The primary objective of the ONR Shelfbreak PRIMER Experiment in the Middle
Atlantic Bight south of New England was to examine the influence of
oceanographic variability on the propagation of sound between the
continental shelf and the continental slope
( Study Region ). In order to contrast the
effects of seasonal stratification, two intensive surveys were performed
during July/August, 1996, and February, 1997. An additional test cruise
occurred during May, 1996. The summer and winter cruises were coincident
with a moored acoustic array consisting of sources and receivers as well
as thermistor strings. In addition, a deep hydrographic line extending
across the continental slope was also occupied.
SeaSoar operations during the two intensive studies consisted of repeated
sampling (daily) of a 45 km (cross-shelf) by 30 km (alongshelf) domain
between the 85 m and 500 m isobaths. The sampling grid consisted of four
cross-shelf sections separated by roughly 10 km in the alongshelf direction.
The SeaSoar generally undulated between the surface and a depth of 120 m,
or 10 m above the bottom over the continental shelf. Instrumentation
included a Seabird 911+ CTD, a transmissometer, PAR sensor, fluorometer,
and a new bathyphotometer for measuring bioluminescense.
For information regarding the SeaSoar operations during this experiment,
contact Dr. Glen Gawarkiewicz
or Frank Bahr
back to the SeaSoar PRIMER page
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - SeaSoar Labs