Gliders across the Solomon Sea

A collaboration:

         

The at-sea operations could not have been done without the assistance of Solomon Islanders Danny Kennedy of DiveGizo, Chanel Iroi of the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service, and the boat crews of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). This assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

This is a web page for the collaborating PIs to view quick-look plots as the missions are underway. These plots are made with raw data that may be corrected later. Please do not copy or distribute. Write to me (address at bottom) if you have any questions. BK

The plots are organized by mission (latest at bottom). Later sections often include plots showing results from earlier missions overlaid.
Jump down to particular missions:

Talk at the UW, 24 Oct 2007 (6.2Mb pdf file)
Poster at the Fall AGU meeting, Dec 2007 (3.3Mb pdf file)

Other relevant pages:

  1. Mission 3, first Solomon Sea transect (SN6)
    Launched 18 Aug 2007 from N/O Alis, near Rossel Island, PNG
    Recovered 6 Nov 2007 near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections   (Sign convention: positive is to the right of the track)
      1. Every-other complete section (also see .pdf)   Denser (pdf)
      2. Crosstrack transport accumulation
      3. Tide filter checking:   Velocity near Rossel    Example (v time series)
      4. Glider and SADCP velocity: Milne Bay   In the eastern Solomon Sea

      5. Crosstrack component of velocity: Absolute   Geostrophic   Reference level current
      6. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic currents

    2. T and S alongtrack
      T section between Shortland and Ranongga
    3. Salinity
      1. Salinity on sigmatheta   
      2. Salinity on sigmatheta 24.5 along track
      3. Mean TRMM rain rate (See more recent analyses under "rainfall" at the bottom of this page)

    4. Quikscat winds during the mission
      1. Mean winds during this period (on-average crosstrack)
      2. Curl east of the Solomon Sea (average over 160°E-160°W):
        1. Total curl
        2. Interannual anomalies: Time-latitude   Mean 10°S-6°N

  2. Mission 4, second Solomon Sea transect (SN18)
    Launched 14 Nov 2007 near Savo Island, Solomon Islands
    Recovered 4 Feb 2007 near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections   (Sign convention: positive is to the right of the track)
      1. Complete velocity section (both missions combined) (c)  
        1. Milne Bay detail:   (Tide-filtered) (c)  Unfiltered (c)  pdf version for enlargement
        2. Overlay 2004 SADCP vectors (c)  
        3. Overlay CARS int(DH) (0-600m rel 2000m) (c)  
        4. Current speed (colors) and vectors    (Red) (c)  
        5. Crosstrack speed (colors) and vectors (c)  
      2. Velocity details near islands
        1. Rossel Island:
          1. Velocity   Unfiltered   Overlay comparison
          2. Approach to Rossel overlaid on nautical chart
          3. Compare measured and tide-filtered current speeds (detail)
        2. BudiBudi Island
          1. Unfiltered comparison SN6 and SN18 (c)  
          2. Eastward leg from BudiBudi (c)   Unfiltered (c)  
      3. Travel times in 10-day intervals (both missions combined)

      4. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic currents (c)  
      5. Crosstrack transport accumulation (c)  

    2. T and S alongtrack
    3. Salinity
      1. Salinity on sigmatheta   (Overlay temperature)
      2. Salinity in Milne Bay (compare 2 missions):   S(y,z)
        Quantities on isopycnals:   S(y,sigma)   T(y,sigma)   Isopycnal depth(y,sigma)
      3. Salinity on isopycnals
        1. S on 24.5:   With vertical-average velocity (c)   With crosstrack velocity on 24.5
        2. Detail in Milne Bay (c)  
        3. S on 24.5 from CARS
        4. S on 26.75

    4. Checking compass declination (compare original and corrected)
      1. Compass declination for Dec 2007
      2. DR vectors: All   Milne Bay detail
      3. Velocity vectors: All   Milne Bay detail   Eastward leg detail
      4. Crosstrack transport accumulation

  3. Mission 5, third Solomon Sea transect (SN1)
    Launched 27 Feb 2008, 5km north of Honiara port, Solomon Islands
    Recovered 18 Jul 2008, near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Complete velocity section (all three missions combined)
        Summary regional vectors
      2. Honiara-Rossel:  
        2nd and 3rd crossings overlaid:   Unfiltered   Tide-filtered   3rd crossing alone

