Slocum Glider Observations of the Subsurface Chlorophyll-a Maximum on the Texas Continental Shelf Boundary

摘要

From September $mathrm{26}^{th}$, 2019 to January $mathrm{5}^{th}$, 2020, the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) at Texas A&M University deployed a Slocum G2 buoyancy glider on the outer Texas continental shelf boundary, which collected 510 profiles of biochemical and physical variables, spanning 103 days of operation. An algorithm was established to identify the subsurface chlorophyll-a (chl $a$) maximum within the euphotic zone for each glider profile for the near-real time data set. Over the course of the mission, three chl a profile types were identified: single peak (one chl $a$ maximum), double peak (two chl $a$ maxima), and a high concentration surface layer. The current version of the algorithm identified the depth of the chl a maxima in 86 % of the mission profiles with identification errors associated with creating false double profile peaks. Analysis was performed to determine a relationship between the mixed layer depth, as defined by the maximum buoyancy frequency squared $(N^{2})$ observed in each profile, and the depth at which the maximum chl $a$ fluorescence was observed.