The continental shelf on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula is a region of substantial climate and ecosystem change. The Long Term Ecological Research project at Palmer Station has been sampling and studying the shelf ecosystem and physical environment since 1990. This dissertation seeks to improve our understanding of the subtidal and intraseasonal (hereafter defined together as 3-100 days) circulation on the neighboring continental shelf and is particularly motivated by the aims of the project to understand (1) how lateral transports of scalar parameters such as heat affect the vertical stratification and (2) how coastal canyon heads are linked to the larger-scale shelf circulation and why they are such ecologically productive environments. In this dissertation we study: (1) the origin and mixing of mesoscale eddies as agents of heat transport and stirring; (2) the spatial coherence of shelf-scale barotropic velocity fluctuations, their origin through flow-topography interaction with Marguerite Trough Canyon, and their associated heat transports; and (3) the wind-driven dynamics of the long-shore flow manifested through coastal trapped waves and their ability to both induce upwelling at a coastal canyon head and to modulate isopycnal depth at the continental shelf-break. This work takes an observational approach, utilizing the rare and expansive data set afforded by the long-term sampling program including shipboard CTD and ADCP profiles, moored current meter time series, and CTD profiles from an autonomous underwater vehicle.

Disposal of dredged material has been an on-going problem in the Auckland Coastal Marine Area (CMA) since the early 1980s in New Zealand. Many disposal grounds have been established and used, but public concern over adverse effects resulted in their ultimate closure. Presently, dredged material is disposed off-shore at a site simultaneously accessed by the Royal New Zealand Navy for disposal of WWII munitions recovered from coastal areas. As early as the mid-1990s, parliamentary focus groups established the need for a more suitable disposal option for dredged material. Establishment of a disposal site north of Cuvier Island in waters deeper than 100 m was one of the key recommendations presented by these groups. The need for a new site was compounded after the establishment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park in 2000. Taking up the majority of the Auckland CMA this culturally significant Park makes the consent for open water disposal a complex process. A site east of Great Barrier Island in 140 m of water has been identified as a potential suitable site for disposal of dredged material. The main goal of the present study is to determine the suitability of this site and provide the necessary information required by enforcing authorities for permit submission. Investigations to determine the suitability of the site were undertaken in several ways. An extensive literature review of previous studies was carried out to gain insight into the physical and biological characteristics of the northeast coast and shelf. The main hydrodynamic features of the region and the observed behaviours were determined. Attentions were then directed at determining the more specific site characteristics. Analytical calculations were undertaken using known site parameters to estimate the potential for transport of sediment away from the site after disposal. Through analysis of known wave and current measurements it was estimated that only rarely would sediment be entrained off the seafloor. Samples were then collected from the site in November 2007, which were used for sediment textural analysis and benthic identification. It was determined that the main textural component of the site sediments is muddy/sand. Diversity of benthic species is relatively high, but abundance is low. Polychaetes were the most diverse and abundant taxon identified at sample locations across the site. Next, the 3DD model was used to numerically simulate 2-dimensional tidal currents. Depth-averaged spring tidal currents at the site were predicted to be less than 0.2 ms-1. The derived bottom velocity for such a current is 0.08 ms-1, which is much less than the velocity required for initiation of sediment movement in this case. The numerical simulation also showed that residual spring tidal flow is directed to the southeast. Finally, an assessment of potential impacts was done by reviewing previous studies of ecological impacts caused by disposal of dredged material. Based on the preliminary studies summarised above, the review of potential impacts indicates that there will only be minimal effects at and surrounding the proposed site. The result of this study is an encouraging step toward establishment of a new disposal option, but further research is required to confidently declare that the site is suitable for disposal operations.

In this thesis three independent studies of tidal dynamics have been pesented. The first is an analytical study of continental shelf tides forced at the ocean boundary. Earlier studies have shown that the response for a sloping shelf and a flat shelf differ and that the response for a flat shelf changes when tides are incident at an angle. Other studies considered a sloping shelf but they did not take into account a possible non-zero depth at a coastal wall. This study shows that the effects of a sloping shelf, a coastal wall and obliquely incident tides an all significantly modify the response on the shelf. The modification increases with the width of the shelf, and in a wide shelf scenario, near resonance, it greatly modifies the response. Secondly, the Princeton Ocean Model in barotropic mode along with a tracer transport module has been used to study the tides of Sydney Harbour. The tidally induced residual circulation due to the semi-diurnal tide consists of a series of recirculating gyres which are due to the interaction of flow with topography. This study shows that in the harbour it is the Lagrangian residual velocity not the Eulerian residual velocity which determines the net transport of material over a tidal cycle. In addition, the flushing time of the harbour varies significantly in space, and the tidal mixing is restricted in the vicinity of the entrance. The third is a theoretical study of forced oscillations in a rotating, flat-bottomed, circular basin. This study shows that the direction of propagation of waves in a basin depends on the ratio of its radius to depth. At each latitude there is a critical value of this ratio and this value decreases with increase in latitude. Beyond this value, waves start to propagate around the basin in the opposite direction to the earth ???s rotation (clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the southern hemisphere).The presence of friction increases this critical value which shows that friction plays an important role in determining the response.