      3. Velocity details (in time order: most recent is the last one in the list below)
        1. Near Guadalcanal launch   Unfiltered   Tide-filtered
        2. Eastern Solomon Sea:   Unfiltered   Tide-filtered
        3. Detail plots near 12°S,156°E:    Observed   Tide-filtered
          Extended to turn to north:   Observed   Tide-filtered
          Include turn to north:   Observed   Tide-filtered
        4. The detour on the way to Rossel
          1. Vectors to turnaround:   Observed   Tide-filtered
          2. Vectors continuing back south:   Observed   Tide-filtered
          3. Tide-filtered u and v as a function of latitude (Stop dive 522 = Rossel)
        5. Vectors approaching Rossel:   Observed   Tide-filtered
          Right up to Rossel (Jeff did it!):   Observed   Tide-filtered
          Approach to Rossel overlaid on nautical chart
        6. Passing Rossel:   Observed   Tide-filtered
        7. All 3 missions near Rossel
        8. All 3 missions past Rossel
        9. Extended further north

        10. Tidal current examples and details:
          1. Near 12°S,157°E:   u,v components   Along/crosstrack components   Tide-filter remainders
          2. In the turns getting towards Rossel:   in the eastward jet near 12°30S,157°20E (Stop dive 522 = Rossel)

      4. Travel times in 10-day intervals (all 3 missions combined)
        Speed made good

      5. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic currents     Up to Rossel     After Rossel
      6. Crosstrack transport accumulation:
        1. Mission 5, total and ug
        2. Compare missions 4 and 5
      7. Map comparison of crosstrack velocity among the 3 missions:
        Dyn Ht     Absolute velocity     Geostrophic velocity relative to 500m     Reference level velocity    

    2. T and S
      1. Temperature    Salinity    Sigmatheta
      2. Compare missions 4 and 5 outbound from Guadalcanal:   Temperature     Salinity
        (Trackline is similar, but Nov 2007 launch was about 30km further alongtrack. To turn back south, dive 390.)
      3. Map comparisons among 3 missions:  
        SST     SSS     Z10     Z15     Z20     Z10-Z20 thickness     Salinity maximum     Depth of S maximum

  4. Mission 6, fourth Solomon Sea transect (SN6)
    Launched 4 Jul 2008, 3km south of Gizo reef, Solomon Islands
    Recovered 15 Oct 2008, near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Complete velocity section (all four missions combined)
      2. Daily-average vectors for mission6 (Velocity proportional to the Area of vectors): 
        Whole section       Loop near Rossel       Repeat course SW of Gizo
      3. Rossel loop:   Vectors     Inward transport     (Also see daily average vectors above)
      4. Repeat course SW of Gizo:     Vectors     (Also see daily average vectors above)
      5. Azimuthal velocity around Rossel Island, PNG (all 4 missions)

      6. Travel times in 10-day intervals (all 4 missions combined)
        Speed made good

      7. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic velocity (whole mission)
        To dive 200 (Tagula)     Dives 413-519 (Rossel to Gizo)     Dives 1-519 (Gizo-Tagula-Rossel-Gizo)
      8. Crosstrack transport accumulation
        1. Absolute transport
        2. Compare absolute and geostrophic transport

    2. T and S
      1. Temperature    Salinity    Sigmatheta    T-S
      2. Map comparisons among 4 missions:  
        1. SST     SSS     Z10     Z15     Z20     Z25     Z10-Z20 thickness     Salinity maximum     Depth of S maximum
        2. Salinity on isopycnals:   25    26    26.5 (updated regularly)    26.7    
      3. T and S on the repeated track SW of Gizo (approach Gizo, then run back SW 130km and return)
        Leg 1 (N-bound) = 6.4 days. Leg 2 (S-bound) = 8.3 days. Leg 3 (N-bound) = 8.n days)
        1. Temperature     Salinity     Combined    
        2. Salinity maximum:   Smax(y)     Profiles near 9.2°S:   S(z)     T(S)

  5. Mission 7, fifth Solomon Sea transect (SN18)
    Launched 10 Nov 2008, 5km south of Gizo reef, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Complete velocity section (all five missions combined)    
        Along-track average vectors:  
        1. 2-day average vectors    
        2. 40-km average vectors
      2. Details:
        1. The repeat section SW of Gizo:   Vectors     Daily-average vectors     Color vectors by salinity on 24.5
        2. Near Rossel:   All vectors     25-km average vectors (include loops)     20-km average vectors (close to Rossel)

      3. Travel times in 10-day intervals (all 5 missions combined)
        Speed made good

      4. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic velocity
        1. Mission 7 u_g
        2. Comparison to mission6 on SSW track out of Gizo (on latitude to 12.5°S)
        3. Comparison to mission6 on Gizo-Tagula (on distance to Tagula)
        4. Profiles of the NGCU:   4 sections across the NGCU     Average NGCU speed profiles (and section map)
                NGCU for previous missions:   5 sections     Average NGCU profiles (and section map)
                Mean and RMS NGCU profiles for all 9 sections

      5. Crosstrack transport accumulation
        1. Absolute transport     Overlay geostrophic transport
        2. Compare Gizo-Tagula transport Jul-Aug vs Nov-Dec 08

