Paper 14 



Februar}^. The USCGC Bibb 76-02 (Fiq. 14.4) crossed through the 

 area'on 6 February. The SST's had increased/ and ranged from <7C 

 to >14C. Stratification had definitely set in over the shelf/ 

 with vertical temperature gradients as large as 0.4C/m at the 

 thermocline. Patches of isothermal ^ater extending to >100 -n 

 depth k^ere still evident offshore. The Shelf Water/Slope water 

 front was crossed between stations 2 and 3 (+15 km). 



The Exeort DeieQder 76-02 (Fig. 14.5) crossed through the area 

 during 7-b February. The SST's ranged from <3C to 16C. This was 

 a rather complex section showing some return of cooling and some 

 s t ret i f i cat i oa. This on again off again coolin*^ and warming is 

 not uncommon for this area at this time of year. These oer- 

 turbations in warming and cooling are probably caused by small- 

 scale/ short-lived forcing events/ such as rapid frontal passings 

 and reversals in wind direction that affect shallow coastal 

 waters in a very complex fashion. 



The Shelf Water/Slope Water front was crossed between stations 13 

 and 14 (+45 km) with a small Tieander (also visible in satellite 

 imagery) in the front between stations 9 and 14 (-170 km to 

 +45 km). The north wall of the Gulf Stream was crossed between 

 stations 15 and 16. 



The USCGC Gallatin 76-02 (Fig. 14.6) crossed through the area 

 during 27-28 February. Unfortunately only surface values of 

 temperatures and salinity were obtained/ but from these data we 

 could still determine the position of the Shelf Water/Slope Water 

 front (between stations 7 and 8/ -10 km) and an increase in SST's 

 (<8C to >1DC). 



harch. The Mormac Rigel 76-03 (Fig. 14.7) crossed through the 

 area" on 23~March. The SST's ranged from <7C to >19C. 

 Stratification of the water column was well established/ with 

 surface to bottom temperature differences as large as 4C in <50 m 

 depth. The Shelf water/Slope Water front was crossed between 

 stations 5 and 6 (-30 km). 



Aeril. The E^BOrt Defender 76-34 (Fig. 14.8) crossed through the 

 area~during 3-4 April. The SST's offshore had increased to >22C. 

 The nearshore waters had warmed to greater than 7C/ however/ the 

 stratification appeared weak in this transect. The Shelf 

 Water/Slope Water front was crossed between stations 11 and 12 

 (+350 km). The north wall of the Gulf Stream was crossed between 

 stations 18 and 19 (+643 km) -ith a Gjlf Stream meander occurring 

 oetween stations 13 and 16 (+42C km to +5CC km). The distances 

 indicated are so great because the ship's track ran parallel to 

 and just offshore of the 200 ti isobath. Subtracting about 330 km 

 would give more reasonable distances. 



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