2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting SEACOOS Poster - Coastal Upwelling in Western Boundary Currents: the Florida Current and Associated Reef Ecosystems

For the program on "Coastal Upwelling: Coevolution of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Theory and Practices II Posters," OS36J-06. While coastal upwelling is typically related to strong wind-driven events along eastern ocean basin margins, the intense circulation and mesoscale variability associated with western boundary currents along shelf breaks have the potential to generated significant inputs of cool, nutrient-rich water into the coastal zone. Observational studies suggest that the presence of the Florida Current along the East Florida Shelf (from the Dry Tortugas to Jacksonville) is linked to several upwelling mechanisms, such as frontal eddy passages and onshore bottom Ekman transport. In addition, the intensification of the Florida Current cyclonic (western) front during periods of upwelling-favorable winds (summer months) is tied to intrusions of cool water reaching the middle and inner shelf regions of the East Florida Shelf. However, there is still controversy about the exact magnitude and duration of these different upwelling events, as well as their overall contributions to the net cross-shelf fluxes of heat, nutrient, plankton, etc. Simulation results from a high-resolution, three-dimensional coastal ocean model (EFS-POM, developed within the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) program), coupled to a 4-component (NPZD) ecosystem model, provide a new basis to estimate the frequency, intensity, duration, and property transport of upwelling events along the East Florida Shelf, as well as to identify their underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, year-long model simulations can help detect seasonal changes in these upwelling events as a function of wind forcing or Florida Current transport cycle variations. Quantifying the occurrence and magnitude of coastal upwelling associated with the Florida Current circulation along the East Florida Shelf has direct consequences to understanding oceanic nutrient supply mechanisms and primary production on the shallow (Florida Keys) and deep (Oculina Bank) reef ecosystems of the region. *C N Mooers, J Fiechter