A numerical study of the continental shelf circulation of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight during the autumn of 1987

The autumn circulation on the inner- and mid-shelf of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight (SAB) is examined numerically. Using data collected in 1987 during the Fall Experiment (FLEX) the alongshore structure of the currents and the coastal sea level fluctuations were found to be correlated to local winds which were strong and persistently northeasterly. The observed inshore distribution of freshwater during FLEX, characterized by the presence of a coastal front confined to the coast inside the 25 m isobath, reflects the local autumn discharge subjected to strong and persistent downwelling winds. The freshwater signal found outside the 25 m isobath is suggested to be the previous summer's discharge advected northward by the summer winds subsequently returning south forced by the autumn winds.