Variability of the Thermohaline Staircase

STEP-LIKE structures in temperature and salinity beneath the Mediterranean water have been observed in the Eastern Atlantic1–6. In Fig. 1 we show the stations where steps have been found in the area to the west of Gibraltar. Salt fingering as a result of double diffusive processes has been suggested as a possible cause for the generation of such step-like structures7. During cruise No. 23 of RV Meteor in 1971 we intended to study the small scale features of such structures8. Some previous observations6 in August/September 1970 had revealed an extensive zone where a “thermohaline staircase” existed (Fig. 1). We therefore selected stations in this area and close to it for the proposed study. A high resolution in situ conductivity-temperature-depth meter of the “Kieler Multi-Meeressonde” type was used for the vertical profiling of temperature and salinity