Record Details
Stratification and mixing regimes in biological thin layers over the Mid-Atlantic Bight
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Stratification and mixing regimes in biological thin layers over the Mid-Atlantic Bight |
| Names |
Shroyer, E. L.
(creator) Benoit-Bird, Kelly J. (creator) Nash, J. D. (creator) Moum, J. N. (creator) |
| Date Issued | 2014 (iso8601) |
| Note | This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc. and can be found at: http://www.aslo.org/lo/. |
| Abstract | We use density and microstructure data to characterize the properties and physical setting of optical thin layers observed over the New Jersey shelf in the summer of 2006. Layers were differentiated into two types by their vertical position in the water column, fluorescence intensity, and possibly community composition or cell condition as indicated by the measured differences in the ratio of fluorescence to optical backscatter. Both layer types were associated with gradients in stratification; but, the turbulent mixing environment for the two layer types differed significantly. Shallow layers were located within the pycnocline near the maximum stratification and were exposed to strong turbulence within the surface mixed layer. Consequently, turbulent mixing of buoyancy may have been a key factor in maintaining shallow layers. In contrast, relatively weak density gradients and mixing indicate that turbulent processes may have been less critical for deep layers, which were located at the base of the pycnocline. More generally, both shallow and deep layers were geographically located in regions of low median and high mean turbulent kinetic energy dissipation, i.e., regions of rare yet intense mixing events. This work highlights the need to understand the detailed statistics of mixing at time and vertical scales relevant to thin layers, and more specifically, the need to discern the time history of mixing of the fluid that composes layers. |
| Genre | Article |
| Topic | Phytoplankton layers |
| Identifier | Shroyer, E. L., Benoit-Bird, K. J., Nash, J. D., & Moum, J. N. (2014). Stratification and mixing regimes in biological thin layers over the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Limnology and Oceanography, 59(4), 1349-1363. doi:10.4319/lo.2014.59.4.1349 |
