The source of this doming is unknown, although it might be due to a cross-shore meander of the Alaskan Stream. Both the inner and mid-shelf regions were remarkably well mixed down to about 100 m or more. Time permitting we augment the sampling along the Seward Line with additional alongshore transects. While these are relatively few in number they suggest that biological production is highly patchy owing perhaps to the very complicated shelf bathymetry and coastline which supports abundant mesoscale variability. The onset of the high salinities at depth appears to be unusually strong upwelling favorable winds in May 1998.
Higher salinities imply higher nutrient concentrations.
However, it is not clear that changes in deep nutrient concentrations in the deep water on the shelf affect surface production. We also presented several papers at the AGU-ASLO Ocean Sciences meeting held in San Antonio, Texas in January 2000.