LISA, the Lopez Island Study Area

Wayne Martin
University of Washington

Lopez Island is part of the San Juan Archipelago, at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, between Washington State and British Colombia. LISA is an area on the east side of Lopez Island, approximately 10 x 6 km, with several bays, small islands and channels. The depth ranges from 1 to 50m and there is an energetic forcing through Lopez Pass where tidal currents exceed 1 m/s on a daily basis. Within LISA, there are distinct sites with repeatable conditions of interest including high turbulence, dissipation and mixing, non-hydrostatic flow, internal wave generation, flow separation, wetting and drying and significant tidal depth variations. Over the next several years, we intend to develop a comprehensive monitoring system for the physical oceanography at LISA using ADCPs, CTDs, tide gages and stereographic cameras. We will also implement one or more detailed numerical models, beginning with ROMS, and including data assimilation from the sensor suite. Our primary research interest is the understanding and modeling of stratified flow over topography. However, LISA will also be available for biological and other research that can benefit from a detailed knowledge of the physical environment.