Thermohaline structure and geostrophic flow in the gulf of California, during 1992

Abstract

Hydrographic data from two cruises, taken in February and August 1992, were used to describe the vertical thermohaline structure, the presence of water masses in the region of the mouth and central part of the Gulf of California, and meridional and zonal flows, respectively. The observations presented here show a marked thermal change between both seasons, with surface temperatures of about 19.00ºC in February and 32.00ºC in August. Thermal maxima (32.75ºC) and salinity minima (33.00) define a significant presence of Tropical water in the interior of the gulf in 1992, which suggests the occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon. This condition increased the intensity of the geostrophic flow and, in the central part of the gulf, velocities of 95 cm s^–1 were recorded in February and of ll5 cm s^–1 in August.