Hydrography of the Artabro Gulf in summer: Western coastal limit of Cantabrian seawater and wind-induced upwelling at Prior Cape

• Published in: Oceanologica Acta
• Main Authors: Prego, R., Varela, Manuel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 1998
• Subjects: Upwelling; Ria; Prior Cape; Artabro Gulf; Cantabrian Sea; Le Plateau; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/58770; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0399-1784(98)80004-2

11 páginas, 8 figuras [EN] The Arta.bro Gulf (1 500 km2 north-west of the Iberian Peninsula) has been studied based on data obtained in August 1993, under Itypical summer meteorological conditions (COPLA 893 cruise). This is the first study on the summer hydrography of the ,4rtabro Gulf. During this season, the hydrography of this area is quite complex and must be understood in terms of three factors: 1) upwelling, 2) two different eastern North Atlantic Cientral Water (ENACW) water masses and 3) rias water exchange. A local wind-induced upwelling of ENACW, (subpolar> occurs off Prior Cape. The plume is located off the gulf coastline, but inside the continental shelf. The frontal zone, rich in nutrients and chlorophyll, is parallel to the gulf line, starting in the Prior region and ending at the convergence of ENACW, and ENACW, (subtropical), giving it an arched shape. The Artabro Gulf is the place off the Galicia coast where ENACW, and ENACW, are observed and the gulf is the western limit of coastal Cantabrian Sea influence. The upwelling is strongly influenced by the topographic presence of the gulf which generates an ‘upwelling shadow’ where the rias water exchange is confined near the coast and the ENACW, does not penetrate into the rias. The opposite occurs at the southernmost Rias Bajas, where ENACW, upwells inside the rias [FR] L’hydr’ographie du golfe Artabre (1500 km2), situ& au nord-ouest de la peninsule IbCrique, a CtC CtudiCe dans des conditions meteorologiques estivales, pour la premiere fois, a l’aide de donn6es collect&es en aont 1993 au tours de la campagne COPLA 893. Pour comprendre cette hydrographie t&s complexe, il faut considerer trois facteurs : l’upwelling, les deux cornposantes de l’eau centrale nord-est atlantique (ENACW) et l’tchange d’eau avec la ria. Une remontee locale d’eau sub-polaire (ENACW,) est induite par le vent p&s du cap Prior. Le panache est a l’exdrieur du golfe mais reste sur le plateau continental. La zone frontale, riche en nutriments et en ...