Ji, R.1, C. Davis1, C. Chen2, R.
Beardsley1 and G. Cowles2
1Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543
2School for Marine Science and Technology, University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth, New Bedford, MA 02744
The possible sources and transport time scales of water parcels on
the central portion of Georges Bank (inside 60-m isobath) have been
estimated to examine the origin and fate of the spring phytoplankton
bloom in that region. An "off-line" Lagrange particle trajectory
approach was used in this study. The hydrodynamic flow field was
interpreted from hourly model outputs of FVCOM (Finite Volume
Coastal Ocean Model), which was driven by the realistic
meteorological forcing from MM5 model output, with inclusion of SST
and observed current velocity data assimilation. Particle
trajectory results show that the "blooming" water in the southern
part of the central Bank during February and March was mainly from
the northern and northwestern edge of the Bank and was relatively
older than the "non-blooming" water in the north. The water parcels
on the central Bank had average exposure time (time spent inside
60-m isobath) of about 20 days, and tended to leave south- or
southwest-ward. Moreover, particle trajectory results also
suggested that the phytoplankton bloom on the central Bank has a
limited potential contribution as a food source for the zooplankton
population in the deeper flank areas.
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