Research at Critical Scales in the Marine Environment

Biological, physical and chemical structure varies over scales ranging from microns to the scale of ocean basins. Given that we will never be able to measure variability at all scales, and that much of it is "noise in the system," we must ask what are the Critical Scales at which measurements must be taken to understand and predict the dynamics of marine systems and the performance of optical and acoustic sensors therein. Although biological oceanographers have long suspected that marine plankton could form sub-meter scale layers that were sufficiently persistent in time and space to control the dynamics of some species, it has only been in the last few years that sensors and deployment technologies have developed to the point where we can begin to test these ideas. This web site is intended to provide an overview of the Thin Layers Program and to serve as an entry point for further exploration of this exciting area of research. It is also intended to serve as a showcase for the technologies that have made this effort possible.

Temporary Index: History of the Thin Layers Program The 1996 Thin Layers Experiments in East Sound, Washington The 1998 Thin Layers Experiments in East Sound, Washington Field Site - East Sound, Washington (including circulation in East Sound) Principal Investigators Funded Projects - 1998/99 Web Sites Sampling Strategies & Technology Meetings, Announcements & Related Information Special Issue of Oceanography Meetings AGU/ASLO Special Session, San Diego 1998 ASLO Special Session, Santa Fe 1999 AGU/ASLO San Antonio 2000 ASLO, Albuquerque 2001   Publications
The Thin Layers Experiments and related efforts are funded by the Office of Naval Research programs in Biological & Chemical Oceanography Physical Oceanography & Environmental Optics and by NSF, NOAA and the Naval Research Laboratory   The Thin Layers Web Site is co-ordinated at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island send comments and suggestions to jrines@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu 1 September 2000