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25 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables, 1 appendix, The encountering of the subtropical Brazil Current (BC) and the subantarctic Malvinas Current (MC) along the western margin of the Argentine Basin forms the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC), one of the most intense open-ocean fronts in the world ocean and a site for the formation of intermediate water masses. Here, we provide a comprehensive description of the BMC based on physical and biogeochemical data – hydrographic stations, profiling floats and subsurface drifters – gathered in March 2015. We use these data in order to characterize the impinging and outflowing currents and to describe the cross- and along-frontal thermohaline structure. In addition, we compare the in-situ measurements with both climatological data and the Mercator Ocean eddy-resolving reanalysis. The hydrographic sections illustrate the contrasting properties between the two western boundary currents: warm, salty, nutrient- and oxygen-poor oligotrophic subtropical waters carried southward by the BC and the cold, fresh, oxygen- and nutrient-rich subantarctic waters carried northward by the MC. The frontal system is also characterized by the presence of thermohaline intrusions, with the cross-frontal gradients and along-front velocities sharpening as the colliding currents shape the frontal system. We also observe brackish waters spreading on top of the frontal jet as a result of both the confluence dynamics and off-shelf advection favored by north-easterly winds. These low-salinity waters are positively correlated with surface ageostrophic speeds over the frontal jet. The cruise data illustrates the high regional and mesoscale variability as compared with climatological conditions, and further document the submesoscale subsurface complexity, which is not properly captured by available operational models, We acknowledge support from the Spanish Government through grants CTM2011-28867 (TIC-MOC project), CTM2014-56987-P (VA-DE-RETRO project) and RTI2018-100844-B-C33 (SAGA project), and through the funding of PhD scholarships for D.O.E. (FPU2013-02884), C.H. (CSIC JAE-Predoc program), S.R.G. (BES-2012-055970) and I.V.C. (BES-2015-071314). We also recognize the institutional support of the Spanish Government through the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Mayol, Eva ... et al.-- 9 pages, 4 figures, supplementary information https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00110-9.-- Data availability: The original sequences of airborne microbes reported in this study are available at the Sequence Read Archive (SRA, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP074223) under Bioproject ID PRJNA319484 with accession numbers SAMN04903953 to SAMN04904051, The atmosphere plays a fundamental role in the transport of microbes across the planet but it is often neglected as a microbial habitat. Although the ocean represents two thirds of the Earth’s surface, there is little information on the atmospheric microbial load over the open ocean. Here we provide a global estimate of microbial loads and air-sea exchanges over the tropical and subtropical oceans based on the data collected along the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition. Total loads of airborne prokaryotes and eukaryotes were estimated at 2.2 × 1021 and 2.1 × 1021 cells, respectively. Overall 33–68% of these microorganisms could be traced to a marine origin, being transported thousands of kilometres before re-entering the ocean. Moreover, our results show a substantial load of terrestrial microbes transported over the oceans, with abundances declining exponentially with distance from land and indicate that islands may act as stepping stones facilitating the transoceanic transport of terrestrial microbes, This is a contribution to the Malaspina Expedition 2010, funded by the INGENIO 2010 CONSOLIDER program (ref. CDS2008-00077) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. [...] E.M. and M.A.J. acknowledge the ‘Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios’ program (JAE-predoc and JAE-doc contracts, respectively) from CSIC, supplied by the European Social Fund. A.M.-A. acknowledges an FPI grant funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. B.G.-G. acknowledges a predoctoral fellowship from the BBVA Foundation

Here we assess the temperature dependence of the metabolic rates (gross primary production - GPP, community respiration - CR and the ratio GPP/CR) of oceanic plankton communities. We compile data from 133 stations of the Malaspina 2010 Expedition, distributed among the subtropical and tropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. We used the in vitro technique to measured metabolic rates during 24 h incubations at three different sampled depths: surface, 20% and 1% of the photosynthetically active radiation measured at surface. We also measured the % of ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) penetrating at surface waters. GPP and CR rates increased with warming, albeit different responses were observed for each sampled depth. The overall GPP/CR ratio declined with warming. Higher activation energies (Ea´s) were derived for both processes (GPPChla = 0.97; CRChla = 1.26; CRHPA= 0.95 eV) compared to those previously reported. The Indian Ocean showed the highest Ea (GPPChla = 1.70; CRChla = 1.48; CRHPA= 0.57 eV), while the Atlantic Ocean showed the lowest (GPPChla = 0.86; CRChla = 0.77; CRHPA= -0.13 eV). We believe that the difference between previous assessments and the ones presented here can be explained by the overrepresentation of Atlantic communities in the previous data sets. We found that UVB radiation also affects the temperature dependence of surface GPP, which decreased rather than increased under high levels of UVB. Ocean warming, which causes stratification and oligotrophication of the subtropical and tropical oceans, may lead to reduced surface GPP as a result of increased penetration of UVB radiation.

