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A study case of bioluminescence potential dynamics in the Delaware Bay with observations and modeling

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Abstract

Results from first observational program of bioluminescence (BL) potential in the Delaware Bay area are presented. During the field program July 30–August 1, 2015, the satellite Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) imagery shows the development of the submesoscale filament with elevated chlorophyll-a in the area of interaction of lighter water masses of the Bay outflow with denser upwelled water. We have shown that ageostrophic secondary circulation (ASC) cells contributed to the development of this filament. Analysis of BL potential observations have shown elevated values of BL potential in the area of the submesoscale filament. Analysis of observed temperature, salinity, sigma-t, and BL potential along the stations crossing the Bay mouth have shown a presence of a strong frontal structure separating colder, more saline, denser offshore water from the bay water masses. Over 3 days of sampling, this frontal structure moved onshore to the entrance of the bay, and brought offshore BL plankton communities with higher values of BL potential. We compared two surveys (at the end of July and in the middle of August) of water masses located in the area where the buoyant outflow of the Delaware Coastal Current is turned around and taken to the north up the shelf by upwelling favorable winds. Analysis of observations shows that the survey at the end of July has fresher water masses (due to higher river runoff before and during survey) and higher values of BL potential in comparison to the survey at the middle of August.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded through the US Naval Research Laboratory under program element 61153N and grants N0001415WX01395, N0001416WX01092, N00014-14-1-0841, and N00015-15-1-2624 sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, Littoral Geosciences and Optics program. We thank Adam Lawson for help with processing satellite imagery, and we thank Brent Bartels of QinetiQ North America for help with the computer code estimating Q vector. We thanks Hunter C. Brown, Danielle Haulsee, Matt Breece, Megan Cimino, and Jason Moline for assistance in measurements and Kevin Beam for captaining the R/V Daiber. We thank anonymous reviewers for providing very insightful comments and recommendations to improve the paper. Computer time for the numerical simulations was provided through a grant from the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Initiative. Request for access to the data presented in this paper can be sent to igor.shulman@nrlssc.navy.mil. This manuscript is US NRL contribution 7330-16-3187.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oceanography Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, MS, 39529, USA

    Igor Shulman, Stephanie Anderson, Peter Sakalaukus, Clark Rowley & Sherwin Ladner

  2. School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA

    Mark A. Moline

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  1. Igor Shulman
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  2. Mark A. Moline
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  4. Peter Sakalaukus
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Correspondence to Igor Shulman.

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Shulman, I., Moline, M.A., Anderson, S. et al. A study case of bioluminescence potential dynamics in the Delaware Bay with observations and modeling. Ocean Dynamics 67, 383–396 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-017-1045-4

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