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Collection and simulation analysis of moored fluorometer time series from the mid-Atlantic and south Atlantic Bights. Appendix I. Satellite detection of phytoplankton export from the mid-Atlantic Bight during the 1979 spring bloom

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5731111
Analysis of CZCS imagery confirms shipboard and aircraft observations of resuspension of near-bottom chlorophyll within surface water (1 to 10 m) by northwesterly wind events in the mid-Atlantic Bight. As much as 8 to 16 ..mu..g Chl l/sup -1/ are found during these wind events from March to May, with a seasonal increase of algal biomass until onset of stratificationn of the water column. Rapid sinking apparently occurs after cessation of the wind events such that the predominant surface chlorophyll pattern is approx.0.5 to 1.5 ..mu..g l/sup -1/ over the continental shelf during the spring bloom. Without enhanced primary production during a wind event, the annual photosynthetic input of carbon would be approx.270 g C m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/. Perhaps half of the chlorophyll increase observed by satellite during a wind event represents in situ production of that 4 to 5 day time interval, with the remainder attributed to accumulation of algal biomass previously produced, sunk out, resuspended, and enroute to the shelf break during these offshore transport events. At least 16 to 40 g C m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ may be exported as ungrazed phytoplankton carbon from shelf waters to continental slope sediments. 32 refs., 37 figs., 3 tabs.
Research Organization:
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg (USA). Dept. of Marine Science; National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, MD (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center
DOE Contract Number:
FG05-85ER60285
OSTI ID:
5731111
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/60285-1; ON: DE85013659
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English