Apparent Surface Currents Over The Monterey Submarine Canyon Measured By The Method Of Towed Electrodes

Five data cruises were taken on board R/V ACANIA to study the effect on the Geomagnetic Electrokinetograph (GEK) of various environmental factors, including wings, tides, and internal waves, over the Monterey Submarine Canyon. An in situ current meter was used successfully on one occasion to obtain data to establish a k-factor for the GEK in the Submarine Canyon, and to directly measure the particle velocities of internal waves. The observed surface currents measured with the GEK all exhibited little or no correlation with winds and tides. The flows were all generally southerly; their averages agreed with previous measurements made with the GEK. This direction of flow was opposite to the generalizations of Scott and possibly agreed with those of Pirie, depending upon the placement of one of his eddies. The k-factor for the GEK could not be determined because currents measured directly in the thermocline were found to be not correlated with the GEK measurements. However, the average current speeds were in reasonable agreement with currents measured at other times in Monterey Bay, leading to the conclusion that k cannot be much greater than the assumed value of 1.0. (Author).