Andrew Moore (University of California Santa Cruz, United States); Julia Levin (Rutgers University, United States); Hernan Arango (Rutgers University, United States)

Using a hierarchy of three 1-way nested grids (7 km: 2.3 km: 700 m resolution) with data assimilation at each successive level of grid refinement, we capture event wise correspondence of modeled and observed features at the ocean submesoscale in the vicinity of the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Pioneer Coastal Array in the Mid Atlantic Bight of the northeast U.S. We use 4-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). All available data from altimeter and temperature satellites, coastal HF-radar, and in situ platforms (moorings, gliders, Argo, drifters and vessels) are assimilated. Results focus on processes at the shelf-break where the impingement of Gulf Stream warm core ring waters drives exchange between coastal and deep-ocean water masses.