    2. T and S
      1. Temperature    Salinity    Sigmatheta    T-S
      2. Map comparisons among 4 missions:  
        1. SST     SSS     Z8     Z10     Z15     Z20     Z25     Z10-Z20 thickness     DH rel 500m   (rel 700m)    
          Salinity maximum:   S(max)     Depth of S(max)     Density of S(max)     S(sigmatheta=24.5)     Depth of Sigma=24.5
        2. Details near Gizo:   SST     SSS     Z10     Z15     Z20     Z25     Z10-Z20 thickness     S(max)     Depth of S(max)     S(sigmatheta=24.5)     Depth of Sigma=24.5
      3. T and S on the repeated track SW of Gizo (approach Gizo, then run back SW 130km and return)
        Mission6: Leg 1 (N-bound) = 6.4 days. Leg 2 (S-bound) = 8.3 days. Leg 3 (N-bound) = 8.n days).
        Now add mission7:
        1. Salinity maximum:   S(Sigma=24.5,y)     Smax(y)     Max each profile for mission6     T(S) and max
        2. Profiles near 9.2°S:   S(z)     T(S)
        3. Daily vectors colored by salinity on 24.5 (Same as 5.a.2)
      4. Salinity on the track SSW from Gizo to 12.5°S. Compare missions 6 and 7:
        1. On latitude, to 12.5°S   S(z)    T-S (unfiltered)    T-S (tide-filtered)     T-S difference between missions
        2. On distance, to Tagula:   T-S and difference

  6. Mission 8, sixth Solomon Sea transect (SN1)
    Launched 13 July 2009, north of Gizo, Solomon Islands
    Recovered 1 Nov 2009, near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Current track map from Scripps     For track vectors, paste the line below and edit BEG and END:
        http://spray.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/archive_plot.pl?beg=BEG&end=END&plot=Track&mission=0001act&bathy=Sol_Sea.map&scale=.1
      2. Along-track average vectors:  
        1. 2-day average vectors    
        2. 40-km average vectors     Just latest mission

      3. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic velocity
        1. Mission 8 u_g
        2. u_g in sections:   Gizo-Tagula    Tagula-Tagula loop    Rossel-BudiBudi    BudiBudi-near Bougainville
      4. Crosstrack transport accumulation
        1. Absolute transport
        2. Vectors colored by accumulated crosstrack transport

    2. T and S
      1. Temperature    Salinity    Sigmatheta    T-S

  7. Mission 9, seventh Solomon Sea transect (SN6)
    Launched 13 July 2009, north of Gizo, Solomon Islands
    Recovered 31 Oct 2009, near Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Complete velocity section (all 7 missions combined)     (pdf version)
      2. Current track map from Scripps     For track vectors, paste the line below and edit BEG and END:
        http://spray.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/archive_plot.pl?beg=BEG&end=END&plot=Track&mission=0006act&bathy=Sol_Sea.map&scale=.1
      3. Along-track average vectors:  
        1. 2-day average vectors    
        2. 40-km average vectors     Just latest mission     (Compare the Ekman velocity average over 700m)
        3. Gizo details:  Track south to 12°S:  20-km average vectors     Missions 6-9     (Add N-ward leg)     Very near Gizo
          See other Gizo section details below at Crosstrack current on sigma levels   and   T and S sections on the leg SW from Gizo
        4. Rossel details:   25-km average vectors     Zoom near Rossel     Latest 2 missions only     Extend to Misima

      4. Travel times in 10-day intervals (all 7 missions combined)     (Just missions 8-9)
        Speed made good

      5. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic velocity
        1. Mission 9 u_g
        2. u_g in sections:   Gizo-Rossel     Rossel-Gizo     Gizo-Pocklington     Final leg Pocklington-Gizo
        3. Absolute crosstrack currents at sigma levels:
          1. 24     25     25.5     26.5     27
          2. Rossel detail:   24    25    25.5    26.5    27
          3. The leg south from Gizo detail:   24    25    25.5    26.5    27
          4. All the crosstrack-on-sigma plots on one page
      6. Crosstrack transport accumulation
        1. Absolute transport     Overlay mission8 (on latitude)

      7. Absolute ug 100-km sections across the NGCU into Rossel-Tagula:  
        1. Missions 8-9:  4 sections across the NGCU     Average NGCU profiles (and map)
                                  Overlay S     On density     Profiles on density
        2. Mission 7:   4 sections across the NGCU   Profiles/map
                              Overlay S     On density     Profiles on density
        3. Earlier missions:  5 sections across the NGCU   Profiles/map
                                      Overlay S     On density     Profiles on density
        4. All 13 sections missions 4-9:  
          1. Section timeline    
          2. Profiles colored by mission:  u(z)     u(sigma)
          3. Profiles colored by season:   u(z)     u(sigma)
          4. Profiles on depth, colored by density     Profiles on density, colored by depth
          5. Profiles colored by salinity:   u(z,S)     u(sigma,S)
          6. Seasonal mean profiles:   u(z)     (u(z), omit odd one))     (u(sigma)
          7. Vertical-offshore sections on one page:   On z     On density
          8. Velocity on density (colored by salinity) (all sections combined)
          9. Compare with the Johnson et al equatorial sections (jump to bottom of page)

