Bermuda’s Tale of Two Time Series: Hydrostation S and BATS*

Phillips, Helen E.; Joyce, Terrence M.

doi:10.1175/jpo2997.1

Cited by 34 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…Section 2 of this paper shows, in agreement with McGillicuddy Jr. et al (1999), how the nutrients nitrate, phosphate, and silicate vary within a water column using data taken from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study, (BATS; Phillips and Joyce, 2007). From these abundant data we develop our diagnostic approach to show that the temporal variability of N (ρ) is considerably reduced within the main thermocline.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 55%

A comparison of the variability of biological nutrients against depth and potential density

While

Haines

2010

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. The main biogeochemical nutrient distributions, along with ambient ocean temperature and the light field, control ocean biological productivity. Observations of nutrients are much sparser than physical observations of temperature and salinity, yet it is critical to validate biogeochemical models against these sparse observations if we are to successfully model biological variability and trends. Here we use data from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study and the World Ocean Database 2005 to demonstrate quantitatively that over the entire globe a significant fraction of the temporal variability of phosphate, silicate and nitrate within the oceans is correlated with water density. The temporal variability of these nutrients as a function of depth is almost always greater than as a function of potential density, with he largest reductions in variability found within the main pycnocline. The greater nutrient variability as a function of depth occurs when dynamical processes vertically displace nutrient and density fields together on shorter timescales than biological adjustments. These results show that dynamical processes can have a significant impact on the instantaneous nutrient distributions. These processes must therefore be considered when modeling biogeochemical systems, when comparing such models with observations, or when assimilating data into such models.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 55%

A comparison of the variability of biological nutrients against depth and potential density

While

Haines

2010

Biogeosciences

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“…-properties at BATS are generally warmer and saltier than at Line W, because of the influence of Mediterranean Water (Talley and McCartney, 1982;Van Sebille et al, 2011) and the more circuitous path that LSW takes to get to BATS. However, the overlain cold-fresh profile observed at BATS shown in Figure 3-4 demonstrates that LSW influences -properties there as well, as shown in Curry et al (1998) and Phillips and Joyce (2007). Cold-fresh properties are frequently measured at BATS, as will be shown in Section 3.6.…”

Section: Line W Mooring -Shiftsmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…The Line W shipboard here. The influence of LSW in shaping the water mass properties at Hydrostation S has been shown in Curry et al (1998), Joyce et al (2000) and Phillips and Joyce (2007). The fact that the dLSW salinity minimum is earlier at Line W, which is about the same distance from the Labrador Sea as Bermuda is, indicates that the DWBC is a faster, more coherent, equatorward path for dLSW than any interior pathway to Bermuda.…”

Section: Water Mass Salinitymentioning

confidence: 95%

Dynamics of North Atlantic western boundary currents

Bras¹,

Isabela²

2017

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The Gulf Stream and Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) shape the distribution of heat and carbon in the North Atlantic, with consequences for global climate. This thesis employs a combination of theory, observations and models to probe the dynamics of these two western boundary currents.First, to diagnose the dynamical balance of the Gulf Stream, a depth-averaged vorticity budget framework is developed. This framework is applied to observations and a state estimate in the subtropical North Atlantic. Budget terms indicate a primary balance of vorticity between wind stress forcing and dissipation, and that the Gulf Stream has a significant inertial component.The next chapter weighs in on an ongoing debate over how the deep ocean is filled with water from high latitude sources. Measurements of the DWBC at Line W, on the continental slope southeast of New England, reveal water mass changes that are consistent with changes in the Labrador Sea, one of the sources of deep water thousands of kilometers upstream. Coherent patterns of change are also found along the path of the DWBC. These changes are consistent with an advective-diffusive model, which is used to quantify transit time distributions between the Labrador Sea and Line W. Advection and stirring are both found to play leading order roles in the propagation of water mass anomalies in the DWBC.The final study brings the two currents together in a quasi-geostrophic process model, focusing on the interaction between the Gulf Stream's northern recirculation gyre and the continental slope along which the DWBC travels. We demonstrate that the continental slope restricts the extent of the recirculation gyre and alters its forcing mechanisms. The recirculation gyre can also merge with the DWBC at depth, and its adjustment is associated with eddy fluxes that stir the DWBC with the interior. This thesis provides a quantitative description of the structure of the overturning circulation in the western North Atlantic, which is an important step towards understanding its role in the climate system.

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“…As discussed later, one of the main challenges of the reference station network is securing sustained funding. For more information on hydrostation S, see Phillips & Joyce (2007); for BTM and BATS, see Dickey et al (2001). Project websites can be found at: http://www.bios.edu/research/bats.html and http://www.opl.ucsb.edu/btm.html.…”

Section: Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (Bats)mentioning

confidence: 99%