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Processes
Researchers are examining dominant oceanographic processes, how they influence sediment transport,
and how they affect sand distribution in this region. Several methods are being utilized to examine circulation
patterns on the inner shelf including deploying instruments that measure winds, currents, temperature, and
salinity. Early results have demonstrated the importance of seasonal variations in the mean circulation and
in sea level, and have identified coastal upwelling of colder, deeper water following storms.
Data collected by current meters and satellite imagery are being utilized in the development of 3-D
numerical circulation models. These models are presently being used to help describe the responses of
the entire west Florida continental shelf circulation and sea level to storms and seasonally varying conditions.
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