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Seasonal variability in the currents on the outer Texas-Louisiana shelf

1988; Elsevier BV; Volume: 26; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0272-7714(88)90010-8

1096-0015

Fern B. Halper, David W. McGrail, William J. Merrell,

Marine and coastal ecosystems

Time series measurements of current velocity obtained at mid-depth and near the bottom (100 m) on the outer continental shelf during the spring/summer of 1980 and the winter of 1980–1981 illustrate seasonal differences in the flow regime. During the spring/summer, when the winds are from the south-east, the flow was to the east at mid-depth. During the winter, the eastward flow diminished and the water began to ‘slosh’ north/south near the shelf-edge. The beginning of the sloshing corresponded to the onset of northers but the main features of the flow do not appear to be directly forced by the local wind field. Moreover, the current meter data indicate that, at mid-depth and near the bottom, the presence of northers do not cause an increase in current speed. Superimposed on the mean flow during both deployments were oscillations with periods of a few days.