GLOBEC: Long Term Monitoring and Analysis of Currents and Water Properties on the Southern Oregon (Coos Bay) and Mid Washington (Grays Harbor) Shelves

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

GLOBEC Long-term Observation Program in the Marine Ecosystem of the Northern California Current Both temporal and alongshore spatial variability are significant in all regions of the California Coastal Study (CCS). Alongshore differences can occur as a result of alongshore gradients in wind stress; changing bottom topography (in particular canyons and banks) and coastline irregularities; and buoyant inflow from rivers (in particular the Columbia River and the Strait of Juan de Fuca). As part of the GLOBEC NEP study, the specific objectives of this project are: 1) to provide data on alongshore and temporal variability in the coastal ocean nearshore environment of the Pacific Northwest region on scales of hours to several years and 2) in conjunction with other GLOBEC investigators, to determine dominant factors controlling alongshore and temporal variability in ocean water properties and currents. To fulfill these objectives the PIs will maintain moored arrays to measure currents and water properties at two locations, one off southern Oregon (Coos Bay); the other off the central Washington coast (Grays Harbor). With the addition of these two arrays, the GLOBEC field study will include an alongshore time series array sufficient to define large scale alongshore water property gradients and responses to forcing mechanisms. These installations will continue an already two year long time series at each site. In addition, an earlier 5 year time series (the longest on the West Coast shelf north of Point Conception) is available at the Coos Bay site. Thus, by the end of this project, the Coos Bay site would include 11 record years, the Washington site, six years. The data obtained will provide vital information to modeling studies of this area over the next decade.