Between March 5 and 11, 2012 a number of significant intrusions were detected at the Central Strait of Georgia site (300 m). As in past years, we occasionally capture the late-winter passage of cold, dense intrusions flowing down-slope into the deeper recesses of the strait. This density current picks up sediment and its arrival is seen here in the turbidity signal from March 7. Fortunately, the co-located webcam had just started a short automated sequence and also captured the dramatic transition from low to high turbidity.
These cold dense intrusions are believed to result from tidal mixing in Haro and Boundary passage, bringing surface cooled water to depth. There is little to no salinity signature associated with these intrusions, but a very strong dissolved oxygen increase, further suggesting a surface origin.