76th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (November 19, 2023 — November 21, 2023)

V0082: Spatially and temporally coherent transport structures in the Central California offshore Wind Energy Area

Authors

• Leah Hoogstra, Brown University
• Emmett Ehrnstein, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Paul Choboter, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Ryan K. Walter, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/APS.DFD.2023.GFM.V0082

Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs) provide a unique view of fluid flows. They break up a flow into its most influential structures, a "skeleton" [1] that outlines the key dynamics of a large region. LCSs also act as barriers to transport, thus enabling short-term prediction of where objects will be carried by a flow. Therefore, LCSs can provide insight in a wide variety of applications such as the clean-up of oil spills, highlighting key feeding locations of protected species, improving search and rescue operations at sea, and climatological applications. In this research, we examined the surface currents of the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area, a region off the coast of central California slated for development of offshore wind energy. There is a need to understand complex spatiotemporal patterns in the ocean circulation and transport processes in this region, with implications for the local ecosystem and pollutant spill response.