FY 1993

Observations of velocity divergence in Shelikof Strait, Alaska

Reed, R.K., and P.J. Stabeno

Cont. Shelf Res., 13(2–3), 225–232, doi: 10.1016/0278-4343(93)90107-9 (1993)

Direct observations of horizontal velocity divergence and relative vorticity were made in Shelikof Strait, Alaska during May 1990 with Loran-C buoys and satellite-tracked drifters. These kinematic properties typically had values of 2 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. Some of the observations indicated a cyclic divergence which appeared to be linked to the rise and fall of the pycnocline driven by an internal, semidaily tide. The data also suggested that the net divergence over several days was quite small; thus larval concentration models can ignore this effect.