Seasonal upwelling along the south-eastern coastline of South Australia

Abstract

The hydrology of the south-eastern waters of South Australia over the period 1973-77 is described with particular reference to a wind-induced summer upwelling. The nitrate concentration of upwelling water is found to be 30 (surface) to 70 (50m depth) times greater than the average background levels of 0.1-0.9 mmol m^-3. The horizontal distribution of temperature and salinity shows that upwelling along the shelf region is not uniform but has a number of localized centres. During January 1976 centres of upwelling water were found at three locations along the coastline.