Patterns and Scales of Variability in the Optical Properties of Georges Bank Waters, with Special Reference to Phytoplankton Biomass and Production

摘要

The goal of this research program is to contribute to a fundamental understanding of the sources of optical variability in coastal ocean systems. This is being achieved through a field effort to make measurements of time series and spatial distributions of both apparent and inherent optical properties in the waters of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine. Optical properties are strongly affected by phytoplankton, however, in a dynamic coastal environment such as the Gulf of Maine, other water constituents and a range of physical processes may also be important. We have successfully integrated optical sensors into two new sampling platforms, a towed vehicle and profiling mooring, and have collected a large data set with the tow vehicle. These observations, combined with ocean color satellite imagery and conventional ship- based water sampling, are being used to describe% patterns of variability and to determine which factors most strongly affect optical variability at a range of space and time scales in the Gulf of Maine region. Preliminary results suggest that variability in the type and spatial distribution of particulate material is very important, and that variations in water masses due to circulation patterns in the region may also play a critical role.