Physical Oceanography and Monitoring

Romberg Tiburon Center
and
Department of Geosciences

(415) 338-3713

garfield@sfsu.edu

http://buoy.sfsu.edu/~garfield/

Research Interests

My research focus is ocean current circulation along the continental margin, the region from the shore out to and beyond the continental shelves and slopes. Using both traditional tools and the new technologies of satellites and autonomous sampling vehicles I have studied the ocean circulation in the Gulf of Maine, the Brazil Current at tropical latitudes and the shelf and slope circulation between Pt. Sur and Bodega California. In addition I have conducted two studies in the Gulf of the Farallones and studied the California Undercurrent, a current that flows poleward, carrying subtropical water north into the North Pacific. Presently I am working with the CA Coastal Conservancy to establish a network of surface current monitoring instruments that will measure the coastal ocean circulation along the whole California coast and provide maps and data on the web in near real time. For more information about the monitoring projects I’m involved in, please visit:

http://sfbeams.sfsu.edu/, http://www.cicore.org/ and http://www.cencoos.org/.

 
Selected Papers

Roughan, M., N. Garfield, J.L. Largier, E.P. Dever, C.E. Dorman, D. Peterson, and J. Dorman, Transport and Retention in an Upwelling Region: the role of across-shelf structure, Deep-Sea Research II 53, [doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2006.07.015], 2006.

Kudela, R.M., N. Garfield and K.W. Bruland, Bio-optical signatures and biogeochemistry from intense upwelling and relaxation in coastal California. Deep-Sea Research II 52, 2999-3022, [doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2006.07.010] 2006.

Largier, J.L., C.A. Lawrence, M. Roughan, D.M. Kaplan, E.P. Dever, C.E. Dorman, R.M. Kudela, S.M. Bollens, F.P. Wilerson, R.C. Dugdale, L.W. Botsford, N. Garfield, B. Kuebel Cervantes, and D. Koracin, WEST: a northern California study of the role of wind-driven transport in the productivity of coastal plankton communities, Deep-Sea Research II 53, 2833-2849, [doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2006.08.108] 2006.

Margolina, T., C.A. Collins, T.A. Rago, R.G. Paquette, and N. Garfield, Intermediate level Lagrangian subsurface measurements in the northeast Pacific: Isobaric RAFOS float data, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 7, Q09002, doi:10.1029/2006GC001295, 2006.

Collins, C.A., L.M. Ivanov, O.V. Melnichenko, and N. Garfield, California Undercurrent Variability and Eddy Transport Estimated from RAFOS Float Observations. J. Geophy. Res., 109, C05028,doi:10.1029/2003JC002191, 2004.

Garfield, Newell, Mathew E. Maltrud, Curtis A. Collins, Thomas A. Rago, and Robert G. Paquette, Lagrangian flow in the California Undercurrent, an observation and model comparison. J. Mar. Sys. 29, 201-220, 2001.

Collins, C.A., N. Garfield, T.A. Rago, F.W. Rischmiller and E. Carter, Mean structure of the inshore countercurrent and California Undercurrent off Pt. Sur, California. Deep-Sea Res 47(5-6), 765-782, 2000.

Garfield, N., C.A. Collins, R.G. Paquette, E. Carter, Lagrangian exploration of the California Undercurrent, 1992-1995. Oceanogr. 29(4), 560-583, 1999.

Lupton, John E., E.T. Baker, N. Garfield, G. Massoth, R. Feely, J. Cowen, R. Greene, T.A. Rago, Tracking the evolution of a hydrothermal event plume using a RAFOS neutrally buoyant drifter. Science 280, 1052-1055, 1998.

Collins, C.A., N. Garfield, A.S. Mascarenhas, Jr., and M.G. Spearman, Ocean current measurements across the entrance to the Gulf of California in April and December, 1992. J. Geophys. Res. 102(C9), 20927-20936, 1997.

Garfield, N., T.A. Rago, K.J. Schnebele, and C.A. Collins, Evidence of Strong Episodic Bottom Currents in Monterey Submarine Canyon Associated with the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Cont. Shelf Res 14(6), 673-686, 1994.

Garfield, N., and D.L. Evans, Shelf Water Entrainment by Gulf Stream Warm-core Rings, J. Geophys. Res. 39(12), 13003-13012, 1987.