IMIRABILIS2: Cabo Verde Oceanographic Insights

• Main Authors: Mosquera Giménez, Ángela, Vélez-Belchí, Pedro, Mouzo Bellino, Iván, Rodríguez Fornes, Pablo, Huvenne, Veerle A.I., Orejas, Covadonga
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: CTD; Seamount; Upwelling; Taylor columns; Las Palmas; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/304038

VII Encuentro de Oceanografía Física (EOF) - Expanding Ocean Frontiers Conference, VIII International Symposium on Marine Sciences, 6-8 July 2022, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España Cabo Verde Islands are located between the North Equatorial Current (NEC) and the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC). When the NECC reaches Africa, it splits in two currents, an eastward and a northward flow. This later flow joints the NEC forming a front known as the Cabo Verde Frontal Zone, that acts as a barrier between the North Atlantic Central Waters (NACW) and the South Atlantic Central Waters (SACW). In addition, this northward flow produces a cyclonic circulation in the region of Cabo Verde, called the Guinea Dome, and therefore an upwelling in this area. In order to study the area of Cabo Verde, the multidisciplinary iMirabilis2 expedition took place from the 31st of July to the 30th of August 2021. During this expedition, 22 CTD cast and several ADCP transects were performed in order to characterize the hydrographic conditions and to determine the water mass distribution in the main study areas, to find out its effects on the distribution of benthic organisms. Especial attention was put on the characterization of the Cadamosto seamount. Seamounts are underwater mountains which create a perturbation in the oceanic flow. This perturbation under idealized circumstances, known as Taylor columns, has the potential to isolate the oceanic circulation over the summit from the ocean circulation in the open waters. This can lead to the occurrence of upwelling phenomena that enrich the ecosystem (Boehlert and Genin, 1987; Mohn et al., 2009; Lavelle and Mohn, 2010). Oceanographic conditions compatible with an upwelling were found at the summit of the Cadamosto seamount. However, due to the spatial scale of the seamount, smaller than the Rossby radius, a Taylor column might not be developed (Chelton et al., 1998), and it could be the result of the particular circulation of this area, composed mainly by cyclonic and anticyclonic ...