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Effect of the Canary Islands in the blockage and mixing of the North Atlantic eastern water masses
Author(s) -
Machín F.,
Pelegrí J. L.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2005gl025048
Subject(s) - archipelago , hydrography , oceanography , plateau (mathematics) , water mass , geology , mediterranean climate , deep water , circumpolar deep water , mediterranean sea , north atlantic deep water , geography , mathematical analysis , mathematics , archaeology
We apply an inverse model to a hydrographic cruise that completely closes the Canary Islands to investigate their effect on the water masses transports. Most central waters are transported south between the eastern islands and the African coast, with 2.5 Sv out of a total of 3.5 Sv. Intermediate waters are effectively blocked by the islands passages, with Mediterranean/Antarctic waters predominantly found north/south of the islands, and most deep waters loop around the archipelago plateau. A process model upholds the existence of intense two‐way exchange between central and intermediate waters along the eastern passage, with vertical velocities of order 10 −5 m s −1 .