Bottom water flows in the tropical fractures of the Northern Mid‑Atlantic Ridge

Bottom water flows in the tropical fractures of the Northern Mid‑Atlantic Ridge Full article

Journal

Journal of Oceanography
ISSN: 0916-8370

Output data

Year: 2018, Volume: 74, Number: 2, Pages: 147-167 Pages count : 21 DOI: 10.1007/s10872-017-0445-x

Tags

Abyssal currents · Antarctic Bottom Water · Fracture zones · Mid-Atlantic Ridge · Underwater cataracts · CTD/LADCP measuremen

Authors

Morozov Eugene G. ¹ , Tarakanov Roman Yu. ¹ , Frey Dmitry I. ¹ , Demidova Tatiana A. ¹ , Makarenko Nikolay I. ²

Affiliations

1	Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nakhimovsky pr. 36, Moscow 117997, Russia
2	Lavrentiev Institute of Hydrodynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Akademika Lavrientieva 15, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia

The goal of this paper is the study of Antarctic Bottom Water through the fracture zones in the northern part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge based on the Conductivity-Temperature-Depth and Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler observations in 2014, 2015, and 2016. We measured the thermohaline properties and velocities and analyzed the flows of bottom water in the Strakhov, Bogdanov, nameless (07°28′N), Vernadsky, Doldrums, Arkhangelsky, Ten Degree, Vema, Marathon, Fifteen Twenty, and Kane fracture zones. These abyssal channels connect the deep basins of the East and West Atlantic. In addition to the known fact that the main portion of water propagates through the Vema Fracture Zone (11°N), we estimated that additionally a half of this volume propagates through the other fractures. Nevertheless, the pathway for the coldest water is located in the Vema Fracture Zone. Velocities of bottom currents in this fracture reach 45 cm/s. We found strong difference in the structure and transport through the Vema Fracture Zone based on four sections across the fracture occupied in 3 years from 2014 to 2016. The transport varies from 0.7 to 1.2 Sv. The core of maximum velocity in the main channel of this fracture changes its depth between 4000 m and the bottom at 4650 m. The total transport through the other fracture zones is as high as 0.48 ± 0.05 Sv.

Morozov E.G. , Tarakanov R.Y. , Frey D.I. , Demidova T.A. , Makarenko N.I.
Bottom water flows in the tropical fractures of the Northern Mid‑Atlantic Ridge
Journal of Oceanography. 2018. V.74. N2. P.147-167. DOI: 10.1007/s10872-017-0445-x WOS Scopus РИНЦ OpenAlex

Submitted:	Jan 16, 2017
Accepted:	Sep 22, 2017

Web of science:	WOS:000426283100002
Scopus:	2-s2.0-85030869115
Elibrary:	35706547
OpenAlex:	W2761340212

DB	Citing
Scopus	40
OpenAlex	48
Web of science	39