Weifeng (Gordon) Zhang

Dr. Weifeng (Gordon) Zhang is a Senior Scientist in the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). His research combines ocean observations and numerical modeling to investigate coastal ocean circulation, with a focus on the physical processes that drive water exchange across the continental shelf and influence marine ecosystem across multiple trophic levels.

Zhang has extensively used data from OOI’s Coastal Pioneer Array to study interactions between Gulf Stream warm-core rings and the continental shelf in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Using observations from OOI moorings and gliders, his research has revealed previously unrecognized pathways through which shelf water is transported offshore beneath the ocean surface and ring water is transported onshore in discrete events. He has also used these observations to calibrate numerical models that help explain the dynamics of these exchanges and to understand their impact on the biological and biogeochemical processes.

His work demonstrates the value of sustained OOI observations for understanding coastal ocean processes and how offshore circulation influences the physical and biological conditions of the continental shelf.