GAGE: A Guiana Abyssal Gyre Experiment

McCartney9819066 PIS假设，从赤道到北纬300度，北大西洋西部盆地充满了一个深海环流，最强的再环流位于热带的圭亚那盆地。到目前为止，对该气流的深西边界流部分的测量表明，它是如此之大，以至于扰乱了经向翻转环流的总体平衡。假设的涡旋是一种机制，如果证明它的强度足够大，就可以解释这种差异。它从未被直接观测到，PI建议进行一次野外实验来实现这一点。研究将集中在80北纬至150北纬之间狭窄的圭亚那盆地，在船上水文和ADCP测量的支持下，将布置海流计和温度传感器，以直接确定该环流向北的水流。

McCartney9819066The PIs hypothesize that an abyssal gyre fills the western basin of the North Atlantic from the Equator to near 300 N, with the strongest recirculation located in the tropical Guiana Basin. To date, measurements of the deep western boundary current portion of that flow show it to be so large as to upset the overall balance of the meridional overturning circulation. The hypothesized gyre is one mechanism, which, if shown to be of sufficient magnitude, would account for this discrepancy. It has never been observed directly, and the PIs propose a field experiment to to so. The study would focus on the narrow Guiana Basin between 80 N and 150 N. Current meters and temperature sensors, supported by shipboard hydrography and ADCP measurements would be arrayed so as to directly determine the northward flow in this gyre.