The spectral polarized radiance distribution provides the most complete description of the light field that can be measured. However, this is a very difficult parameter to measure near the surface because of its large dynamic range, dependence on incoming sky conditions, and waves at the air-sea interface. The measurement of the Stokes vector of the downwelling polarized light field requires the combination of at least four images, all of which must be obtained simultaneously. To achieve this, a new polarimeter (which we call DPOL) has been designed, characterized, calibrated and deployed. The description of the DPOL, its calibrations and characterizations are discussed. The uncertainties in the retrieval of Stokes vector and other derived parameters are also discussed. This instrument is equipped with four fish-eye lenses (180° field of view) with polarizers behind each lens in a different orientation, a coherent optical fiber bundle with 4 arms, a spectral filter changer assembly and a charged coupled-device (CCD) imaging camera. With this system, a single image contains 4 separate fisheye images, each a whole hemisphere of the same scene, each with different polarization information. Using these 4 images and applying appropriate calibration parameters allows us to calculate the four-element Stokes vector and then the total degree of polarization and the angle of plane of polarization of the incoming light field in a hemisphere of desired directions. Under the Office of Naval Research RaDyO (Radiance under a Dynamic Ocean) program, DPOL has been used in the Santa Barbara Channel and Hawaii field experiments. In most cases, data on sky polarization were collected with a separate camera (Sky-Cam) simultaneously with the DPOL. The data and results with these two camera systems in these experiments are presented and are compared. Data on the inherent optical properties of water from the same field experiments collected by collaborators will be shown. Our measurements show that very near the surface, for clear sky conditions, the dominant source of polarization is the refracted sky light. As one progresses in the water column, the polarization due to light scattering by the water increases and polarization due to the water becomes dominant. The dependence of the in-water light field polarization on the sky and surface wave conditions, solar zenith and azimuth angles, the depth of the instrument, the viewing angle, the wavelength of light, the inherent optical properties (IOP’s) of water are discussed.

A numerical study is made of the wintertime circulation within the Southeast Indian Ocean (SEIO). The downwelling favourable winds result in a continuous eastward Coastal Current (CC) extending from Cape Leeuwin to the eastern coast of Tasmania, where it forms a confluence with the south branch of the East Australian Current. An additional forcing mechanism for the CC is the Leeuwin Current in the western part of the domain. The study here is divided in two parts: (1) available data and the wintertime averaged results from the Ocean Circulation and Climate Advanced Model (OCCAM) are analysed to provide a first order description of the large-scale circulation; (2) a high resolution model (Princeton Ocean Model) is nested within OCCAM to examine the shelf-slope circulation within the eastern SEIO. The nested model is forced with climatological monthly average winds and several experiments were run to simulate the effects of surface fluxes of density, enhanced bottom friction and stronger winds. In summary, the shelf-slope circulation is governed by a surface south-eastward CC that carries around 2 Sv and reaches velocities of up to 50 cm/s, where the shelf is narrowest. The core of the current is generally constrained to the shelf-break region. Zonal winds and geostrophic control of the CC lead to a transport of 1 Sv through Bass Strait and a north-eastward jet that is directed into the strait between King Is. and Tasmania. Further south, the CC is poleward and known as the Zeehan Current (ZC). Between Cape Leeuwin and Tasmania and over the slope region, a westward current (the Flinders Current) is found at depths of 500-1000 m and has an associated transport of 5-7 Sv. The current is shown to result from a northward Sverdrup transport in the deep ocean. Meso-scale eddies are shown to result from baroclinic instability and have wavelengths of around 250 km and transports of 3-4 Sv, and can dominate the slope circulation. A comparison of the numerical results is also made with two current meter data sets and results show an interannual variability in the ZC strength, that is probably related to ENSO.

