Annual cycling in wind, temperature and along shore currents on the Sydney shelf

Julie E. Wood, Moninya Roughan, Peter M. Tate

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

    4 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The seasonality of coastal wind, temperature and along shore currents on the continental shelf adjacent to Sydney is investigated using more than three years of data. These data were obtained from two moorings (maintained as part of the NSW Integrated Marine Observing System) and a third, in-shore mooring (maintained under contract by Sydney Water). We detected an asymmetrical warming and cooling pattern in the annual cycle of the temperature with gradual heating in summer and rapid cooling. There is a marked difference in the temperature cycle between the interior and at depth. The annual cycle in the along shelf currents and wind explained less than 5 % of the variability. We discuss the merit of two different regression models used in the analysis and their ability to fit the annual cycle in the data. Off the coast of Sydney, the impact of warm core and cold core eddies on the shelf reduces the variability that is explained by the annual cycle in the observed signal. Furthermore, we have identified a non-stationary process with a period of peak energy between 90 and 120 days in the along shelf currents. This corresponds to the period that eddies are shed from the East Australian Current indicating a link between eddy formation and interaction with the continental shelf in the Sydney region.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationCoasts and Ports 2013
    Place of PublicationBarton, ACT
    PublisherNational Committee on Applied Mechanics
    Pages866-871
    Number of pages6
    Publication statusPublished - 2013
    EventCoasts and Ports 2013 - Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Duration: 11 Sept 201313 Sept 2013

    Other

    OtherCoasts and Ports 2013
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    CitySydney, NSW
    Period11/09/1313/09/13

    Keywords

    • East Australian Current
    • Integrated Marine Observing System
    • Shelf processes
    • Western boundary current

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