The intermediate depth circulation of the western South Atlantic.

Boebel, O., Davis, R. E., Ollitrault, M., Peterson, R. G., Richardson, P. L., Schmid, Claudia and Zenk, Walter (1999) The intermediate depth circulation of the western South Atlantic. Open Access Geophysical Research Letters, 26 . 21,3329-21,3332. DOI 10.1029/1999GL002355.

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Abstract

The subsurface oceanic circulation is an important part of the Earth climate system. Subsurface currents traditionally are inferred indirectly from distributions of temperature and dissolved substances, occasionally supplemented by current meter measurements. Neutrally-buoyant floats however, now enable us to obtain for the first time directly measured intermediate depth velocity fields over large areas such as the western South Atlantic. Here, our combined data set provides unprecedented observations and quantification of key flow patterns, such as the Subtropical Gyre return flow (12 Sv; 1 Sverdrup = 10(6)m(3)s(-1)), its bifurcation near the Santos Plateau and the resulting continuous narrow and swift northward intermediate western boundary current (4 Sv). This northward flowing water passes through complex equatorial flows and finally enters into the North Atlantic.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Physical Oceanography; GEOSTROPHIC CIRCULATION; TROPICAL ATLANTIC; TRANSPORTS; OCEAN; PATTERNS; FLOW
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-PO Physical Oceanography
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: AGU (American Geophysical Union)
Date Deposited: 18 Feb 2008 17:24
Last Modified: 13 Feb 2018 14:23
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/3756

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