"Zooplankton Aggregations: Physics and Behavior"

In Massachusetts Bay, copepods are a major part of the food chain for the whales. Dense aggregations of these zooplankton often form in particular regions, and whales are particularly common in these areas. We explore some of the physical and biological processes which lead to the formation of dense patches of these organisms. The fluid flow by itself will not concentrate them; however, it can do so when swimming behavior is also important. We look at both vertical movement, including diel migration, and social behavior in model flows having a realistic level of spatial and temporal variability. The results suggest that the physics by itself cannot explain the observed size and density of the patches, but rather that they arise as a response to both physical and social processes.

About the Speaker

Glenn Flierl is an oceanographer concerned with the theory of geophysical vortices and jets. His interests include modeling the physics, chemistry, and biology of strongly nonlinear ocean eddies and meandering jets, such as the Gulf Stream, which meander around their average paths with wave-like features having many different scales and periods, with resulting nonlinearities playing a significant role in the dynamics. He uses various analytical and numerical models to analyze the dynamics of features such as vortices in vertically and horizontally sheared flows, and the interactions between waves and vortices, and makes comparisons to recent observational studies.

About the Series

The Graduate Lecture Series [GLS] is a weekly lecture featuring EAPS Professors geared towards EAPS Graduate Students, Researchers and Postdocs. Lectures usually take place on Fridays from 4:30-5:30 pm in 54-915 unless otherwise noted (term-time only). For more information please contact: Allison Provaire, provaire@mit.edu.