Ferrybox measurements: a tool to study meso-scale processes in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea)

Abstract

Ferrybox measurements are carried out in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) in a regular basis since 1997. Routines for data acquisition are developed enabling near real-time data delivery for operational models. Cross-gulf high-resolution temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a fluorescence profiles collected in 2007 are used to describe meso-scale variability of hydrophysical and -biological fields in the gulf. It is shown that higher values of chlorophyll a concentration are more often observed in the coastal areas and in the vicinity of a quasi-permanent salinity front in the central Gulf of Finland.