An analysis of hydrographic data collected off Point Sur, California in June 1990

• Main Author: Tziagidia, Georgios Th.
• Other Authors: Garfield, Newell
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2013
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/27963

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited === The data collected in June 1990 from the R/V Point Sur are used to study the California Undercurrent and California Current in the area off Point Sur. The area of study is a coastal region starting 3 km off Point Sur and extending westward 102 km.. At that distance the orientation of the line of the stations changes to southwest, extending to 228 km offshore. The cruise took place from 16-22 of June under upwelling favorable weather conditions. The results of this study help illustrate the great variability of the currents in the area. In June 1990 the California Undercurrent exists, is strong (max speed is 36 cm/sec), is confined to the first 65 km from the shore, and carries equatorial type waters northward in depths less that 650 dbars. the estimated transport is 2.9 Sv. the California Current is broad, slower than the Undercurrent (max speed 28 cm/sec), shallower and carries Subarctic North Pacific waters. The coastal upwelling looks strong starting from the depth of 100 dbars, and contributes to the inshore coastal jet which it is observed in the first 8 km from the shore and in the upper 20 dbars. Unlike previous analyses based on CalCOFI data, the Undercurrent appears robust in June. Its strong surface and subsurface signature had not previously been reported for this month. This may be in part due to the determination made in this thesis that 700 dbar is a more appropriate reference level than either 500 or 1000 dbar.