SEMINAR: AOML Seminar - October 30, 2012 - 10:00 a.m. - Austin C. Todd - “Circulation dynamics and larval transport mechanisms in the Florida Big Bend Region”,,

[Aoml.Receptionist <aoml.receptionist@noaa.gov>]

AOML Seminar

 

Date:          Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Time:         10:00 a.m. – refreshments at 9:45 a.m.

Location:   AOML First Floor Conference Room

Speaker:    Austin C. Todd

      Florida State University

       Center for Ocean-Atmospheric

                       Prediction Studies (COAPS)

Title:          “Circulation dynamics and larval transport
mechanisms in the Florida Big Bend Region”

 

Abstract:

The goal of this study is to quantify the transport mechanisms in the Florida Big Bend Region (BBR) that contribute to reef fish productivity
as a function of the regional physical oceanography. The primary focus of the research is to identify pathways responsible for transporting
gag grouper larvae from their offshore spawning grounds to inshore seagrass nurseries.  More specifically, we investigate the role of
upwelling dynamics and the conservation of potential vorticity in setting the net across-shelf transport.  The primary tool used to address
these goals is a very high horizontal resolution (800-900m) numerical ocean model configured for the BBR and nested within the data-assimilative
Gulf of Mexico Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM).  We also use Lagrangian particle advection as a proxy for the larval migration,
 in order to determine the physical pathways for onshore transport.  We find significant cross-shelf flow is generated during upwelling-favorable
wind events, and the mean springtime shelf circulation is set by the rectification of flow from two opposing wind regimes. Results from model runs
between 2004 and 2010 are presented, and the variability of the flow and transport characteristics on numerous temporal scales are discussed.