Glider observations of bio-optical properties in the coastal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel, California

Characterizing and understanding the vertical, temporal and spatial variability of coastal water processes at small regional and short time scales requires frequent sampling and integration of multiple data sources to support observations. Here we present repeated glider observations of relevant oceanographic properties, including temperature and salinity, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscattering and dissolved oxygen, along a 4 km cross-shelf transect (between 15 and 70 meters depth) off of the Mohawk Kelp Forest in Santa Barbara, CA. Results for three glider test missions lasting approximately 4 days each are shown. The high frequency sampling is ideal to observe the scales of diurnal variability and the effect of episodic processes such as buoyant plumes and phytoplankton blooms, and the possibility of comparing individual transects to satellite imagery for the period will provide a hollistic understanding of the evolving coastal ocean. The dense sampling allowed inferences about the scales of variations in net primary productivity, as well as indicated the potential of using glider data to understand phytoplankton response to quick variations in environmental conditions.