Physical oceanography of New Zealand/Aotearoa shelf seas – a review

ABSTRACTThe shelf seas surrounding New Zealand/ Aotearoa, a region nominally extending out to the 250 m depth contour, are complex and varied as they sit above the submerged continent of Zealandia. These seas surround the two main islands that span 1,500 km in latitude from 34°S to 47°S and include a series of plateaus that extend far beyond. This review summarises the present state of knowledge of the physical processes that control ocean transport and mixing in this domain. The focus is on documenting recent regional advances in understanding the balance between off-shelf drivers, terrestrially sourced freshwater, winds, tides, stratification and the underlying topography. The review considers outstanding themes such as connectivity, climate and stratification and closes with an assessment of the potential future for understanding the physical marine environment of the shelf seas of the New Zealand region.