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Physics

Oceanography

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Circulation Patterns Within A Small Coastal Embayment During An Upwelling/Relaxation Cycle, Laurent F. Siroit Jun 2021

Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Circulation Patterns Within A Small Coastal Embayment During An Upwelling/Relaxation Cycle, Laurent F. Siroit

Physics

In eastern boundary current systems, wind-driven coastal upwelling is the dominant diver of physical, chemical, and biological variability. Near coastal embayments, complex circulation patterns develop during upwelling forcing, and time-dependent descriptions of these patterns for smaller systems (i.e., width and length scales ≤ 20 km) are limited. In this study, we analyze surface and subsurface current patterns in relation to upwelling wind forcing in San Luis Obispo (SLO) Bay, a small coastal upwelling embayment in central California, to investigate the formation and evolution of an upwelling jet and surface current convergence region during a large upwelling-relaxation event. We found that …

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Rapid Warming Events In A Small Coastal Upwelling Embayment, Tatjana E. Ellis Jun 2021

Rapid Warming Events In A Small Coastal Upwelling Embayment, Tatjana E. Ellis

Physics

Temperature variability in the nearshore coastal ocean influences various biological processes and can drive changes in biodiversity and habitat range. Despite recent progress, there are still significant gaps in the understanding of drivers of temperature variability in upwelling bays, particularly at higher frequencies. In this study, we analyzed a decade of nearshore temperature measurements both inside and outside a small coastal embayment located in central California [San Luis Obispo (SLO) bay], as well as temperature data from satellites, to characterize rapid warming events. We found that rapid warming events, defined using rates of temperature change across different thresholds, occurred more …

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Seasonal Controls On Nearshore Hypoxia In A Small Coastal Embayment, Stephen Alexander Huie Mar 2021

Seasonal Controls On Nearshore Hypoxia In A Small Coastal Embayment, Stephen Alexander Huie

Physics

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important biogeochemical factor that strongly influences nearshore coastal ecosystems. Low DO (hypoxic) events can cause physiological stressful environments for ecological and economically important species, potentially leading to mass mortalities. In order to better assess drivers of coastal hypoxia, we collected data from monthly cruises on the inner shelf and nearshore moorings inside and outside a small coastal embayment (San Luis Obispo Bay on the Central California Coast) across the full upwelling season (March to August). During the late spring and early summer, we found that the nearshore near-bottom temperature-DO (T-DO) relationship aligned with the shelf …

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Seasonal Variability Of Upwelling And Downwelling Surface Current Patterns Near A Small Coastal Embayment, Nicholas Trautman Dec 2020

Seasonal Variability Of Upwelling And Downwelling Surface Current Patterns Near A Small Coastal Embayment, Nicholas Trautman

Physics

Upwelling in coastal embayments is important to a variety of physical and biological processes. Despite their ubiquity, circulation patterns in small bays (width and length scales ≤ 20 km) in eastern boundary current upwelling systems are relatively understudied compared to their larger counterparts. In this study, we apply a conditional averaging technique to investigate upwelling- and downwelling-driven circulation in a small coastal embayment located in Central California [San Luis Obispo (SLO) Bay]. We also investigate intraseasonal differences in the current patterns in SLO Bay. Conditional averaging reveals distinct intraseasonal differences and features that are obscured by traditional seasonal averages when …

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Temperature And Salinity Distributions And Flushing Time Estimates In A Low-Inflow California Estuary, Sydney N. Wewerka Jun 2020

Temperature And Salinity Distributions And Flushing Time Estimates In A Low-Inflow California Estuary, Sydney N. Wewerka

Physics

This study examines the temperature and salinity distributions in Morro Bay, a small, seasonally LIE located on the central coast of California. In Morro Bay, eelgrass (Zostera marina; a temperate seagrass), like all seagrasses, is a critical habitat-forming species that supports a large variety of invertebrate, fish, and bird species in the estuary (MBNEP, 2018). Since 2007, eelgrass in the estuary has declined by over 90%, with most losses occurring in the back regions (i.e., head) of the estuary (MBNEP, 2018). Near the mouth, eelgrass meadows have remained resilient, indicating that gradients in environmental conditions throughout the bay may be …

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Daily And Seasonal Variability Of Offshore Wind Power On The Central California Coast And Statewide Demand, Matthew Douglas Kehrli Apr 2019

Daily And Seasonal Variability Of Offshore Wind Power On The Central California Coast And Statewide Demand, Matthew Douglas Kehrli

Physics

No abstract provided.

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Submerged Pressure Differential Wave Energy Converter, Christopher F. Ferguson Jun 2011

Submerged Pressure Differential Wave Energy Converter, Christopher F. Ferguson

Physics

As supplies of fossil fuels are becoming depleted, it is necessary to look for alternative sources of energy. The ocean is a vast, largely untapped source of renewable energy. This project attempts to design a device which can cheaply and reliably convert the energy from ocean waves into usable electrical energy. Computer simulations and oceanographic knowledge are utilized to develop a working design for an entirely submerged wave energy conversion device.

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