Oceanographic observations on the Scotian Shelf during CASP

Abstract

Abstract Winter‐time (1985–86) observations of sea‐level, surface waves, currents, bottom pressure, and water properties were made on the Scotian Shelf as part of the Canadian Atlantic Storms Program (CASP). The purpose of the field program and the locations, instrument systems, and sampling schemes are described. Statistics on the observed currents are presented, and monthly estimates of the longshore transport of the Nova Scotian Current are given for four months spanning the winter season (December to March). The 1985–86 transports are compared with previous estimates of the baroclinic transport made using the dynamic method. Cross‐shelf temperature and salinity distributions corresponding to the beginning and end of the field program are described and compared with the climatological means. The autospectra of the observed currents exhibit energy concentrations at frequencies of 0.2–0.5, 1.0, 1.4 and 2.0 cycles per day (cpd). Coastal‐trapped wave motions account for significant portions of the energy in the two lowest frequency bands, forced by wind stress and the diurnal tide, respectively. Inertial oscillations generated by wind stress events predominate at 1.4 cpd, and the semidiurnal tide, at 2 cpd. These motions are described separately, and references to more detailed discussions are given.