Orúe-Echevarría, Dorleta ... et al.-- 10 pages, 7 figures,4 tables, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.12.004, This oceanographic dataset was gathered during the TIC-MOC cruise, which was designed to characterize the dynamics of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence. The cruise was carried on board the R/V Hespérides, with departure from Ushuaia and arrival to Salvador de Bahía. A total of 66 conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) stations were completed between 8 and 22 March 2015, offshore from the continental platform and within 45°S-35°S and 61°W-50°W. At each station, water samples were collected, which were used to calibrate the CTD salinity-oxygen sensors and to determine inorganic nutrient concentrations, and the horizontal current was measured. Along its track, the vessel recorded surface temperature and salinity, as well as the horizontal flow down to about 700 m. Lastly, eight position-transmitting drifters were launched and two profiling floats were deployed and later recovered, This research has been supported by the Spanish Government, through projects TIC-MOC (CTM2011-28867) and VA-DE-RETRO (CTM2014-56987-P) and through the funding of PhD scholarships for D.O.E. (FPU2013–02884), S.R.G. (BES-2012–055970) and C.H. (CSIC JAE-Predoc program)

13 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, supplementary Information http://www.nature.com/ismej/journal/v10/n3/suppinfo/ismej2015137s1.html, The deep-sea is the largest biome of the biosphere, and contains more than half of the whole ocean’s microbes. Uncovering their general patterns of diversity and community structure at a global scale remains a great challenge, as only fragmentary information of deep-sea microbial diversity exists based on regional-scale studies. Here we report the first globally comprehensive survey of the prokaryotic communities inhabiting the bathypelagic ocean using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. This work identifies the dominant prokaryotes in the pelagic deep ocean and reveals that 50% of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belong to previously unknown prokaryotic taxa, most of which are rare and appear in just a few samples. We show that whereas the local richness of communities is comparable to that observed in previous regional studies, the global pool of prokaryotic taxa detected is modest (~3600 OTUs), as a high proportion of OTUs are shared among samples. The water masses appear to act as clear drivers of the geographical distribution of both particle-attached and free-living prokaryotes. In addition, we show that the deep-oceanic basins in which the bathypelagic realm is divided contain different particle-attached (but not free-living) microbial communities. The combination of the aging of the water masses and a lack of complete dispersal are identified as the main drivers for this biogeographical pattern. All together, we identify the potential of the deep ocean as a reservoir of still unknown biological diversity with a higher degree of spatial complexity than hitherto considered, This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through project Consolider-Ingenio Malaspina 2010 (CSD2008-00077). [...] Sequencing at the Joint Genome Intitute was supported by US Department of Energy Joint Genome Intitute 2011 Microbes Program grant CSP 602 grant to SGA. The work conducted by the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute is supported by the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02–05CH11231. [...] Additional funding was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation grant CGL2011–26848/BOS MicroOcean PANGENOMICS and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity grant MALASPINOMICS (CTM2011–15461-E). GS and FMCC held PhD JAE-Predoc (CSIC) and FPI (MICINN) fellowships respectively and SGA was supported by FP7-OCEAN-2011 project ‘Micro B3’

The omnipresence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the open ocean enables its use as a tracer for biochemical processes throughout the global overturning circulation. We made an inventory of CDOM optical properties, ideal water age (τ), and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) along the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean waters sampled during the Malaspina 2010 expedition. A water mass analysis was applied to obtain intrinsic, hereinafter archetypal, values of τ, AOU, oxygen utilization rate (OUR), and CDOM absorption coefficients, spectral slopes and quantum yield for each one of the 22 water types intercepted during this circumnavigation. Archetypal values of AOU and OUR have been used to trace the differential influence of water mass aging and aging rates, respectively, on CDOM variables. Whereas the absorption coefficient at 325 nm (a325) and the fluorescence quantum yield at 340 nm (Φ340) increased, the spectral slope over the wavelength range 275–295 nm (S275–295) and the ratio of spectral slopes over the ranges 275–295 nm and 350–400 nm (SR) decreased significantly with water mass aging (AOU). Combination of the slope of the linear regression between archetypal AOU and a325 with the estimated global OUR allowed us to obtain a CDOM turnover time of 634 ± 120 years, which exceeds the flushing time of the dark ocean (>200 m) by 46%. This positive relationship supports the assumption of in situ production and accumulation of CDOM as a by-product of microbial metabolism as water masses turn older. Furthermore, our data evidence that global-scale CDOM quantity (a325) is more dependent on aging (AOU), whereas CDOM quality (S275–295, SR, Φ340) is more dependent on aging rate (OUR).

