The role of wind and buoyancy forcing on mixed layer depths and productivity on the Chatham Rise from ocean glider and ship-based observations

The Subtropical Front (STF) and associated biological productivity are topographically locked to the Chatham Rise. Year-to-year differences of upper ocean dynamics responses phytoplankton valuable for understanding variability in fisheries biomass as well providing new knowledge environmental condition potential seabed mining this keystone ecosystem. In-situ observations collected over three consecutive years used examine oceanographic on Rise its causal mechanisms evaluated from satellite a global atmospheric reanalysis. water column consists three-layer structure comprised stable intermediate layer sandwiched between well-mixed surface bottom layer. in-situ data showed that different masses can dominate mixed at times. This appears be related position STF modulated by wind forcing. Spatial temporal was also observed depth with driven mainly A strong relationship implications distribution communities year-to-year timescale