Hinrichsen, Hans-Harald and Rhein, Monika (1993) On the origin and the spreading of the shallow Mediterranean water core in the Iberian basin. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 40 (11-12). pp. 2167-2177. DOI 10.1016/0967-0637(93)90096-L.

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Abstract

The origin and the spreading of the shallow Mediterranean water core (Ms) in the Iberian basin is discussed with a quasi-synoptic hydrographic data set enhanced by chlorofluoromethane (CFM) measurements. Its characteristic density level is found to be σt = 27.4. Characterized by high temperature and CFM values, Ms enters the Iberian basin in the region of Cape St Vincent between depths of 500–750 dbar. A heat anomaly of >11.8 × 109 J m−2 is chosen as the boundary between the presence of Ms and the background field. The core is found in a tongue-like shape as well as in separate isolated eddies of both cyclonic and anticyclonic circulation. Using the optimum multiparameter analysis (Tomczak and Large, 1989, Journal of Geophysical Research, 94, 16141–16149), the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), which mixes with the Mediterranean outflow to form Ms, turned out to be in the mean 1°C warmer and 0.11 saltier than in regions with minor Mediterranean influence. This points to the Gulf of Cadiz as the origin of Ms, where the Mediterranean oufflows is in contact with NACW of the appropriate characteristics.

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