Dan Carlson

Graduate Student

Physical Oceanography
Major Professor: Dr. Allan Clarke

Department of Oceanography
Rm 435A, OSB
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4320

Research

My MS thesis examined seasonal alongshore geostrophic currents on the West Florida Shelf (WFS) using TOPEX/Poseidon satellite altimeter data. The alongshore geostrophic currents reverse seasonally and are highly correlated with the local alongshore wind stress. The estimated flows are northwestward (southeastward) during late summer (winter) and agree well with previous modeling and observational studies.

The period of northwestward alongshore geostrophic flow corresponds to the peak bloom initiation period for Karenia brevis, Florida's red tide organism. The northwestward geostrophic flow persists for at least 3 months, theoretically enabling large alongshore transport of K. brevis from its initiation region in south Florida to the Big Bend and Panhandle. Given that the alongshore geostrophic currents are wind-driven, variability in the wind stress can result in variability in the northern extent of K. brevis blooms.

We found that in 2005 increased wind stress from an exceptionally active hurricane season most likely resulted in enhanced northwestward alongshore currents that moved a large bloom of K. brevis from the Tampa Bay area to the Big Bend and Panhandle. Conversely, an exceptionally weak hurricane season in 2006 resulted in below-average alongshore wind stress and the 2006 K. brevis bloom remained on the southern WFS.

I was recently awarded a Fulbright Grant for study at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. I will be working with Dr. Hezi Gildor on circulation in the Gulf of Eilat, the northern arm of the Red Sea, until July 2008.

Curriculum Vitae (PDF Document)