hysical Oceanography
The Pacific OCS Region now, as in the past, supports a large effort
in physical oceanographic research. Physical oceanography includes the study of ocean
currents, or "circulations" and how the currents in the ocean respond to various
forcing mechanisms, such as the wind. This topic is of crucial importance to MMS because
of the fact that any oil spilled into the ocean will immediately begin to move under the
influence of winds and currents.
Currently physical oceanographic studies are being carried out as part of a cooperative
agreement between the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California at San
Diego) and MMS. The primary focus of this effort is the circulation in the Santa Barbara
Channel where most of the oil from the west coast federal outer continental shelf is
produced.
The Center for Coastal Studies at the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography has been working with MMS since 1990 on the Santa Barbara Channel - Santa Maria Basin
Studies which is aimed at providing a clear picture of the circulation over the
continental shelf on either side of Point Conception.
The data obtained in this study is available in near real time for use in responding to oil spills should that ever be
necessary.
The Center for Coastal Studies also maintains a
data zoo, a large collection of west coast physical oceanographic data collected by
scientists from Scripps and other organizations as part of the MMS program of physical
oceanographic studies which began in 1981.
