Water masses, circulation and transport in the eastern boundary current of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

• Published in: Scientia Marina
• Main Authors: Alonso Hernández-Guerra, Federico López-Laatzen, Francisco Machín, Demetrio de Armas, J. L. Pelegrí
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2001
• Subjects: water masses; circulation; transport; eastern boundary current; subtropical gyre; Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling; SH1-691; Antarctic; Antarc*; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2001.65s1177; https://doaj.org/article/47c43a36735249ef8c413d118774388a

CTD sections carried out in September 1998 are used to describe the water masses, geostrophic circulation and mass transport in the easternmost branch of the Canary Current. The surface water mass (< 600 m) consists of North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) flowing south with a net mass transport of 2.3 x 109 kg s-1. A tongue of relatively fresh water, consisting of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), was found approximately in the 600-1100 m depth layer. This tongue was 200 km wide, stretching from the African coast almost to Gran Canaria Island, and transported a net mass of 1.1 x 109 kg s-1 northward. This system of currents is what constitutes the real eastern boundary current of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.