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The intermediate depth circulation of the western South Atlantic
Author(s) -
Boebel O.,
Davis R. E.,
Ollitrault M.,
Peterson R. G.,
Richardson P. L.,
Schmid C.,
Zenk W.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl002355
Subject(s) - ocean gyre , geology , boundary current , current (fluid) , oceanography , current meter , gulf stream , north atlantic deep water , ocean current , plateau (mathematics) , sverdrup , climatology , thermohaline circulation , circulation (fluid dynamics) , subtropics , mechanics , mathematical analysis , arctic , mathematics , fishery , biology , physics
The subsurface oceanic circulation is an important part of the Earth climate system. Subsurface currents traditionally are inferred indirectly from distributions of temperature and dissolved substances, occasionally supplemented by current meter measurements. Neutrally‐buoyant floats however, now enable us to obtain for the first time directly measured intermediate depth velocity fields over large areas such as the western South Atlantic. Here, our combined data set provides unprecedented observations and quantification of key flow patterns, such as the Subtropical Gyre return flow (12 Sv; 1 Sverdrup = 10 6 m³s −1 ), its bifurcation near the Santos Plateau and the resulting continuous narrow and swift northward intermediate western boundary current (4 Sv). This northward flowing water passes through complex equatorial flows and finally enters into the North Atlantic.