Ocean Weather - Interaction of physical and bio-optical processes across a river plume dominated shelf in the Gulf of Mexico

The dynamic circulation across the Mississippi Shelf which is associated with river plumes is shown to have a strong influence on the surface bio-optical response as observed in satellites. A Ocean Weather Laboratory is defining real time physical and bio-optical processes by using several circulation models coupled with ocean color satellite products. Daily similarity and differences between these models with satellite observations defines the confidence and uncertainty for capturing the dynamic cross shelf processes. Several events of water mass exchange across the shelf shows dynamic pathways between the offshore Gulf of Mexico waters and coastal waters. The water mass exchanges across the MS shelf are highly variable and strongly linked with fresh water plumes and eddy fields. The surface satellite bio-optical signatures of chlorophyll, scattering and absorption are effective at tracking plume dynamics and can be used for model validation. The diurnal changes of ocean color surface bio-optical properties and SST on the shelf can be tracked with Suomi NPP satellite consecutive orbits within 100 minutes. These diurnal changes identify frontal advection and fluctuating phytoplankton blooms and decay that occur in shelf and coastal waters and their response to surface heating. The Mississippi shelf exchange processes represent a strong interaction between the physical and biological activity.