New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Some hydrological features of the South Fiji Basin
R. N. DENHAM1
R. W. BANNISTER1
K. M. GUTHRIE1
D. G. BROWNING2
F. G. CROOK1
1 Defence Scientific Establishment Ministry of Defence
Auckland Naval Base Post Office Auckland, New Zealand
2 Naval Underwater Systems Center New London
Connecticut 06320, USA
Abstract Expendable bathythermograph (XBT) and salinity observations were made along a north-south section across the South Fiji Basin in March 1976, and XBT observations only were made in May 1976, January-February 1977, and July 1978. The salinity section showed a tongue of low salinity (less than 34.75%c) surface water associated with the intertropical convergence zone of winds, near 20°S. The corresponding temperature section indicated the presence of weak eddies; a warm-core eddy near 28°S, 176°E was encountered in February 1977. The main feature of the subsurface temperature structure was a thermal front between 25
CS and 26°S at depths between 100 and 400 m: the temperature at 200 m was over 18°C north of the front and below 18°C to the south of it. This front, observed on all the temperature sections, was strongest from January to March. It is ascribed to the flow of a subtropical counter-current similar to that encountered in the South Indian Ocean at about the same latitude.
Keywords
hydrology; Basin.
Pacific Ocean; geostrophic currents; temperatures; salinities; South Fiji
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1981, Vol. 15 : 299-306 Received 20 November 1980
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