Sediment resuspension near the Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior during the fall and winter 1990-1991

During the winter of 1990-1991 time series measurements of current velocity , temperature, and attenuation (a measure of water transparency) were made at a sire in 91 m of water near Copper Harbor, MI. The observations show th at bottom resuspension occurred several rimes during the unstratified perio d. The resuspension is the result of the interaction between high bottom cu rrent velocities and surface waves generated by strong winds. Transport dur ing the storms was almost entirely alongshore, although some offshore trans port of material occurred. Calculations show that suspended material could have been transported eastward several hundred km during the unstratified p eriod.