1. Temporal and Spatial Variability of Physical and Bio-optical Properties on the New York Bight Inner Continental Shelf G. C. Chang, T. D. Dickey Ocean Physics Laboratory/University of California at Santa Barbara 6487 Calle Real Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, U.S.A. grace.chang@opl.ucsb.edu O. M. Schofield and S. M. Glenn Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University A. D. Weidemann Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center

2. Outline Introduction Objectives Importance Methods Study Site Instrumentation Results Circulation and Hydrography Optics and Biology Coastal Jet Water Mass/Turbidity Front Spatial Patchiness Internal Solitary Waves Discussion and Summary

3. Objectives Determine relationships between optical properties and physical, biological, geological, and chemical processes Understanding of the diverse processes controlling inherent optical properties (IOPs) Understanding of water column visibility Develop operational ocean color algorithms and radiative transfer models

4. Importance Nearly 50% of the world’s population lives within 1 km of the coastal ocean and anthropogenic effects of population expansion on the coastal ocean are poorly understood. Interpretation of remote sensing data in the coastal ocean Improve interdisciplinary models to quantify the global carbon budget

5. Study Site / Instrumentation 11m: ac-9. PAR, Transmissometer, Fluorometer, Microcat, Tidbit Mid-shelf Tripod ADCP Mid-shelf Mooring Nearshore Node

6. Circulation

7. Hydrography / Coastal Jet

8. July 26 Optics and Biology Mooring Turnaround

9. Water Mass/Turbidity Front

11. Patchiness

12. Internal Solitary Waves

13. Discussion Adaptive sampling using satellite images coupled with real-time in-water data and forecast models. Satellite images and medium- to long-range CODAR surface currents supply a synoptic view of processes with horizontal scales of tens of meters to tens of kilometers. High temporal frequency instrumentation at several locations for resolving tides, internal solitary and surface waves, turbulence, sediment resuspension, MLD dynamics, water mass movements, changes in nutrients, phytoplankton light adaptation, etc. Towed, profiling packages, AUVs, floats, and gliders provide high spatial resolution data for studies of advection, upwelling, river and estuarine flows, frontal dynamics, and water mass intrusions.

14. Summary A relatively fast, southward moving, low temperature, high salinity, low particulate coastal jet A distinct front separated the lower salinity, more turbid waters nearshore from more saline, relatively clearer waters at mid-shelf Absorption at the mid-shelf location was dominated by phytoplankton and CDOM while nearshore absorption was mainly influenced by particulate material as compared to CDOM. The interaction of tidal currents with the mean currents and the water mass/turbidity front was important for the formation of small- scale convergence and divergence zones. Internal solitary waves were observed at 20 m water depth at the mooring site. Insight in nearshore coastal processes and their effects on biology as well as for the design of future nearshore interdisciplinary coastal programs.