SEASOAR and CTD Observations During EBC Cruises W9306A and W9308B, June toSeptember 1993

摘要

This report summarizes the Seasoar and CTD observations from Wecoma cruisesW9306A (5 June to 12 July, 1993) and W9308B (14 August to 22 September 1993) conducted as part of the Eastern Boundary Currents Accelerated Research Initiative, under funding by the Office of Naval Research. The cruises were designed to study the spatial and temporal variability of the mesoscale eddy/jet field in the eastern boundary current region off northern California. Each cruise consisted of two legs, and each began with a large-area survey off northern California, with sampling on long (400 km) zonal sections separated by 0.25 degrees of latitude. Thirteen long sections were sampled during W9306A and nine were sampled during W9308B. Measurements for the large area survey were begun on the first leg of each cruise and completed on the second leg. Results from the large area surveys, as well as drifter trajectories and satellite AVHRR imagery of sea surface temperature, were then used to guide focused physical and biological sampling of mesoscale features, either with small scale Seasoar surveys or with transects of stations using CIT casts, MOCNESS, and live net tows. To provide time series estimates of local variability, a single 'anchor station' was sampled repeatedly during a 48 hour period of W9308B, with net tows as well as CTD and ADCP. Other cruise activities included drifter deployments, transits to/from the experimental site, and an ADCP only survey when heavy weather prevented instrument deployment or recovery.