SUBFEx

The goal of the Submesoscale Upwelling Bay Frontal Exchange (SUBFEx, pronounced “sub effects”) project is to determine how persistent submesoscale fronts associated with small coastal upwelling embayments influence cross-shelf exchange, retention, and connectivity along eastern boundary upwelling systems. The research combines high-resolution field-based observations and realistic numerical experiments targeted in San Luis Obispo (SLO) Bay in central California.

At the mouth of SLO Bay, a narrow thermal front is often observed where warm water within the bay meets cold upwelled water farther offshore. By observing and modeling the structure this front over numerous upwelling and relaxation cycles, our team aims to reveal links between small-scale turbulence and submesoscale frontal dynamics. Image: Satellite SST during June 2022 from the CalOOS Data Portal