The total organic carbon (TOC) and total inorganic carbon (C) exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and theMediterranean Sea was studied in the Strait of Gibraltar in September 1997. Samples were taken at eight stations from western and eastern entrances of the Strait and at the middle of the Strait (...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Evgeny Dafner, Melchor Gonzah Lez-dah Vila, J. Magdalena Santana-casiano, Richard Sempeh Reh
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2000
Subjects:
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.568.546
http://www.gi.ulpgc.es/quima/pdf/d2.pdf
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Summary:The total organic carbon (TOC) and total inorganic carbon (C) exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and theMediterranean Sea was studied in the Strait of Gibraltar in September 1997. Samples were taken at eight stations from western and eastern entrances of the Strait and at the middle of the Strait (Tarifa Narrows). TOC was analyzed by a high-temperature catalytic oxidation method, and C was calculated from alkalinity}pH pairs and appropriate thermodynamic relationships. The results are used in a two-layer model of water mass exchange through the Strait, which includes the Atlantic in#ow, the Mediterranean out#ow and the interface layer in between. Our observations show a decrease of TOC and an increase of C concentrations from the surface to the bottom: 71}132M C and 2068}2150mol kg in the Surface Atlantic Water, 74}95M C and 2119}2148molkg in the North Atlantic Central Water, 63}116M C and 2123}2312mol kg in the interface layer, and 61}78M C and 2307}2325mol kg in the Mediterranean waters. However, within the Mediterranean out#ow, we found that the concentrations of