AN INVESTIGATION OF TIDAL AND NONTIDAL CURRENT PATTERNS IN WESTERN HAWK CHANNEL, FLORIDA KEYS

Current and wind data collected during the summer of 1992 and the fall and winter of 1993-94 are used to characterize near-bottom flow patte rns at a study site in Hawk Channel southwest of Key West. Currents ar e dominated by along-channel motions with low-frequency reversals occu rring over time scales of 2-3 weeks. A seaward deflection of along-cha nnel flow is apparent in both records. Harmonic analysis indicates tha t tidal co-oscillations contribute 6-10% and 48-70% of the total varia nce of the along-channel and across-channel currents, respectively. Sp ectral analysis indicates a close coupling between along-channel wind stress and along-channel currents at periodicities of 2-3 days. A comp arison of across-channel winds and across-channel currents suggests an inverse relationship indicating an upwind return flow of near-bottom currents. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.