Improved Mechanistic Understanding of Hypoxia Drivers in Western Long Island Sound Enabled with Data from a Wire-Following Profiler and Coupled Biogeochemical-Hydrodynamic Modeling

Project Overview

This project seeks to improve understanding of the physical and biogeochemical drivers of hypoxia in Long Island Sound through the integration of fine-scale field observations from a wave-powered vertical profiler (WireWalker) and high-resolution numerical modeling. Building on a UConn CLAS Shared Equipment Internal Award, “WireWalker Autonomous System for Interdisciplinary Research” (PI: Leonel Romero; Co-PI: Cara Manning), the project uses autonomous observations of stratification, currents, turbulence, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), together with wind and wave measurements, to investigate the mechanisms controlling low-oxygen conditions in the Sound.

Funding: EPA/Connecticut Sea Grant (PI: Cara Manning, co-PI: Leonel Romero)

Period: 1/1/2025 - 12/31/2026

Conference Presentations

  • Manning C., Romero L., and Tan P. (2026, June). Drivers of oxygen variability in western Long Island Sound investigated using high-frequency biogeochemical and physical observations (talk). Long Island Sound Research Conference, Mystic, CT
Turbulence Observations Modeling Hypoxia O2 Current