Transcript The California Current - Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences

The California Current
and Coastal Upwelling
Allison Parker
Physical Oceanography
November 20, 2007
The California Current
• Cool water current
•
•
running from the
eastern coast of North
America from Alaska
to Baja California
Characterized by
coastal upwelling
Part of the Central
Pacific Gyre
Source: US GLOBEC, Oregon State Univ.
The Driving Force: The Westerlies
• The Westerlies drive
•
•
the California Current
Ekman Pumping
supports the
important regional
coastal upwelling
Winds are strongest
in spring and summer,
yielding strong
upwelling
Source: NOAA Fisheries Service
Source: Kathleen Wong
Sea Surface Temperatures off the coast of
California in July
Source: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Coastal Upwelling Index
• Developed in 1973 by Dr. Andy Bakun
• Measure of the volume of water that
upwells along the coast & identifies the
amount of off shore transport of surface
waters
Upwelling Index Anomaly off the coast
of Newport, California
Anomalies of the Coastal Upwelling Index during May to September
From 1947 to 2006 off Newport, California (45 N)
Source: NOAA Fisheries Service
Coastal Upwelling: Impacts on
Fisheries
• Upwelled water is typically high in
nutrients and produces a 'bloom' in
phytoplankton growth.
• Large swarms of krill gather to feed on
phytoplankton and attract fish, seabirds,
and marine mammals who feed on the krill
and or each other.
Source: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Coastal Upwelling: Impacts on
Fisheries
Using satellite data, scientists can estimate how quickly microscopic plants are
growing in the ocean. Red and yellow colors indicate regions of fastest
growth, revealing the fertility of coastal waters. Tiny plants known as
phytoplankton form the base of the food web, providing food for microscopic
animals that in turn provide food for larger animals.
Source: Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University
The California Current
Sea Lions in a reef off the coast of Monterey Bay, California
Source: Kathleen Wong