Despite recent interest in understanding long-term trends in ocean acidity, natural variations of carbon chemistry on short timescales are still poorly understood. Unfortunately, historical observations of the oceanic CO2 system are relatively few in number. Such data are particularly scarce along the highly productive Canadian Pacific coast. However, hydrographic data such as temperature, salinity, oxygen and nutrients have been collected regularly in this region. I developed a fully cross-validated statistical model to predict the aragonite saturation state (Ωarag), a biologically relevant measure of the carbonate system. Different sensitivity tests were performed to assess the robustness of the statistical modelling skill to different model structures. In particular, this study found that in situ temperature and O2 used together were strong predictors of Ωarag. The carbon data used to build this statistical model came from five hydrographic surveys along the Pacific coast of Canada (in July 1998, August 2004, late May 2007, February 2010 and early August 2010) that contain direct measurements of CO2 system parameters. Only data from a depth range of 0-750 m were used, as data from below 750 m showed biases due to calcium carbonate dissolution. Although processes such as solar warming and gas exchange occur in the surface and could possibly introduce biases in the model, I show that these surface data can be included. The ability of the statistical models to compute robust estimates of Ωarag was assessed by exploring the generalizability of the model through cross-validation procedures using different partitions of the data. By predicting lnΩarag rather than Ωarag directly, I obtained a strong and robust predictive relationship. This MLR model form yielded a high value in the squared correlation coefficient between predicted and observed values (0.96) and a low percentage in erroneous prediction of undersaturated conditions (3.1%). This relationship was found to be insensitive to changes in spatial domain or interannual variability in the data. These results suggest that the model can be used to estimate the distribution of Ωarag along the outer west coast of Canada when basic hydrographic data on temperature and O2 are available. Predictions of Ωarag from historical observations (1980-2009) in this region reveal that the saturation horizon (Ωarag=1) tended to be more stable in winter and spring and highly variable and occasionally shallow in summer and fall during and following the upwelling season. Undersaturation with respect to aragonite was more likely to occur at shallower depths over the shelf relative to adjacent offshore waters likely as a result of upwelling. The Ωarag saturation horizon tended to be more variable in depth on the shelf compared to offshore waters. The saturation horizon tended to occur at deeper depths over the Queen Charlotte Sound (QCS) shelf and be more stable with respect to the west coast of Vancouver island (WCVI). Thus, the WCVI may experience adverse effects of ocean acidification more acutely than QCS. The use of this approach may provide insight into natural variability and the key controls of Ωarag in future studies at a low cost. However, this predictive model cannot hind-cast data to evaluate the presence of the anthropogenic signal. / Graduate

Des épisodes à Dinophysis affectent périodiquement l'exploitation des fruits de mer dans le Bassin d'Arcachon. Le réseau de surveillance interne au Bassin d'Arcachon montre que Dinophysis est advecté de l'océan ouvert. Le but de cette étude est de déterminer l'origine de Dinophysis. Des campagnes en mer sur le plateau continental Aquitain ont permis d'identifier une zone propice au développement de Dinophysis au large de Capbreton. Les épisodes à Dinophysis dans le bassin d'Arcachon se produisent suite à des vents d'Ouest qui induisent des courants vers le Sud d'après la littérature. L'étude des données hydrodynamiques acquises pendant les campagnes met en évidence un processus complexe et nouveau suite aux vents d'Ouest: de forts courants le long de la côte vers le Nord capables de transporter Dinophysis de Capbreton jusqu'au Bassin d'Arcachon. Un travail de modélisation a permis de reproduire ce courant et d'étudier son mécanisme particulier lié coin Sud-Est du Golfe de Gascogne. / Abstract

