Mid-Atlantic Bight cold pool based on ocean glider observations

During summer, distinctive, bottom-trapped, cold water mass of remnant local and remote winter water called Cold Pool Water (CPW) resides as a swath over the mid to outer continental shelf throughout much of the Mid Atlantic Bight (MAB). This evolving CPW is important because it strongly influences the ecosystem, including several important fisheries. Thus, there is a priority to better understand the relevant ocean processes and develop CPW forecast capability. Over the past decade, repeated high-resolution Slocum glider measurements of ocean water properties along a New Jersey cross-shelf transect have helped to define the variability of the CPW structure off New Jersey. More recently the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System supported ocean gliders have occupied a series of along-shelf zigzag trajectories from Massachusetts to New Jersey and New Jersey to Maryland. The comprehensive set of March through November 2007 glider measurements has been used to define the annual evolution of the 10 degrees C Cold Pool in terms of its distribution and water properties. The rather steady warming at the rate of 1 degrees C per month July through October 2007 is reflected in the 2007 CPW temperature (T) and salinity (S) properties. We describe how a three-glider fleet view of the September 2013 Cold Pool (a) confirmed the Lentz (2017) CPW cold patch and (b) the impingement of a Gulf Stream warm core ring warmed and salted the 2013 CPW. The Gulf Sream 2013 event forced our extension of the CPW T and S properties.

Automated summary

During summer, a cold water mass called Cold Pool Water (CPW), formed by winter water, resides over the Mid Atlantic Bight. It strongly influences the ecosystem and fisheries, thus there is a need to understand the ocean processes and develop CPW forecast capability. High-resolution Slocum glider measurements and ocean gliders have provided valuable data on the variability and structure of CPW. The glider measurements also showed the impact of Gulf Stream on CPW properties.