Effect of the Canary Islands in the blockage and mixing of the North Atlantic eastern water masses

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. L04605 - n/a
• Main Authors: MACHIN, F, PELEGRI, J. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Geophysical Union 01.02.2006; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Eastern boundary currents; Exact sciences and technology; Marine; Oceanography; Physical; Turbulence, diffusion, and mixing processes; Upwelling and convergences; Water masses; Canary Islands; Antarctica; North Atlantic; AN, North Atlantic; ASE, Atlantic, Canary Is; MED, Eastern Mediterranean; AN, North Atlantic, Central Water; Vertical speed; models; Water mass; islands; plateaus; Atlantic Ocean; mixing; polar regions; Intermediate water; Deep water; transport; Atlantic Ocean Islands
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2005GL025048

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.