AbstractAn autonomous underwater glider was deployed in March 2014 to sample the Gulf Stream and its adjacent shelf waters in the South Atlantic Bight, providing a new look at cross-shelf exchange associated with Gulf Stream dynamics. Observations collected over 4 weeks reveal
significant cross-shelf exchange (up to 0.5 Sv) at the shoreward edge of the Gulf Stream, which was 2 orders of magnitude larger than estimates from long-term mean hydrographic conditions. Gulf Stream frontal eddies may have contributed to some of the largest fluxes of heat (0.5°C Sv)
and salt (0.03 Sv g/kg) onto the shelf. We estimate that the largest upwelling event during the mission could have brought nitrate concentrations over 20 μM to within 125 m of the surface. This study demonstrates clear capabilities of autonomous underwater gliders for sampling in and near
fast moving boundary currents to obtain unique and critical in situ observations effectively.
Kinematics and correlation of the surface wind field in the South Atlantic Bight
