PARTICULATE ORGANIC MATTER IN SEA WATER
21
(c) Temporal variations in deep water. The work of Hobson (1967)
in the North Pacific has been mentioned, in which seasonal changes
in deep water particulate carbon were explained in terms of seasonal
variations in computed currents.
I n certain other areas that have been examined on more than one
occasion, systematic differences have been noted, for example, in
Slope Water south of Nova Scotia (Gordon, 1970b). These have not
been examined thoroughly enough to determine whether they are of a
seasonal nature or are associated with variations in transport systems.
The best documented case of a consistent seasonal variation is in
the north-western Sargasso Sea, in the vicinity of Bermuda and northward toward the Gulf Stream. There Riley et al. (1965) obtained a
three-fold variation between winter and summer values with highest
values in winter. These values, averaged and plotted in Fig. 2, showed
similar variation throughout the whole deep water column. Vertical
variations in T-S relations suggest that there are several fairly distinct
water masses in this area, and the kind of generalized changes that
were found obviously could not have been the result of intrusion of a
particular water mass.
These samples were taken in 1963-64. Subsequently Gordon (1970b)
obtained another series of samples in 1966-67, with the results shown
in Table I. Results were essentially identical with the earlier ones.
TABLE I. NUMBERS OF DEEP WATER SAMPLES AND CRUISE AVERAGES
GIVEN BY GORDON ( 1 9 7 0 ~ )
FOR THE NORTHWESTERN SARGASSO SEA
No.
pg Cllitre
January 1967
11
47.3
April-May
61
19.7
June-July
24
12.3
Jan.-Feb. 1968
17
47-1
April
20
8.8
Other variation& of a somewhat similar sort have been noted.
McGill et al. (1964) reported a seasonal variation in organic phosphorus
in deep water off Bermuda, and to a lesser degree in other stations to
the northwest. At Bermuda the highest values were found in winter
and were accompanied by a slight increase in salinity. Subsequently
Bricker (personal communication) has found seasonal variations in the
ratios of Mg and Sr to total salinity, which again extend through the
whole water column.
.4.WB.-8
2
21
(c) Temporal variations in deep water. The work of Hobson (1967)
in the North Pacific has been mentioned, in which seasonal changes
in deep water particulate carbon were explained in terms of seasonal
variations in computed currents.
I n certain other areas that have been examined on more than one
occasion, systematic differences have been noted, for example, in
Slope Water south of Nova Scotia (Gordon, 1970b). These have not
been examined thoroughly enough to determine whether they are of a
seasonal nature or are associated with variations in transport systems.
The best documented case of a consistent seasonal variation is in
the north-western Sargasso Sea, in the vicinity of Bermuda and northward toward the Gulf Stream. There Riley et al. (1965) obtained a
three-fold variation between winter and summer values with highest
values in winter. These values, averaged and plotted in Fig. 2, showed
similar variation throughout the whole deep water column. Vertical
variations in T-S relations suggest that there are several fairly distinct
water masses in this area, and the kind of generalized changes that
were found obviously could not have been the result of intrusion of a
particular water mass.
These samples were taken in 1963-64. Subsequently Gordon (1970b)
obtained another series of samples in 1966-67, with the results shown
in Table I. Results were essentially identical with the earlier ones.
TABLE I. NUMBERS OF DEEP WATER SAMPLES AND CRUISE AVERAGES
GIVEN BY GORDON ( 1 9 7 0 ~ )
FOR THE NORTHWESTERN SARGASSO SEA
No.
pg Cllitre
January 1967
11
47.3
April-May
61
19.7
June-July
24
12.3
Jan.-Feb. 1968
17
47-1
April
20
8.8
Other variation& of a somewhat similar sort have been noted.
McGill et al. (1964) reported a seasonal variation in organic phosphorus
in deep water off Bermuda, and to a lesser degree in other stations to
the northwest. At Bermuda the highest values were found in winter
and were accompanied by a slight increase in salinity. Subsequently
Bricker (personal communication) has found seasonal variations in the
ratios of Mg and Sr to total salinity, which again extend through the
whole water column.
.4.WB.-8
2