Surface Salinity in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre During the STRASSE/SPURS Summer 2012 Cruise

• DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2015.09
• Publication Date: 2015-03-17T16:56:41Z
• Authors: Gilles Reverdin; Simon Morisset; Louis Marieé; Denis Bourras; Graigory Sutherland; Brian Ward; Joaquin Salvador; Jordi Font; Yannis Cuypers; Luca Centorioni; Verena Hormann; Nicolas Koldziejczyk; Jacqueline Boutin; Francesco D'Ovidio; Francesco Nencioli; Nicolas Martin; Denis Diverres; Gaël Alory; Rick Lumpkin
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; diapycnal mixing; [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-GEO-PH] Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]; North Atlantic; high salinity; [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-GEO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]; GC1-1581; Oceanography; 01 natural sciences; fluxes; evaporation; 13. Climate action; SPURS; air-sea interaction; ocean fronts; high SSS; 14. Life underwater; STRASSE

We investigated a 100 x 100 km high-salinity region of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre during the Sub-Tropical Atlantic Surface Salinity Experiment/Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study (STRASSE/SPURS) cruise from August 21, 2012, to September 9, 2012. Results showed great variability in sea surface salinity (SSS; over 0.3 psu) in the mesoscale, over 7 cm of total evaporation, and little diapycnal mixing below 36 m depth, the deepest mixed layers encountered. Strong currents in the southwestern part of the domain, and the penetration of freshwater, suggest that advection contributed greatly to salinity evolution. However, it was further observed that a smaller cyclonic structure tucked between the high SSS band and the strongest currents contributed to the transport of high SSS water along a narrow front. Cross-frontal transport by mixing is also a possible cause of summertime reduction of SSS. The observed structure was also responsible for significant southward salt transport over more than 200 km.