The origin of Intermediate and Subpolar Mode Waters crossing the Atlantic equator in OCCAM

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Drijfhout, S.S., Donners, J., de Ruijter, W.P.M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Drake Passage; Indian; Antarc*; North Atlantic Deep Water; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/349162/

The origin of the intermediate waters that cross the equatorial Atlantic as part of the return flow for North Atlantic Deep Water was studied in a high resolution global ocean model using a Lagrangian particle following technique. Most of these waters are subducted in the southeast Indian Ocean. Less than twenty percent comes directly from Drake Passage without looping into the Indian Ocean; the majority being provided by Agulhas leakage. Most of the intermediate waters that subduct in the South Atlantic do not follow the South Atlantic/Indian Ocean supergyre, but remain within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and gradually transform into Circumpolar Deep Water by diapycnal mixing.