Haida Eddies

The Haida Eddies (or Queen Charlotte Eddies) are formed during the winter off the coast of British Columbia’s Queen Charlotte Islands and the Alexander Archipelago of Alaska. A specific name has been given to this group of eddies due to their high reoccurrence in the area. Rivers out-flowing from North America provide nutrients which are transported to the Northeast Pacific Ocean through these mesoscale eddies. Scientists have documented that this group of eddies may transport between 3000 and 6000 km³ of nutrient rich water out to 1000 km offshore. They are also considered “warm-core rings” as they transport heat from the continental margin further out to sea. When one of these eddies moves offshore it supplies nutrients, particularly iron, to an area with typically low production. As a result, the Haida eddies become an area rich in primary production as well as unique biological ecosystems.