Observations of a Pribilof eddy

Alaskan Stream flow in the eastern subarctic Pacific and the eastern Bering Sea and its impact on biological productivity

“…3Sc). Our results support the conclusion of Ladd et al (2012) who indicated that the anticyclonic eddy activity along the eastern shelf-break of the BS (the Pribilof eddy) during the spring months is negatively correlated with the North Pacific Index, a measure of the strength of the Aleutian Low in November -March. Ladd et al (2012) assumed that a spin-up of the subpolar gyre in the northern North Pacific leads to increased eddy activity in the BS, possibly due to a local effect of the stronger Bering Slope Current or due to increased flow through the Aleutian passes.…”

“…Interannual and decadal modulations of the eastern subarctic Pacific open-ocean ecosystems may be explained by analyzing statistics of eddy-induced cross-shelf transport (Combes et al, 2009). The impact of mesoscale eddies on the circulation and biology in the eastern BS have been examined by many authors (e.g., Okkonen et al, 2004;Mizobata et al, 2002Mizobata et al, , 2006Ladd et al, 2012). 5 Instabilities in the Bering Slope Current, wind forcing, topographic interactions and flow through the eastern Aleutian passes have been suggested to be possible eddy-generation mechanisms.…”

“…High surface chlorophyll a concentration along the shelf break in the BS appears to be associated with an eddy-induced mixing between shelf and deep basin waters (see, e.g., Okkonen et al, 2004;Mizobata et al, 2008;Ladd et al, 2012). The mixing, induced by anticyclonic eddies between the low salinity coastal water and high salinity deep basin water, probably creates favourable conditions with a nitrate availability and a shallow pycnocline for the An increase of the WSC in the northern North Pacific in winter impacts the mesoscale dynamics in the eastern subarctic Pacific and the eastern BS (Figs.…”

Numerical study on tidal mixing along the shelf break in the Green Belt in the southeastern Bering Sea

“…Recent studies [e.g., Aguilar‐Islas et al ., ; Hurst et al ., ] found that the nutrient‐rich surface basin water and iron‐rich outer‐shelf bottom water are important sources of nutrients along the Bering Slope Current (BSC). Among several proposed physical processes such as eddy‐induced horizontal mixing along the shelf break [ Coachman , ; Mizobata and Saitoh , ; Okkonen et al ., ; Ladd et al ., ], nutrients input from a subsurface layer through tidal mixing has also been recognized as an important process to explain the long period of high productivity in the Green Belt [e.g., Springer et al ., ]. Although tidal mixing near the shelf break has been investigated from different perspectives in the world's ocean [e.g., Carter et al ., ; Gerkema et al ., ; Klymak et al ., ; Lien and Gregg ; ], few studies have been conducted in this region.…”

Nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics on the inner shelf of the eastern Bering Sea

“…This flux also depends on concentration in the deep nutrient pool of the middle shelf, which has significant seasonal and interannual variability (Table ) [ Mordy et al ., ]. Variability in the deep nutrient pool may be ascribed to a variety of factors including winter replenishment [ Stabeno et al ., ], rates of primary production and remineralization [ Lomas et al ., ; Mordy et al ., ], strength of stratification [ Ladd and Stabeno , ], mixed layer depth [ Stockwell et al ., ], and erosion due to mixing and diffusion [ Kachel et al ., ].…”