Subsurface oxygen maximum anomaly found at depth in Muchalat Inlet

Senior thesis written for Oceanography 445

[author abstract] On the 2015 Senior Thesis Research cruise in Nootka Sound a subsurface oxygen maximum anomaly was found in Muchalat Inlet and the origin of this maximum was unknown. The oxygen maximum’s source had to come from one of two possible sources: within the complex inlet system of Nootka Sound, or the ocean itself. Data was collected with CTD casts, nutrient data, pCO2, DIC, and ALK data was processed and used as tracers to find the oxygen maximum’s origin. Data collected was found to support both hypotheses, however some data opposed the hypotheses. Most of the data collected during this study points toward the northern region of Nootka Sound being the source of water and oxygen for the subsurface oxygen maximum in Muchalat Inlet.

University of Washington School of Oceanography