7 × 7 km box encompassing a frontal zone, to collect a time series of physical and bio-optical measurements. We describe changes in diver visibility related to the passage of a short-duration, high-turbidity surface plume and nepheloid layer development/decay during a tidal cycle. Maximum nepheloid layer development was observed during low tide and lasted about 9−12 h. The strongest turbidity signal extended about 4−5 m above the bottom (approximately half of the water column), although anomalously elevated values were observed all the way to the surface. In addition, high-resolution (50 m) hydrodynamic model simulations provide insight into the frontal dynamics and aid interpretation of the observed patterns. Mooring observations confirmed model-predicted heat flux changes associated with the passage of an atmospheric cold front.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/3/553coastalbio-opticshydrodynamic modelingremote sensingcirculationcurrentstideswindsbio-physical interactionstime series |
| spellingShingle | Richard W. Gould Stephanie Anderson M. David Lewis W. David Miller Igor Shulman Geoffrey B. Smith Travis A. Smith David W. Wang Hemantha W. Wijesekera Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone Remote Sensing coastal bio-optics hydrodynamic modeling remote sensing circulation currents tides winds bio-physical interactions time series |
| title | Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone |
| title_full | Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone |
| title_short | Assessing the Impact of Tides and Atmospheric Fronts on Submesoscale Physical and Bio-Optical Distributions near a Coastal Convergence Zone |
| title_sort | assessing the impact of tides and atmospheric fronts on submesoscale physical and bio optical distributions near a coastal convergence zone |
| topic | coastal bio-optics hydrodynamic modeling remote sensing circulation currents tides winds bio-physical interactions time series |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/3/553 |
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