Record Details
Monitoring coastal upwelling by measuring its effects within an estuary
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Monitoring coastal upwelling by measuring its effects within an estuary |
| Names |
Bourke, Robert H.
(creator) Smith, Robert L. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1968-08-07 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1969 |
| Abstract | Temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen concentration measured in an estuary were analyzed to determine if the effects of coastal upwelling could be observed and used to effectively monitor the degree of upwelling. Hydrographic data collected weekly at a point four miles from the entrance of Yaquina Bay (Buoy 15) were analyzed for their applicability as indicators of coastal upwelling. Only data collected during the known upwelling season off Oregon of May through October were considered. Low temperature, low dissolved oxygen concentration, and high salinity occurred when the wind was strongly from the north-- conditions expected during times of active upwelling. A regression analysis was performed to establish the relationship between water temperature and wind velocity averaged over a three day period. The two were significantly related. Various weighting schemes were applied to the wind observations to obtain an average wind which would provide the best correlation between wind and temperature. A wind averaged over four days and weighted heaviest during the third 24 hour period prior to the temperature observation resulted in the best correlation. A prediction model was formulated to allow for the prediction of water temperature 24 hours in advance based upon the known wind field during times of active upwelling. Comparisons of temperature and salinity from five miles off the coast with that in the estuary established that the upwelled water entering the estuary on the flood tide originated from a depth of about 20 meters at three-five miles off the coast. Measuring the temperature, salinity, and oxygen concentration of the bottom water near the mouth of an estuary does provide an effective, reliable, and simple method of monitoring the stage of upwelling occurring outside the estuary. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Upwelling (Oceanography) |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28400 |
