Surface circulation in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas: Satellite Drifter Measurements Leandra de Sousa 1 , Tom Weingartner 2 , Peter Winsor 2 , Seth Danielson 2 , E. Dobbins 2 , C. Irvine 2 , Billy Adams 1 1 North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, 2 University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Study area map: stars represent deployments 24 km from shore; circles for deployments 48 km from shore Microstar 1-m drogue drifters recorded GPS position and temperature every hour from July-November. Deployment dates 2012 ……… 66 drifters 2013 …....… 72 drifters 2014 ….…..149 drifters TOTAL … 287 drifters OBJECTIVES • Evaluate water movement at the surface (upper 1 meter) and their response to winds in the northeast Chukchi Sea. • Identify differences in the nearshore and offshore surface flows and their relation to seasonally-varying winds. • Provide data on water flow at surface available for improving predictions about the movement of spilled oil. CONCLUSIONS • Surface flow is highly associated with winds in the Coastal and Shelf areas, but not in the Barrow Canyon or along the Slope areas. • Drifter trajectories in 2012 were highly variable, with tracks crossing most spatial areas, while in 2013 tracks behaved as a cluster and occupied the Chukchi Shelf. • The consistency in drifter trajectories was higher in 2014, than in 2012 and 2013. • Nearshore sea surface temperatures were higher in 2012 (10°C or 50°F) than in 2013 (< 6°C or < 43°F). a, b) 2012 and 2013 wind velocity charts; c, d) selected drifter tracks of nearshore deployments; e, f) tracks of offshore deployments. Black squares indicate oil and gas lease sale areas; 2012 had highly variable winds and August winds from southerly quadrant; 2013 had less variable winds and August winds from northeast. b) 2012 2013 Offshore Deployments Nearshore Deployment s a) c) f) d) e) 2014 selected trajectories from each deployment location; red stars represents end of transmission due to beaching, or battery failure; red squares indicate oil and gas lease sale areas. >80% had this trajectory >50% had this trajectory 90% had this trajectory >80% had this trajectory Kaktovik Kaktovik Kaktovik Kaktovik In 2012 drifters crossed a front (black line) which separated colder meltwater in the north and warmer Bering Sea water in the south. Spatial Areas through which Drifters Travelled 1=Coastal (green) 2=Barrow Canyon (yellow) 3=Beaufort Shelf 4=Chukchi Shelf 5=Slope 6=Basin ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Funding provided by NSB-SHELL Baseline Studies Program and the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM). Thanks to John Attunganna, Harris Aguvuluk, Leo Ferreira, Lee Kayotuk, Warren Lampe, Hugh Olemaun, Guy Omnik, Billy Sielak for assistance with drifter deployments. For more information, please contact Leandra de Sousa at 852-0350 or email [email protected].
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Surface circulation in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas: Satellite Drifter Measurements
Leandra de Sousa1, Tom Weingartner2, Peter Winsor2, Seth Danielson2, E. Dobbins2, C. Irvine2, Billy Adams1 1 North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, 2 University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Study area map: stars represent deployments 24 km from shore; circles for deployments 48 km from shore
Microstar 1-m drogue drifters recorded GPS position and temperature every hour from July-November.
Deployment dates 2012 ……… 66 drifters 2013 …....… 72 drifters 2014 ….…..149 drifters TOTAL … 287 drifters
OBJECTIVES
• Evaluate water movement at the surface (upper 1 meter) and their response to winds in the northeast Chukchi Sea.
• Identify differences in the nearshore and offshore surface flows and their relation to seasonally-varying winds.
• Provide data on water flow at surface available for improving predictions about the movement of spilled oil.
CONCLUSIONS
• Surface flow is highly associated with winds in the Coastal and Shelf areas, but not in the Barrow Canyon or along the Slope areas.
• Drifter trajectories in 2012 were highly variable, with tracks crossing most spatial areas, while in 2013 tracks behaved as a cluster and occupied the Chukchi Shelf.
• The consistency in drifter trajectories was higher in 2014, than in 2012 and 2013.
• Nearshore sea surface temperatures were higher in 2012 (10°C or 50°F) than in 2013 (< 6°C or < 43°F).
a, b) 2012 and 2013 wind velocity charts; c, d) selected drifter tracks of nearshore deployments; e, f) tracks of offshore deployments. Black squares indicate oil and gas lease sale areas; 2012 had highly variable winds and August winds from southerly quadrant; 2013 had less variable winds and August winds from northeast.
b) 2012 2013
Offs
hore
De
ploy
men
ts
Nea
rsho
re
Depl
oym
ent
s
a)
c)
f)
d)
e)
2014 selected trajectories from each deployment location; red stars represents end of transmission due to beaching, or battery failure; red
squares indicate oil and gas lease sale areas.
>80% had this trajectory
>50% had this trajectory
90% had this trajectory >80% had this
trajectory
Kaktovik
Kaktovik Kaktovik
Kaktovik
In 2012 drifters crossed a front (black line) which separated colder meltwater in the north and warmer Bering Sea water in the south.
Spatial Areas through which
Drifters Travelled 1=Coastal (green) 2=Barrow Canyon (yellow) 3=Beaufort Shelf 4=Chukchi Shelf 5=Slope 6=Basin
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Funding provided by NSB-SHELL Baseline Studies Program and the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM). Thanks to John Attunganna, Harris Aguvuluk, Leo Ferreira, Lee Kayotuk, Warren Lampe, Hugh Olemaun, Guy Omnik, Billy Sielak for assistance with drifter deployments. For more information, please contact Leandra de Sousa at 852-0350 or email [email protected].
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
Surface circulation in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas: �Satellite Drifter Measurements�Leandra de Sousa1, Tom Weingartner2, Peter Winsor2, Seth Danielson2, E. Dobbins2, C. Irvine2, Billy Adams1�1 North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, 2 University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
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