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Evaluating Lake Superior nearshore offshore gradients using autonomous gliders
Citation:
McKinney, P., T. Hollenhorst, J. Hoffman, AND J. Austin. Evaluating Lake Superior nearshore offshore gradients using autonomous gliders. IAGLR, Toronto, ON, CANADA, June 18 - 22, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
In the Great Lakes, we are using underwater gliders to measures gradients and distinct features (e.g., plumes, eddies) in water quality. In particular, we are focusing on measuring inshore to offshore gradients in water quality to understand how the physical dynamics of nearshore waters (currents, thermal bars, stratifications) influence the mixing of materials between the inshore and offshore waters. This research will help us to understand a broad range of phenomena, from the formation of harmful algal blooms to offshore transport of contaminants.
Description:
Slocum electric gliders are autonomous vehicles capable of continuously mapping subsurface conditions at high resolution for months at a time. During the 2016 CSMI in Lake Superior, seven glider deployments were undertaken through a partnership between University of Minnesota Duluth Large Lakes Observatory and US EPA Mid-Continent Ecology Laboratory. The combined deployments included 111 days and covered from early May and late October. We present high resolution glider observations of nearshore - offshore thermal gradients, development of seasonal stratification, sediment plumes, deep chlorophyll maximum, coastal sediment resuspension, and mixing events. We evaluate the spatial scales of these features and discuss challenges of interpreting glider data in the context of existing data records. We conclude the gliders present a unique opportunity for characterizing a variety of inshore offshore processes in the coastal Great Lakes.