Cross shelf hydrographic and hydrochemical conditions and their short term variability at the northern Benguela during a normal upwelling season

Abstract

Cross shelf hydrographic and hydrochemical conditions were investigated during the seasonal maximum of upwelling in the northern Benguela upwelling system. The study combines in situ observations, remotely sensed data and results of a regional 3-dimensional numerical model. In situ observations were recorded along a cross shelf transect off Namibia starting at 20°S 13°E, repeated five times during 16 August 2011 until 19 September 2011. Comparison of wind forcing and sea surface temperatures during the time of the expedition with long-term climatological data as well as the index of intensity of the Benguela upwelling indicates “normal” upwelling conditions in austral winter 2011 in the northern Benguela. Small scale temporal (days) and spatial (km) variability is high during the upwelling season, primarily caused by highly variable wind forcing and dynamics of mesoscale structures like eddies and filaments as found in remotely sensed data. This mesoscale dynamics impact the applicability of a conceptual 2-dimensional circulation model, i.e. a linear succession along the cross-shelf transect. Therefore, an age proxy for surface water was constructed based on oxygen and heat fluxes during the first aging period and on salinity and heat fluxes during the second phase. The application of an age proxy instead of distance to shore successfully validates the succession concept. Furthermore, the investigation of the upwelling strengths by analytical and circulation models verified their dependence on coastal- and curl driven upwelling processes with the onshore dominance of coastal upwelling. In the investigated time period, offshore, curl driven upwelling dominated with a maximum located on the shelf.