Data from the North Pacific Gyre will be examined to determine the degree of variability normal to the gyre, and the extent to which the area around Hawaii is typical of the gyre. A preliminary analysis of historical data suggests that differences may exist in upper ocean near Hawaii with respect to the characteristic structure seen on long transects and over many years at the Climax Station, about 750 km north of Hawaii. It is not known whether these tentatively-identified differences are due to island mass effects, or if they are part of a large-scale spatial gradient. Hydrographic, nutrient and oxygen data are being gathered and analyzed in order to determine the extent to which the structure near Hawaii and at station Aloha is typical of the North Pacific central gyre, and whether any differences identified are likely to be important in the context of JGOFS.
