Shelfbreak Jet Structure and Variability off New Jersey Using Ship of Opportunity Data From the <i>CMV</i> Oleander

Forsyth, Jacob; Andres, Magdalena; Gawarkiewicz, Glen

doi:10.1029/2020jc016455

Cited by 18 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Since 1977, XBTs have been deployed from the container ship CMV Oleander on its repeat track from Elizabeth, New Jersey to Hamilton, Bermuda 29 , providing a unique long-term dataset. To investigate the sub-surface expression (vertical structure of water temperature) of the MHW on the southern shelf and slope, we use the monthly XBT gridded temperature sections from the Oleander Line, described in Forsyth et al 13 . These transects span the New Jersey shelf to the northern edge of the Gulf Stream from 1977 to 2018, and temperature anomalies relative to a monthly climatology are reported on a 10-km (cross-shelf) by 5 m (vertical) grid 30 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A regime shift in 2000 is associated with a substantial increase in the number of WCRs formed annually from Gulf Stream meander crests 10 . Large amplitude meanders and WCRs can bring warm salty water into close proximity to the continental slope and shelf break 11 , 12 and can affect both the Shelfbreak Jet as well as shelf temperature 13 . Gawarkiewicz et al 14 found that an ocean-driven MHW along the continental shelf of the Mid-Atlantic Bight in 2017 was forced by the presence of a WCR, which resulted in cross-shelf transport of warm and salty Gulf Stream water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic

Pérez

Ryan

Andres

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The Northwest Atlantic, which has exhibited evidence of accelerated warming compared to the global ocean, also experienced several notable marine heatwaves (MHWs) over the last decade. We analyze spatiotemporal patterns of surface and subsurface temperature structure across the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf and slope to assess the influences of atmospheric and oceanic processes on ocean temperatures. Here we focus on MHWs from 2015/16 and examine their physical drivers using observational and reanalysis products. We find that a combination of jet stream latitudinal position and ocean advection, mainly due to warm core rings shed by the Gulf Stream, plays a role in MHW development. While both atmospheric and oceanic drivers can lead to MHWs they have different temperature signatures with each affecting the vertical structure differently and horizontal spatial patterns of a MHW. Northwest Atlantic MHWs have significant socio-economic impacts and affect commercially important species such as squid and lobster.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic

Pérez

Ryan

Andres

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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“…This portion of the southwestward flow is a part of Northwest Atlantic Shelfbreak Current system (Fratantoni and Pickart 2007) between the west coast of Greenland and the Cape Hatteras. The Middle Atlantic Bight section of this currents system is also known as Shelfbreak Jet (e.g., Gawarkiewicz et al 2018; Forsyth et al 2020). Hereafter, part of the Shelfbreak Current system between the Grand Banks and the Great South Channel at the south border of the Gulf of Maine is referred to as the Shelfbreak Current.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Recent warming and decadal variability of Gulf of Maine and Slope Water

Seidov

Mishonov

Parsons

2021

Limnology & Oceanography

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The oceanographic conditions in the Gulf of Maine, Scotian Shelf, Slope Sea, and surroundings are determined by interplay of two major circulation systems-the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current. This study aims to better understand regional long-term climate trends caused by the Gulf Stream decadal variability. The in situ data analysis confirms a continuous slow warming within all three areas over the last five decades. It is shown that the warming accelerated in the recent 10 years coinciding with a strengthened northward incursion of warm water in the summer months. Such strong northward migration of warm water was not seen in the four preceding decades, making the current rapid warming different from previous ones. We argue that the recent decadal-scale warming is unique and may signal that the shift of the thermal regime in this region may be at least partially caused by a changed pattern of the Gulf Stream extension zone's long-term variability. We found that the Scotian Shelf and Slope Water region has recently been warming much faster than the Gulf of Maine, both in the subsurface (the upper $ 50 m) and in deeper layers, indicating that the probable cause of the faster warming in the most recent decade is due to the regime change in the Gulf Stream extension region.

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“…This relationship indicates that the faster and closer a ring is to the shelf break, the more negative (northeast) the along-shelf flow is. Cases when the ring is slow and far from the shelf break tend to have a shelf break velocity that it is more typical of mean shelf break conditions (Forsyth et al, 2020). It is important to note that and are not correlated with one another (despite each one's correlation with flow at the shelf break).…”

Section: Warm Core Ring Impact On Shelf Break Velocitiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…and variability off New Jersey using ship of opportunity data from the CMV Oleander This chapter was originally published as Forsyth, J.,Andres, M., & Gawarkiewicz, G. (2020). Shelfbreak Jet structure and variability off New Jersey using ship of opportunity data from the CMV Ole-…”

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confidence: 99%

Diagnosing the variability in temperature and velocity in the Middle Atlantic Bight

Forsyth¹

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Observations of hydrographic and dynamical properties on the Middle Atlantic Bight shelf document strong variability at time scales spanning events that last a few days to century long trends. This thesis studies individual processes which impact shelf temperature and velocity structure, and quantifies the mean velocity conditions at the shelf break. Chapter 2 uses model output to study the dynamics that lead to the breakdown of summertime thermal stratification, and how the processes which reduce stratification vary from year to year. In summer, the atmosphere heats the surface of the ocean, leading to strong thermal stratification with warm water overlying cool water. During fall, strong storm events with downwelling-favorable winds are found to be the primary process by which stratification is reduced. The timing of these events and the associated destratification varies from year to year. In Chapter 3, the velocity structure of the New Jersey shelf break is examine, with a focus on the Shelfbreak Jet. Using 25 years of velocity measurements, mean velocity sections of the Shelfbreak Jet are created in both Eulerian and stream coordinate frameworks. The jet exhibits strong seasonal variability, with maximum velocities observed in spring and minimum velocities in summer. Evidence is found that Warm Core Rings, originating from the Gulf Stream and passing through the Slope Sea adjacent to the New Jersey shelf, tend to shift the Shelfbreak Jet onshore of its mean position or entirely shutdown the Shelfbreak Jet’s flow. At interannual timescales, variability in the Shelfbreak Jet velocity is correlated with the temperature on the New Jersey Shelf, with temperature lagging by about 2 months. Chapter 4 focuses on the impact of Warm Core Rings on the velocity and temperature structure on the New Jersey shelf. Warm Core Rings that have higher azimuthal velocities and whose cores approach closer to the shelf are found to exert greater influence on the shelf’s along-shelf velocities, with the fastest and closest rings reversing the direction of flow at the shelf break. Warm Core Rings are also observed to exert long-lasting impacts on the shelf temperature, with faster rings cooling the shelf and slower rings warming the shelf. Seasonal changes in thermal stratification strongly affect how rings alter the shelf temperature. Rings in summer tend to cool the shelf, and rings throughout the rest of the year generally warm the shelf.

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Shelfbreak Jet Structure and Variability off New Jersey Using Ship of Opportunity Data From the CMV Oleander

Cited by 18 publications

References 35 publications

Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic

Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic

Recent warming and decadal variability of Gulf of Maine and Slope Water

Diagnosing the variability in temperature and velocity in the Middle Atlantic Bight

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