Recent Observations of the Mean Circulation on Georges Bank

Authors:
  • BBB. Butman
    B. Butman
  • RBR. C. Beardsley
    R. C. Beardsley
  • BMB. Magnell
    B. Magnell
  • DFD. Frye
    D. Frye
  • JVJ. A. Vermersch
    J. A. Vermersch
  • RSR. Schlitz
    R. Schlitz
  • RLR. Limeburner
    R. Limeburner
  • WWW. R. Wright
    W. R. Wright
  • MNM. A. Noble
    M. A. Noble

Abstract
A clockwise circulation around Georges Bank was measured by means of moored current meters, aircraft-tracked surface drifters, and satellite-tracked drifters drogued at 10 m. The strongest flow was in a narrow jetlike current (30 cm s−1) along the northern flank of the bank. The flow of shelf water on the southern flank was westward (10 cm s−1) toward the Middle Atlantic Bight; some of this water flowed northward through the eastern side of Great South Channel and recirculated around Georges Bank. The satellite-tracked drifters and the moored observations indicate that the circulation around the bank was not completely closed and considerable variability occurs in the trajectory of an individual water particle. Abstract A clockwise circulation around Georges Bank was measured by means of moored current meters, aircraft-tracked surface drifters, and satellite-tracked drifters drogued at 10 m. The strongest flow was in a narrow jetlike current (30 cm s−1) along the northern flank of the bank. The flow of shelf water on the southern flank was westward (10 cm s−1) toward the Middle Atlantic Bight; some of this water flowed northward through the eastern side of Great South Channel and recirculated around Georges Bank. The satellite-tracked drifters and the moored observations indicate that the circulation around the bank was not completely closed and considerable variability occurs in the trajectory of an individual water particle.