Record Details
Steric contributions to the seasonal oscillation in sea level off Oregon
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Steric contributions to the seasonal oscillation in sea level off Oregon |
| Names |
Brunson, Burlie A.
(creator) Elliot, William P. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1972-07-25 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1973 |
| Abstract | Hydrographic, tidal, and meteorological data collected near Newport, Oregon, were analyzed to determine the relative contributions of temperature, salinity, and air pressure variations to the recorded departures of sea level from mean sea level. Nearshore the steric and recorded sea levels exhibited a similar seasonal oscillation, with high sea levels in winter and low sea levels in summer. Analysis of the steric topography indicated the presence of two distinct regions off Oregon, one extending from shore to 45 nm, and the other from 65 nm offshore to seaward of NH 165. The seasonal oscillations of sea level were approximately six months out of phase in the two regions. The nearshore region was greatly influenced by upwelling and local runoff, while the offshore region was dominated by the Columbia River plume which flows south during the summer months. Redacted for privacy Steric departures were of greater magnitude than air pressure departures, but no single dominant cause of sea level oscillation could be identified, thus justifying the labeling of this region as a transition zone from steric to pressure dominance in sea level determination. Thermal and haline components of the steric departure were shown to be of comparable magnitude and in phase. The range of steric departures was approximately 16 cm, a figure compatible with ranges reported for stations of similar latitude. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Coasts -- Oregon |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28272 |
