Surface Salinity Variations in the Inner Gulf of Guinea and Their Relation to Evaporation, Precipitation and Vertical Mixing,
Abstract
An attempt is made to explain sea surface salinity variations from month to month in the ocean area east of Sao Tome Island in the inner Gulf of Guinea. Estimates of the monthly amounts of precipitation (P) and evaporation (E) in this area indicate that during most of the year P exceeds E. For the annual mean, E - P = -4.2 cm/month, and the seasonal variation of E - P is dominated by precipitation with a strong tendency toward a semiannual march. In addition to E - P, effects of vertical mixing are most significant, particularly in spring when subsurface water with high salinity is injected into this region by the Equatorial Undercurrent. The effect of mixing depicts an almost pure annual march. It is shown that the predominantly annual march of salinity near the sea surface can be essentially explained by evaporation, precipitation and vertical mixing. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0714492
Entities
People
- G. Neumann
Organizations
- New York University