North Atlantic Oscillation
Seeing the big picture in the Gulf of Maine
GoMOOS and NOAA buoy array in the Gulf of Maine.
2. Offshore buoys are sentinels of change
- GoMOOS buoys in the northeastern Gulf of Maine could provide a unique, early warning system for offshore changes that can affect coastal fisheries, ecosystems, shipping, and human health.
- In summer 1998, for example, water temperature in the coastal Gulf of Maine dropped 1 to 2°C compared to previous and following summers. Such changes happen periodically but in the past have been difficult to predict.
- These coastal changes resulted from oceanographic shifts far offshore.
1.Seeing the big picture: Introduction
2.Offshore buoys are sentinels of change
3.GoMOOS monitors currents entering the Gulf Of Maine
4."El Niño of the Atlantic" affects the incoming currents
5.Warm or cold currents can penetrate the Northeast Channel
6.Case study: Cold water invades the Gulf of Maine
7.Ripple effects reach bays and estuaries
Acknowledgements