The Cadiz Contourite Channel (Gulf of Cadiz): photographic evidence for active bottom currents and deep tidal influence

  1. Dorrik Stow 1
  2. Francisco Javier Hernández Molina 2
  3. Estefanía Llave Barranco 3
  4. M. García 4
  5. Víctor Díaz del Río Español 5
  6. Luis Somoza 6
  7. Adolfo Maestro González 3
  8. J. Rolf 1
  9. Miguel Bruno Mejías 7
  1. 1 National Oceanography Centre
    info

    National Oceanography Centre

    Southampton, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/00874hx02

  2. 2 Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Univ. de Vigo.
  3. 3 Instituto Geológico y Minero de España
    info

    Instituto Geológico y Minero de España

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/04cadha73

  4. 4 Instituto de Ciencias del Mar. CSIC. Paseo Marítimo de la Barceloneta
  5. 5 Instituto Español de Oceanografía
    info

    Instituto Español de Oceanografía

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/00f3x4340

  6. 6 Instituto de Ciencias del Mar. CSIC.
  7. 7 Dpto. Física Aplicada. Facultad de Ciencias del Mar. University of Cádiz
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Revista:
Geotemas (Madrid)

ISSN: 1576-5172

Año de publicación: 2008

Título del ejemplar: VII Congreso Geológico de España

Número: 10

Páginas: 655-658

Tipo: Artículo

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Otras publicaciones en: Geotemas (Madrid)

Resumen

The Cadiz Channel is the largest and most prominent contourite channel in the middle slope of the Gulf of Cadiz, and is known to siphon off the southern branch of Lower Core of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) as it flows westwards from the Gibraltar Gateway. Bottom photographs and dredge hauls reveal a high-energy channel floor, in places with bare rock, boulders and gravel, and elsewhere covered with sandy contourites. The sandy substrate shows a wide range of current-induced bedforms which orientation indicates flows directed to the S/SW (main channel) and W (spillover channel), which can be related to MOW bottom currents, although with velocities varying between about 0.2 and 0.8 ms-1, even in the same channel location. However, current vane orientation was clearly responding, in part, to tidal effects and periodicity in the Gulf of Cadiz at the time the photographs were taken. Maximum current velocities, therefore, are achieved when spring ebb tides are focussed by the Cadiz Channel at depth and reinforce the normal bottom current due to MOW.

Fuente de los datos: Dialnet