Abstract

The Pacific Northwest has a highly dynamic coastal environment with significant ecological, navigational and economical impact. Larger scale circulation processes are strongly influenced by the significant amount of fresh water discharge into this system and the interaction between fluvial, atmospheric and tidal forces plays a major role in determining estuarine and continental shelf dynamics. There is also a considerably strong wave climate during the winter months, generated by offshore storms, which is exacerbated by strong wave-current interactions at the entrances to estuaries and inlets, creating a significant navigational hazard. And finally, this region is also susceptible to tsunamigenic earthquakes of the same order of magnitude as the Sumatra event. A thorough understanding of hydrodynamic processes is thus, crucial for this region. In this talk, using Pacific examples, I will highlight some of the important physical processes that are observed in this region at each of these different scales.

Light refreshments are served in the Interaction Area (4th floor of the Oceanography/Physics Building) at 4:00 p.m.

All seminars begin at 3:00 p.m. and are held in room 200 of the Oceanography/Physics building.