8 research outputs found
The Upper, Deep, Abyssal and Overturning Circulation in the Atlantic Ocean at 30°S in 2003 and 2011
The upper, deep, abyssal and overturning circulation in the Atlantic Ocean at 30°S in 2003 and 2011
Mass transports for the thermocline, intermediate, deep and abyssal layers in the Atlantic Ocean, at 30°S and for 2003 and 2011, have been estimated using data from
GO-SHIP hydrographic transoceanic sections and applying three inverse models with different constraints. The uppermost layers comprise South Atlantic Central
Water (SACW) and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), with a net northward transport in the range of 12.1â14.7 Sv in 2003 and 11.7â17.7 Sv in 2011, which can
be considered as the northward returning limb of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). The western boundary Brazil Current transports twice as much
SACW in 2003 (â20.2 ± 0.7 Sv) than in 2011 (â9.7 ± 0.7 Sv). A poleward current consisting of AAIW and Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW) flows beneath
the Brazil Current. The eastern boundary Benguela Current, characterized by a high mesoscale eddy activity, transports 15.6 ± 0.9 Sv in 2003 and 11.2 ± 0.8 Sv in
2011, east of the Walvis Ridge. In the ocean interior, the northward flow is mainly located east of the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR) where Agulhas Rings (ARs), observed
in both 2003 and 2011, transport warm and salty water from the Indian to the Atlantic Ocean. For the deep layers, the southward transport of North Atlantic Deep
Water (NADW) occurs as the Deep Western Boundary Current and also in the eastern basin. The western and eastern basins transport similar amounts of NADW to the
south during both years, although the eastern pathway changes substantially between both years. The total NADW transport, which is also considered the MOC, is in
the range 16.3â24.5 Sv in 2003 and 17.1â29.6 Sv in 2011, hence with no significant change
Fixed and Drifting Buoys around the National Spanish Waters
Improving the knowledge of the seas
surrounding the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic
and Canary islands is one of the objectives for
the Spanish oceanographic community. For
that purpose, a number of fixed and drifting
buoys have been deployed in the last 25 years. Parameters measured included sea
surface temperature and salinity, ocean
current velocity, air temperature, humidity,
wave characteristic and wind velocity. The
national aim is to increase the quantity,
quality, coverage and timeliness of
atmospheric and oceanographic data. These
observations are used immediately to improve
forecast and therefore increase marine safety
The Mediterranean Overflow in the Gulf of Cadiz: A rugged journey
The pathways and transformations of dense water overflows, which depend on small-scale interactions between flow
dynamics and erosional-depositional processes, are a central piece in the oceanâs large-scale circulation. A novel, highresolution current and hydrographic data set highlights the intricate pathway travelled by the saline Mediterranean
Overflow as it enters the Atlantic. Interaction with the topography constraints its spreading. Over the initial 200 km
west of the Gibraltar gateway, distinct channels separate the initial gravity current into several plunging branches
depth-sorted by density. Shallow branches follow the upper slope and eventually detach as buoyant plumes. Deeper
branches occupy mid slope channels and coalesce upon reaching a diapiric ridge. A still deeper branch, guided by a
lower channel wall marked by transverse furrows, experiences small-scale overflows which travel downslope to settle
at mid-depths. The Mediterranean salt flux into the Atlantic has implications for the buoyancy balance in the North
Atlantic. Observations on how this flux enters at different depth levels are key to accurately measuring and understanding the role of Mediterranean Outflow in future climate scenarios
Gravest Empirical Mode to be used by Inverted Echo Sounders in order to determine the zonal flows in the South Atlantic
Four Pressure-equipped Inverted Echo Sounders (PIES) were deployed at about 10°W, between 19 and 35°S, the South Atlantic Gateway (SAGA), in order to determine the zonal flows in the South Atlantic. Those PIES will allow to observe the circulation of two water masses, the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) and the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), that flow in opposite directions across the South Atlantic, between Cape town and Brazil, through the SAGA. The measurements from the PIES, together with historical hydrographic data, permit to estimate the profiles of temperature and salinity of the water column, and therefore the density. Besides, using the thermal-wind equation, it is possible to retrieve the geostrophic velocity from an array of PIES. In order to get those estimations of temperature and salinity, it is necessary to determine the Gravest Empirical Mode (GEM), a relationship between the acoustic travel time observed by the PIES and the historical observations of salinity and temperature in the study area. In this work, we will show the GEM estimated for the SAGA, calculated using historical hydrographic data from CTDs and Argo Float, as well as, the estimations of the error in the geostrophic transport