OCEAN CIRCULATION AT AND NEAR COBB-SEAMOUNT

This paper describes observations of the velocity field over and near Cobb Seamount, a shallow seamount near the bifurcation of the Subarctic Current into the California Current in the northeast Pacific Ocean. The background flow field is examined with surface drifter data acquired as part of the WOCE Surface Velocity Program. The likelihood that a Taylor Cap circulation will be observed at Cobb is then estimated. The actual circulation at Cobb is examined with current meters deployed on three separate visits to the site and surveys of the velocity field carried out using an RDI acoustic Doppler current profiler. The observations indicate that a recirculation around the seamount does exist but do not fit well with the theory of formation of a stratified Taylor column. A divergent bottom Ekman layer is also observed, which might have important implications for the trapping and retention of fish larvae near Cobb Seamount.