From Shelfbreak to Shoreline: Coastal Sea Level and Local Ocean Dynamics in the Northwest Atlantic
Published in Geophysical Reserach Letters, 2024
Recommended citation: Camargo, C.M.L., Piecuch, C.G., Raunbenheimer, B. (2024). From the Shelfbreak to Shoreline: Coastal Sea Level and Local Ocean Dynamics in the Northwest Atlantic. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(14). doi:10.1029/2024GL109583 https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109583
Sea-level rise is an imminent threat to coastal communities worldwide, including the U.S. East Coast. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the processes driving regional sea-level change. While past studies documented how coastal sea level may be influenced by large-scale ocean circulation, less attention has been paid to the role of more local currents over the shelf and slope. Here we explore the relationship between coastal sea level along the northeastern U.S. and the Shelfbreak Jet, a current that flows along the shelfbreak from the Labrador Sea to Cape Hatteras (North Carolina). From 7 years of in situ data of both current velocities and water levels, we see that as coastal sea level rises, Shelfbreak Jet transport increases westward (and vice versa) on timescales of days to weeks. Our results lay the groundwork for understanding relationships between coastal sea level and local ocean dynamics elsewhere.