Physical oceanography of British Columbia’s central coast near Calvert Island from 2012 – 2016
Jennifer M. Jackson, Hakai Institute
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Snacks/Discussion begin at 15:00, Talk at 15:30
Location: Grad House, David Clode Room
RSVP
Since 2012, the Hakai Institute has been collecting year-round oceanographic data from British Columbia’s central coast near Calvert Island. Hakai’s oceanographic stations encompass many different environments, from river mouths to the open continental shelf. Hakai’s physical oceanography program collaborates closely with programs that study marine food webs, near-shore ecology, watersheds, and ocean acidification. For this talk, the temporal and spatial differences of water properties will be examined based on CTD data collected around Calvert Island. Hakai’s CTD data will also be examined in the context of a multi-decadal long times series collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Rivers Inlet. Interannual variability will be examined. For example, in November 2014, the Blob was advected onshore and was observed in the waters surrounding Calvert Island. Anomalously warm waters were observed throughout 2015. In February 2016 coastal waters began to warm again, this time likely caused by the 2015-2016 El Niño event. Here the impact of the Blob and the El Niño on these salt-stratified coastal waters will be assessed.