Moored Systems for Time Series Observations of Bio-optical and Physical Variability in the Coastal Ocean

Dickey, T. D.; Manov, D. V.; ,

Moored Systems for Time Series Observations of Bio-optical and Physical Variability in the Coastal Ocean

by T. D. Dickey, Univ of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States,
D. V. Manov, Univ of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '91

Abstract:

Recently, multivariable moored systems (MVMS) have been developed to study the ecology and physics of the upper ocean. Concurrent MVMS measurements provide time series of beam attenuation coefficient, stimulated and natural chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetically available radiation, and dissolved oxygen along with currents and temperature. MVMS data have been obtained during experiments in the Sargasso Sea (34?N 70?W) and south of Iceland (59?N 21?W). This series of in situ, high frequency, long-term observations are the first of their kind in the open ocean and provide an impetus for similar observations relevant to studies of optical variability, primary production, particulate fluxes, and pollution in other oceanographic environments. We are presently utilizing MVMS systems to study problems related to the discharge of wastewaters into the coastal marine environment near Los Angeles. The overall goal of our efforts is to determine how particulate distributions in the vicinity of an ocean outfall change in response to physical and biological processes. These efforts include a benthic component which concerns the resuspension of bottom sediments in response to various physical forcing conditions and a water column component which involves the variability and distributions of effluent and phytoplankton (and their detrital products) particulate matter and their effects upon the subsurface light field.

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