ru22-20140825T1505

The project is a comprehensive observational and analytical program to examine the dynamics and source waters of the relaxation flows in a coastal upwelling system on the central California coast. Autonomous vehicles, high-frequency radars, moorings, and drifters, will be used to acquire pressure, density, and velocity data relevant to the relaxation flows. The data will be used to determine spatial scales of the flows, cross-shore density structure, cross-shore and alongshore velocity fields, pressure gradients, and the region of contact with the sea floor. Aspects of the research include: 1) to evaluate the roles of barotropic and baroclinic pressure gradient forcing, 2) to identify regions where ageostrophic flows dominate the cross-shore and alongshore momentum balances, 3) to determine source waters for the relaxation flows, and 4) to examine the inner shelf circulation response to wind relaxations over an extensive coastal region (the northern part of the Southern California Bight) by analyzing extensive regional data sets collected over many years.