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal descrever a distribuição espaço-temporal do ictioplâncton da região do cabo Frio (RJ) em relação aos processos físicos de mesoescala, com ênfase na distribuição vertical. A amostragem foi realizada em verão e inverno de 2001, com o N/Oc. Prof. W. Besnard, durante dois cruzeiros do projeto DEPROAS. O ictioplâncton foi coletado com rede Multinet, com 5 redes de 333 m, sendo que cada estrato amostrado teve 20 m, até os 100 m de profundidade. Em laboratório, foram realizadas a triagem do ictioplâncton e identificação das larvas. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de testes estatísticos paramétricos e não paramétricos e análises multivariadas. Não houve um padrão claro de distribuição vertical das larvas em função das classes de comprimento, salvo em alguns casos particulares, como Bregmaceros cantori que teve maior frequência de larvas em pré-flexão associadas à termoclina e também baixa frequência de larvas em pós-flexão próximas à superfície. O padrão de distribuição do ictioplâncton foi determinado, em parte, pelas porcentagens de ACAS, de AC e a concentração de clorofila-a, tanto nos dois períodos. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foi possível demonstrar a influência direta dos processos físicos de mesoescala (i.e. ressurgência e subsidência) e dos padrões de distribuição de clorofila-a sobre a distribuição vertical do ictioplâncton na região do cabo Frio. / The aim of the present work was to describe the spatial and temporal distributions of the ichthyoplankton in the cabo Frio (RJ) region in relation to mesoscale physical processes, with emphasis on its vertical distribution. Samples were taken in the summer and winter 2001 onboard the R/V Prof. W. Besnard, during the two sampling surveys of the DEPROAS project. The ichthyoplankton was collected using a Multinet device with 5 nets of 333 mm meshed; being that each layer had 20 m up to 100m depth. Ichthyoplankton sorting and larvae identification were done in the laboratory. Data analyses were performed using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, and also multivariate analyses. A clear vertical distributional pattern of larvae in relation to their length classes was not observed, except in some particular cases such as Bregmaceros cantori, which had a higher frequency of pre-flexion larvae associated to the thermocline and also a low frequency of pos-flexion larvae near the surface. The distributional pattern of ichthyoplankton was determined in part, by the percentages of SACW, CW and chlorophyll-a concentration in both periods. Based on these results, it was possible to demonstrate the direct influence of mesoscale physical processes (i.e. upwelling and downwelling) and chlorophyll-a distribution patterns on the vertical distribution of the ichthyoplankton in the cabo Frio region.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal descrever a distribuição espaço-temporal do ictioplâncton da região do cabo Frio (RJ) em relação aos processos físicos de mesoescala, com ênfase na distribuição vertical. A amostragem foi realizada em verão e inverno de 2001, com o N/Oc. Prof. W. Besnard, durante dois cruzeiros do projeto DEPROAS. O ictioplâncton foi coletado com rede Multinet, com 5 redes de 333 m, sendo que cada estrato amostrado teve 20 m, até os 100 m de profundidade. Em laboratório, foram realizadas a triagem do ictioplâncton e identificação das larvas. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de testes estatísticos paramétricos e não paramétricos e análises multivariadas. Não houve um padrão claro de distribuição vertical das larvas em função das classes de comprimento, salvo em alguns casos particulares, como Bregmaceros cantori que teve maior frequência de larvas em pré-flexão associadas à termoclina e também baixa frequência de larvas em pós-flexão próximas à superfície. O padrão de distribuição do ictioplâncton foi determinado, em parte, pelas porcentagens de ACAS, de AC e a concentração de clorofila-a, tanto nos dois períodos. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foi possível demonstrar a influência direta dos processos físicos de mesoescala (i.e. ressurgência e subsidência) e dos padrões de distribuição de clorofila-a sobre a distribuição vertical do ictioplâncton na região do cabo Frio. / The aim of the present work was to describe the spatial and temporal distributions of the ichthyoplankton in the cabo Frio (RJ) region in relation to mesoscale physical processes, with emphasis on its vertical distribution. Samples were taken in the summer and winter 2001 onboard the R/V Prof. W. Besnard, during the two sampling surveys of the DEPROAS project. The ichthyoplankton was collected using a Multinet device with 5 nets of 333 mm meshed; being that each layer had 20 m up to 100m depth. Ichthyoplankton sorting and larvae identification were done in the laboratory. Data analyses were performed using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, and also multivariate analyses. A clear vertical distributional pattern of larvae in relation to their length classes was not observed, except in some particular cases such as Bregmaceros cantori, which had a higher frequency of pre-flexion larvae associated to the thermocline and also a low frequency of pos-flexion larvae near the surface. The distributional pattern of ichthyoplankton was determined in part, by the percentages of SACW, CW and chlorophyll-a concentration in both periods. Based on these results, it was possible to demonstrate the direct influence of mesoscale physical processes (i.e. upwelling and downwelling) and chlorophyll-a distribution patterns on the vertical distribution of the ichthyoplankton in the cabo Frio region.

Sedimentation rates and compositions of sinking particles were investigated at three sites on the Beaufort slope and one in Canada Basin during the period 1990-1994 using moored sequential sediment traps. A method was developed to identify the terrigenous and biogenic components of the fluxes. The physical context including ice cover, ocean currents, river inputs, winds, air temperature, incident light, and nutrient availability provide essential information to the interpretation of the particle fluxes and to the understanding of shelf-basin sediment transport in this area. Eddies, internal waves, upwelling and downwelling, and the state of the ice cover all played important and overlapping roles in the pattern of observed fluxes. A peak in the flux of highly terrigenous material under complete ice cover in mid-winter to the northwest of Mackenzie Trough was associated with predominantly downwelling conditions and the passage of a series of eddies and internal waves. A prolonged spring diatom bloom occurred in the mid-slope area and was clearly associated with an early opening of the ice on the east side of the shelf. Higher fluxes at the Canada Basin site were associated with a large eddy clearly identifiable from the current-T-S record and also from the composition of the suspended material carried with it. At the base of the slope (2700 m), the composition was highly terrigenous and remarkably consistent. Higher up the slope (700 m), biogenic peaks in the summer diluted the terrigenous material briefly, but it appears that there is a constant background of highly terrigenous material. There was a high degree of variability between sites and over the slope there was not enough data to asses the inter-annual variability. In Canada Basin, the inter-annual variability was closely linked to the extent of open water in the summer period. At all sites, lateral transport is clearly indicated by the increase in flux with depth. The data robustly demonstrate the need for detailed knowledge of physical processes for informed interpretation of particle fluxes and sediment transport in this area.