The Middle Atlantic Bight has been warming significantly in recent years. This has had a major impact on shelfbreak exchange processes. Along with the warming is an increase in variability of the Gulf Stream. A combination of observations from the OOI Pioneer Array, as well as Cooperative research with the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation of Rhode Island, will be used to describe exchange processes in recent years. This will include both mid-depth Salinity Maximum intrusions, as well as bottom intrusions. Implications for offshore wind development and marine conservation will be discussed.

Glen Gawarkiewicz is a physical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. His primary research focus is shelfbreak processes. His interests include ocean observatories, climate change impacts including ocean warming, cooperative research with the commercial fishing industry, scientific use of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and effects of oceanographic processes on the propagation of underwater sound. He is a member of the Squid Squad, an informal group that regularly discusses issues pertaining to harvesting of squid in the northeast.

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