The distribution of surface sediments on the northern Oregon continental shell is characterized by a nearshore sandy facies and an outer shelf muddy facies, separated by a mid-shelf zone of mixed sand and mud. Currents which have been measured at 130 centimeters above the bottom indicate that the distribution of the surface sediment is a reflection of the hydraulic regime. The strongest bottom currents which were measured were in the nearshore region at a depth of 36 meters. Here currents of over 40 cm/sec generated by surface waves are capable of placing the nearshore sands in suspension, where they are transported shoreward by the wave surge. At mid-shelf, in 90 meters of water, the bottom current veolcity ranges from zero to over 25 cm/sec, although the mean is normally about 10 cm/sec. The strongest currents at this depth are capable of eroding some of the fine sediments, but probably do not rework the older sediments which have been compacted. Currents which are similar in character to those at mid-shelf were observed at the shelf edge in a depth of 165 meters. A significant departure, however, is the difference in frequency where the most energy is found. At the shelf edge the dominant frequency was about four cpd whereas the dominant frequency at mid-shelf was two cpd or lower. The dominant frequencies indicate that tides are important in the generation of continental shelf bottom currents. The twelve - hour period is that of the semi-diurnal tide; the six-hour period is the second harmonic of the semi-diurnal component. No indication of surface wave influence was found at mid-shelf or shelf-edge depths. Profiles of turbidity made at four east-west transects of the continental shelf indicate suspended sediment transport occurs principally at three levels in the water column. An upper layer is at the level of the seasonal thermocline, a mid-water layer is located at the level of the permanent pycnocline, and the third layer is at the bottom. The surface layer is important in transporting suspended sediment of the Columbia River plume, although there is also a contribution to the surface layer from the surf zone by the process of diffusion of fine particles. The mid-water layer thickens vertically and becomes less intense seaward, indicating a nearshore source for the suspended material. This source is diffusion of fine particles from the surf zone at mid-water depths. The mid-water layer is located at the level of the permanent pycnocline. The layer is sub-parallel to the bottom over the shelf but becomes diffuse at the shelf edge. Sediment transport in the mid-water layer provides a mechanism by which sediment bypasses the outer shelf and upper slope area. The bottom layer receives its suspended material from erosion of the bottom, from the water column above, and from fine material moving seaward from the surf zone. The amount of eroded material contributed to the bottom layer depends on the bottom current strength and on the bottom roughness characteristics. Over a rough bottom the erosive power of a given bottom current is increased drastically. For this reason, the presence or absence of rippling is important to sediment transport on the shelf. The fine material of the bottom layer may concentrate by settling during quiescent periods, allowing low-density flows to initiate. Several time-series observations of turbidity indicate that the bottom layer thickens and thins in response to increases and decreases in current velocity. The mid-water layer migrated somewhat in a vertical direction, but its thickness and intensity remained nearly the same. The thickness and intensity of the upper layer responded to changes in the structure of the thermocline, becoming thick and dispersed when the upper part of the water column is mixed. A model of sediment transport proposes that mid-water and bottom currents transport suspended sediments diagonally across the shelf toward the south-southwest. The sediments of the Columbia River plume are also transported in a southerly direction in the surface waters. Relatively little deposition takes place on the shelf and upper slope, with the bulk of the sediments bypassing the shelf and depositing on the lower slope and continental rise. / Graduation date: 1972

Of the maritime boundaries yet to be delimited between Canada and the United States, the Beaufort Sea might be the more pressing one, considering its strategic location in a rapidly developing Arctic region and its vast economic potential. In accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS), maritime boundaries are to be delimited by agreement on the basis of international law as referred to in Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, in order to reach an equitable solution. When an agreement cannot be reached, parties can resort to third-party arbitration. While jurisprudence has determined that international law does not mandate a particular method of delimitation, it requires the consideration of equitable principles, also called special circumstances or factors. The notion of equity is therefore the foundation of boundary determination. But, what is equity and how is it applied? This thesis examines the various forms of equity, their origins in legal philosophy and domestic law and how they have been incorporated in international law. The main focus, however, is to analyse the differences between how international tribunals or courts have interpreted and applied equity in boundary determination and how States have applied it in negotiated agreements. While tribunals have tended to consider equitable principles as equivalent to geographical proportionality, States have considered those principles more in keeping with the notion of distributive justice and, more and more, are taking a globalised approach to boundary determination. On the basis of this analysis, this thesis evaluates the potential outcome of a third-party arbitration of the Beaufort Sea boundary dispute between Canada and the United States as well as the options for settlement negotiations between the Parties. In the Beaufort Sea area where hydrocarbon development is intrinsically linked not only to the development of the local population but also to the entire Arctic region, be it on issues related to the environment, navigation or security, the thesis concludes that a third-party adjudication would not serve the interests of the States. As delimiting boundaries nowadays is only one aspect of the management of oceans related issues, interests are best served when delimitation is understood as part of this global approach.

