On the influence of Mediterranean Water on the Central Waters of the North Atlantic Ocean |
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| Affiliation: | 1. A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia;2. School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia;3. School of Natural Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia;1. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;2. Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, De Bosquetplain 6-7, 6211 KJ Maastricht, The Netherlands;1. Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Sassari, Via Vienna 2, Sassari 07100, Italy;2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio, Università di Sassari, Via Piandanna 4, Sassari 07100, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Within the Central waters of the North Atlantic Ocean there is a significant east–west difference in salinity, similar to that caused by Mediterranean Water at deeper levels. In this paper we hypothesize that the salinity of the Central Water is influenced by the saline Mediterranean Outflow Water, despite physical separation of the two water masses by a salinity minimum over most of the ocean basin. It is suggested that there occurs a cross-isopycnal flux of salinity from the Mediterranean Outflow Water towards the low-density Central Water (detrainment) in the eastern Gulf of Cadiz, not far from the Strait of Gibraltar, where the two water masses are in physical contact. Laboratory experiments, inverse modeling and direct current observations are applied to support the hypothesis. |
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