    2. T and S
      1. Temperature    Salinity    Sigmatheta    T-S
      2. Map comparisons among 7 missions:  
        1. SST     SSS     Z8     Z10     Z15     Z20     Z25     Z10-Z20 thickness     Z(sigma=27)     DH rel 500m   (rel 700m)    
          Salinity maximum:   S(max)     Depth of S(max)     Density of S(max)     S(sigmatheta=24.5)     S(sigmatheta=26.5)     Depth of Sigma=24.5
        2. S on isopycnals for the last 2 missions:   On sigma 24.5     On sigma 26.5
        3. All the above maps on one scrollable page
        4. Profiling depths
      3. T and S sections on the leg SW from Gizo (missions 6-9) (plotted on latitude, with Gizo to the right)
        1. Temperature
        2. Salinity
        3. Sigmatheta
        4. T-S
      4. A check: T-S profiles on the track south from Gizo:  9°S    10°S    11°S    11.5°S    

    3. Compare dive statistics for the tandem mission

  8. Mission 10, eighth Solomon Sea transect (SN18)
    Launched 7 Nov 2009, west of Gizo, Solomon Islands

    1. Velocity sections
      1. Along-track average vectors:
        1. Gizo details: Track south to 12°S:  Missions 6-10
      2. Absolute crosstrack geostrophic velocity
        1. Mission 10 ug
    2. T and S
      1. Temperature     Salinity     Sigmatheta     T-S    
      2. A check: T-S profiles on the track south from Gizo:  9°S    10°S    11°S    
      3. Comparison of missions 6-10 on the track south from Gizo:  Isotherm depths     Isopycnal depths

  9. Other relevant analyses
    1. Winds, Ekman transport, and Rossby model (includes plots from all missions)
      1. ERS wind stress, curl, and Island Rule circulation
      2. Anomalies during Aug 07-Feb 08 (S.Pacific):   Tau   Curl
      3. Solomon Sea Quikscat winds and curl:   Mean 99-08     Mean Aug 07-Nov 08     Trans-Pacific mean
        Time series of Curl(tau)/beta*rho along 11°S
      4. Movie of winds and curl (Aug 07-Feb 08) (800Kb gif animation)
      5. TAO buoy equatorial wind/SST/Z20 anomalies
      6. Ekman transport:
        1. Ekman transport for mission4:   Wind vectors   Add Ekman velocity   Velocity components
        2. Winds sampled along the glider tracks (missions 3-9):   Wind vectors     Ekman velocity (transport/700m)
        3. Accumulated crosstrack Ekman transport by mission:   3    4    5    6    7    8    9
        4. Ekman transport south of Tagula (climatology)
      7. A Rossby model solution forced with monthly anomalies of Quikscat winds during Aug 1999-Jun 2008
        1. Movie of solution for Solomon Sea region (390Kb gif animation)
        2. Rossby solution sampled on the times/locations of the glider tracks
        3. WBC from Rossby/Godfrey model:   Anomalies     Total     Compare Bluelink transport

    2. Figures from the CARS climatology (Ridgway and Dunn 2003)
      1. Sections at 10°S:   T    S    vg    vg west of 180°    

    3. Tidal decompositions
      1. Example: the slow approach to Gizo
      2. Mission3 M2 Temperature:   Amplitude     Phase
      3. Mission3 M2 Salinity:   Amplitude     Phase
      4. Diurnal cycle temperature amplitude
      5. Mission3 M2 isopycnal displacement:   Amplitude     (Detail above 150m)     Phase

    4. Rainfall
      (See the GSFC TRMM product description page)
      1. Mean rainfall:  Western Pacific     Solomon Sea:  3B43-v6 product     3A12 product (also shows integrating box)
      2. Time series integrated over box in above (and annual cycles)
      3. Annual cycle timeseries along 7°S

    5. Mean velocity and density from the Johnson et al (2002) CTD/SADCP compilation
      1. On the equator:   u and sigma on z     u and salt on density
      2. On 180°:   u and sigma on z     u and salt on density     u profiles colored by salinity
    Main southwest Pacific page

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    NOAA logo Dr. William S. Kessler
    NOAA / PMEL / OCRD
    7600 Sand Point Way NE
    Seattle WA 98115 USA     		Tel:   206-526-6221
    Fax:  206-526-6744
    E-mail:  william.s.kessler@noaa.gov
    See also:    Kessler home page        Kessler publications         PMEL home page         Privacy notice