Empirical dynamics of a small scale coastal upwelling region

Bain, Cairns Alexander Robertson

Empirical dynamics of a small scale coastal upwelling region

Doctoral Thesis

1991

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Oceanography

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

The study investigates the dynamics of a small space scale (less than 10 km) coastal upwelling region at the temporal scales spanning hours to years. Three to four year time series data sets of, sea temperatures at different depths (2m, 5 m and 8,5 m) one kilometer offshore, of wind and of waves, obtained from Eskom for the Koeberg nuclear power station site study near Melkbosstrand (33° 41'S, 18° 26'E) were digitized on an hourly basis. An emphasis is placed on the study of the wind and sea temperature data, the latter being an unique data set in the South African context. The data were filtered into different frequency bands (<12,0 <0,5 <0,025 cpd). Simple statistics, linear correlation and spectral analysis were used to characterize these bands. Dominant temporal scales were identified as the seasonal, event (synoptic) and diurnal time scales. The characterization of the latter two time scales were supplemented with field work which inter alia measured: sea temperature profiles and transects; sea surface temperature distribution with the airborne radiation thermometry technique and Lagrangian currents.

Keywords

Physical Oceanography

Oceanography

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

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