A physical and chemical description of the Mediterranean outflow in the Gulf of Cadiz

Ambar, Isabel; Howe, M.R.; Abdullah, M. I.

doi:10.1007/bf02227031

Cited by 31 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The Gulf of Cadiz is well documented from a physical point of view [ Madelaine , 1967; Zenk , 1975; Ambar et al , 1976; Ochoa and Bray , 1991; Price et al , 1993]. Despite its initially very high density (σ θ = 28.95 kg m −3 ), the Mediterranean outflow does not reach the bottom of the open North Atlantic (σ θ ≅ 27.95 kg m −3 ) because it entrains a substantial volume of the overlying North Atlantic Central water while still in the Gulf of Cadiz.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the inflow is modified by its contact with the outflow, increasing the minimum salinity of the Atlantic water from 35.6 in the Gulf of Cadiz to 36.2 and higher in the strait. However, until now, only a few papers on the biogeochemical processes of this shelf have been presented [ Ambar et al , 1976; Cano , 1978; Minas and Minas , 1993; Minas et al , 1991]. The relative contributions of these processes on the carbonate system, however, are still largely uncharted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

González‐Dávila¹,

Santana‐Casiano²,

Dafner³

2003

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] Further observations with small spatial and temporal resolutions conducted during different seasons are required in order fully to understand the role that shelves play in the global carbon cycle. The components of the carbonate system (total alkalinity, pH in the total scale, total dissolved inorganic carbon, and CO 2 fugacity), and dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and phytopigments were studied along the mesoscale section over the continental shelf and slope in the Gulf of Cadiz in February 1998. All the chemical properties clearly distinguish four different water masses: Gulf of Cadiz Water, North Atlantic Surface Water, North Atlantic Central Water, and Mediterranean Water. From the thermohaline properties and applied chemical conservative tracers for each water mass, a mixing model has been established which explains more than 96% of the variability in the distribution of chemical properties. The relative variation of nutrients and carbon concentrations resulting from the regeneration of organic matter was estimated. The contribution of Mediterranean water to the waters at the traverse of Cadiz varies from 15% to 40% according to this model. The difference of f CO 2 between seawater and atmosphere (Áf CO 2 = À35 matm) shows that the surface seawater in the Gulf of Cadiz is a sink for atmospheric CO 2 during winter with an average calculated net CO 2 flux across the airsea interface of about À19.5 ± 3.5 mmol m À2 d À1 . We estimate that at the traverse of Cadiz the shallow core of Mediterranean outflow carries out 1.2 . 10 4 to 2.4 . 10 4 mol inorganic carbon s À1 . This estimate is 1 order of magnitude lower than that calculated for the Mediterranean outflow in the Strait of Gibraltar.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

González‐Dávila¹,

Santana‐Casiano²,

Dafner³

2003

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…NACW contained the lowest DOC concentrations, with nearly homogeneous values in the range of 48 to 49 pM C. Doval et al (1997), with reference to unpub- along-slope descending of water. In a study of the thermohaline structure in the area close to the San Vincent Cap, Ambar et al (1976) found the presence of water of shallow origin at between 450 and 580 m depth and hypothesised that the observed anomalous thermohaline characteristics were due to winter cooling and consequent sinking of this water from the shelf. In addition, Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-slope variations of dissolved organic carbon in the Gulf of Cadiz, NE Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Dafner¹,

Sempéré²,

González³

et al. 1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Our observations at a traverse of Ca&z in February 1998 indicated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations ranging from 61 to 89 pM C within the Spanish Shelf Water, from 48 to 64 pM C within the North Atlantic Surface Water, and from 49 to 55 pM C within the North Atlantic Central Water. Moreover, according to temperature and salinity data, the shallow core of the Mediterranean outflow was also identified deeper than 350 m depth with DOC concentrations between 52 and 58 pM C. The data suggest that DOC distribution at the traverse of the Gulf of Cadiz was controlled by outputs of degraded particles transported within alongslope descending shelf waters and also by features of the circulation in the Gulf of Cadiz. An estimate of organic carbon transport suggests that ca 1.34 to 2.68 X 102 m01 C S-' were transported within the shallow core of Mediterranean outflow. This amount of DOC was 2 orders of magnitude less than that calculated within the Mediterranean outflow in the Strait of Gibraltar for the summer and autumn seasons. These processes might partly regulate the biogeochemistry of the shallow core of the Mediterranean outflow along the Iberian coast.

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“…This current is a buoyancy-driven flow from the salty, warm Mediterranean to the relatively fresh and cold Atlantic (Ambar, Howe and Abdullah, 1976;Ambar and Howe, 1979a,b;Grundlingh, 1981;Howe, 1982;Madelain, 1970;Thorpe, 1976;Zenk, 1970Zenk, , 1975Zenk, , 1980. While the character of the dense plume is dominated by mixing and friction as it descends from the sill at Gibraltar along the continental shelf, by the time it reaches Cape Saint Vincent at the western end of the Gulf of Cadiz (Figure 1.…”

Section: Coasts Currents Capes Channels and Gyresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eddy generation at a convex corner by a coastal current in a rotating system

Klinger¹

1992

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A physical and chemical description of the Mediterranean outflow in the Gulf of Cadiz

Cited by 31 publications

References 2 publications

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Cross-slope variations of dissolved organic carbon in the Gulf of Cadiz, NE Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Eddy generation at a convex corner by a coastal current in a rotating system

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A physical and chemical description of the Mediterranean outflow in the Gulf of Cadiz

Cited by 31 publications

References 2 publications

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO2 fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO2 fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Cross-slope variations of dissolved organic carbon in the Gulf of Cadiz, NE Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Eddy generation at a convex corner by a coastal current in a rotating system

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Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)

Winter mesoscale variations of carbonate system parameters and estimates of CO₂ fluxes in the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic Ocean (February 1998)