In this thesis three independent studies of tidal dynamics have been pesented. The first is an analytical study of continental shelf tides forced at the ocean boundary. Earlier studies have shown that the response for a sloping shelf and a flat shelf differ and that the response for a flat shelf changes when tides are incident at an angle. Other studies considered a sloping shelf but they did not take into account a possible non-zero depth at a coastal wall. This study shows that the effects of a sloping shelf, a coastal wall and obliquely incident tides an all significantly modify the response on the shelf. The modification increases with the width of the shelf, and in a wide shelf scenario, near resonance, it greatly modifies the response. Secondly, the Princeton Ocean Model in barotropic mode along with a tracer transport module has been used to study the tides of Sydney Harbour. The tidally induced residual circulation due to the semi-diurnal tide consists of a series of recirculating gyres which are due to the interaction of flow with topography. This study shows that in the harbour it is the Lagrangian residual velocity not the Eulerian residual velocity which determines the net transport of material over a tidal cycle. In addition, the flushing time of the harbour varies significantly in space, and the tidal mixing is restricted in the vicinity of the entrance. The third is a theoretical study of forced oscillations in a rotating, flat-bottomed, circular basin. This study shows that the direction of propagation of waves in a basin depends on the ratio of its radius to depth. At each latitude there is a critical value of this ratio and this value decreases with increase in latitude. Beyond this value, waves start to propagate around the basin in the opposite direction to the earth ???s rotation (clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the southern hemisphere).The presence of friction increases this critical value which shows that friction plays an important role in determining the response.

In this thesis three independent studies of tidal dynamics have been pesented. The first is an analytical study of continental shelf tides forced at the ocean boundary. Earlier studies have shown that the response for a sloping shelf and a flat shelf differ and that the response for a flat shelf changes when tides are incident at an angle. Other studies considered a sloping shelf but they did not take into account a possible non-zero depth at a coastal wall. This study shows that the effects of a sloping shelf, a coastal wall and obliquely incident tides an all significantly modify the response on the shelf. The modification increases with the width of the shelf, and in a wide shelf scenario, near resonance, it greatly modifies the response. Secondly, the Princeton Ocean Model in barotropic mode along with a tracer transport module has been used to study the tides of Sydney Harbour. The tidally induced residual circulation due to the semi-diurnal tide consists of a series of recirculating gyres which are due to the interaction of flow with topography. This study shows that in the harbour it is the Lagrangian residual velocity not the Eulerian residual velocity which determines the net transport of material over a tidal cycle. In addition, the flushing time of the harbour varies significantly in space, and the tidal mixing is restricted in the vicinity of the entrance. The third is a theoretical study of forced oscillations in a rotating, flat-bottomed, circular basin. This study shows that the direction of propagation of waves in a basin depends on the ratio of its radius to depth. At each latitude there is a critical value of this ratio and this value decreases with increase in latitude. Beyond this value, waves start to propagate around the basin in the opposite direction to the earth ???s rotation (clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the southern hemisphere).The presence of friction increases this critical value which shows that friction plays an important role in determining the response.

In this thesis three independent studies of tidal dynamics have been pesented. The first is an analytical study of continental shelf tides forced at the ocean boundary. Earlier studies have shown that the response for a sloping shelf and a flat shelf differ and that the response for a flat shelf changes when tides are incident at an angle. Other studies considered a sloping shelf but they did not take into account a possible non-zero depth at a coastal wall. This study shows that the effects of a sloping shelf, a coastal wall and obliquely incident tides an all significantly modify the response on the shelf. The modification increases with the width of the shelf, and in a wide shelf scenario, near resonance, it greatly modifies the response. Secondly, the Princeton Ocean Model in barotropic mode along with a tracer transport module has been used to study the tides of Sydney Harbour. The tidally induced residual circulation due to the semi-diurnal tide consists of a series of recirculating gyres which are due to the interaction of flow with topography. This study shows that in the harbour it is the Lagrangian residual velocity not the Eulerian residual velocity which determines the net transport of material over a tidal cycle. In addition, the flushing time of the harbour varies significantly in space, and the tidal mixing is restricted in the vicinity of the entrance. The third is a theoretical study of forced oscillations in a rotating, flat-bottomed, circular basin. This study shows that the direction of propagation of waves in a basin depends on the ratio of its radius to depth. At each latitude there is a critical value of this ratio and this value decreases with increase in latitude. Beyond this value, waves start to propagate around the basin in the opposite direction to the earth ???s rotation (clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the southern hemisphere).The presence of friction increases this critical value which shows that friction plays an important role in determining the response.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Australia, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-113).