IMPORTANCE OF TIDAL MIXING PROCESS AT KRUIS STRAIT FOR IRON SUPPLY TO WESTERN SUBARCTIC PACIFIC, OYASHIO REGION

• Main Authors: Volkov Y., Scherbinin A
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Kuril Strait; Okhotsk; Oyashio; Pacific; okhotsk sea; Subarctic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.509.6280; http://www.chikyu.ac.jp/AMORE/2008Proceeding5/nishioka2008.pdf

Vertical iron distributions were investigated on the cruise around the Kruil Straits in 2006 summer, (kh06-cruise). Detailed profiles from Kruil Strait suggests that the iron-rich Okhotsk Sea intermediate waters (OSIW) influence the surface layer around the Kruil Straits and the iron was re-distributed to the wide range of density in the water column, probably due to the strong diapicnal mixing affects the chemical properties of the OSIW. This process raises the surface iron concentrations with macro-nutrients concentrations, and the water will be subsequent transported to the Oyashio region. The significantly higher ratios of iron to nitrate in mixed layer in the Kuril Strait than eastern subarctic Pacific (ESP) were observed in this study. A greater supply of macro-nutrients and substantially higher seasonal nutrient utilization in the Oyashio region, compared with ESP, might partially be explained by a larger upward iron flux in the Kruis Strait. The consideration of mixing process with re-distribution of macro- and micro-nutrient at the Kruil Strait is essential in our understanding of the biological production and biogeochemical cycles in the Oyashio region of the WSP.