Tracing lower North Atlantic deep water across the equator

Water whose ultimate source is the overflow at the Denmark Strait can be traced using maps of salinity, dissolved oxygen, and silica concentration on deep density surfaces south along the American continent to at least 5-degrees-S. Several property extrema whose resolution is at the limit of accuracy of the measurements occur on these density surfaces, which nevertheless may indicate areas of stronger mixing along the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Transport estimates for that part of the southward flow within 600 km of the western boundary near 10-degrees-N suggest that 10 +/- 3 x 10(6) m3 s-1 of Lower North Atlantic Deep Water moves south there. The total southward deep water transport near 10-degrees-N is estimated to be close to 25 x 10(6) m3 s-1.

VIVO for Woods Hole researchers MBLWHOI