The international project on Ocean CO2 sequestration Measuring Ocean currents using ADCP and Acoustic Modem, Keahole Point, Hawaii, 27 - 31 October 2000

Abstract

The report presents data and analysis from current measurements made near Keahole Point, Big Island, Hawaii, in October 2000. The measurements were made with an RDI ADCP recording 3D current profiles in 5 m depth cells from 785 to 290 m depth. Recording interval for the instrument was 10 minutes. Average current velocities ranged from ~ 9.2 cm/s at 300 m depth to ~ 4.9 cm/s at 750 m depth. Net water transport was to the northwest in most of the water column, but the current direction changed frequently. An intermediate layer at around 500-600 m depth showed particularly unstable currents. The current structure was generally very similar to that observed in measurements made in the same area in 1999, but with some discrepancies in the deepest layer.