11 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, data availability https://doi.org/10.17882/50171, Decadal differences in the Falkland Plateau are studied from the two full-depth hydrographic data collected during the ALBATROSS (April 1999) and MOC-Austral (February 2010) cruises. Differences in the upper 100 dbar are due to changes in the seasonal thermocline, as the ALBATROSS cruise took place in the austral fall and the MOC-Austral cruise in summer. The intermediate water masses seem to be very sensitive to the wind conditions existing in their formation area, showing cooling and freshening for the decade as a consequence of a higher Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) contribution and of a decrease in the Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) stratum. The deeper layers do not exhibit any significant change in the water mass properties. The Subantarctic Front (SAF) in 1999 is observed at 52.2–54.8° W with a relative mass transport of 32.6 Sv. In contrast, the SAF gets wider in 2010, stretching from 51.1 to 57.2° W (the Falkland Islands), and weakening to 17.9 Sv. Changes in the SAF can be linked with the westerly winds and mainly affect the northward flow of Subantarctic Surface Water (SASW), SAMW and AAIW/Antarctic Surface Water (AASW). The Polar Front (PF) carries 24.9 Sv in 1999 (49.8–44.4° W), while in 2010 (49.9–49.2° W) it narrows and strengthens to 37.3 Sv., This study has been performed thanks to MOC2 (CTM2008-06438-C02-02/MAR) and Sevacan (CTM2013-48695), financed by the Spanish Government. The ALBATROSS cruise was funded by a Natural Environment Research Council grant (GR3/11654)

Measurements of microstructure turbulence were carried out, in the upper 300 m, in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the Malaspina 2010 expedition, by using a microstructure turbulence (MSS) profiler. Diapycnal diffusivity (Kρ) was estimated from dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy (e) measured by the MSS profiler, and also from hydrographic and meteorological data by using the K-profile parameterization (KPP). In the mixing layer, averaged Kρ (169 � 10 � 4 m 2 s � 1 ) and e (16:8 � 10 � 8 Wk g � 1 ) were three and one orders of magnitude higher, respectively, compared to the

The spatial distribution of fish larvae was studied in the Canaries-African Coastal Transition Zone, outside the strong upwelling season. An onshore–offshore transition in the larval fish community structure was observed, from a coastal assemblage dominated by small pelagics (sardine, anchovy, mackerel), bounded by the upwelling front, to an offshore assemblage dominated by mesopelagic species (mainly Myctophidae, Phosichthydae, Gonostomatidae). Distribution of the neritic larvae was deeply influenced by the intense mesoscale activity found in the area, both horizontally (larvae were advected offshore but were always retained within the upwelling area) and vertically (larvae were deepened in the vicinity of two anticyclonic eddies). A combined effect of the upwelling front and a cyclonic–anticyclonic eddy dipole is likely the successful retention mechanism for these larvae. These results support the current belief that retention may be higher than previously thought in upwelling areas. Oceanic larvae were also collected in higher abundances near the front and an anticyclonic eddy. Neritic and oceanic larvae frequently showed a differentiated position in the water column, although they sometimes coexisted. Finally, larval connectivity between Islands within the Canary archipelago is suggested. The present study thus contributes to the understanding of the complex dispersal and retention processes in the Canaries-African Coastal Transition Zone. However, results also highlight the poor knowledge of this region compared with the other three main Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems in terms of ichthyoplankton dynamics. The importance of routine monitoring programs of commercial and non-commercial species in the area is emphasized.

[1] The source of the Canary Current has been inferred from an inverse box model applied to the hydrographic data of a survey carried out in 2009 in the northeast subtropical gyre (29–37°N, 9–24°W). The Portugal Current is observed between 13.5 and 14.8°W at 37°N carrying 1.8±0.4 Sv southward. This current presumably merges with the eastward transport of the Azores Current System and partly contributes to the Mediterranean inflow and partly to the northward recirculation of the Azores Current through the Gulf of Cadiz. The Azores Current System is located in the meridional range 33.50–36.25°N at 24.50°W. This System transports eastward 7.2±0.5 Sv in the thermocline layers and 1.1±0.8 Sv at intermediate layers. The Azores Current intermediate water mass has the highest portion of Sub-Arctic intermediate water (SAIW) in the region, while the Azores Countercurrent intermediate waters mass is mainly Mediterranean water. The Canary Current extends from 22.25° to 18.50°W at 29°N, the westernmost position ever observed. This current transports southward −6.2±0.6 Sv in the thermocline layers and −2.0±0.8 Sv in the intermediate layers. This intermediate flow shows a relative maximum of oxygen and a relative minimum in nutrient concentration, indicating the presence of SAIW. The study concludes that, at least in fall 2009, the Canary Current extends to the intermediate waters ( γn≤27.9220 approximately 1600 dbar) and that Azores Current feeds the Canary Current at surface and intermediate layers.

Decadal differences in the Falkland Plateau are studied from full-depth hydrographic data collected during the ALBATROSS (April 1999) and MOC2-Austral (February 2010) cruises. Differences in the upper 100 dbar are due to changes in the seasonal thermocline, as the ALBATROSS cruise took place in the austral fall while the MOC-Austral in summer. The intermediate water masses seem to be very sensible to the wind conditions existing on their formation area, showing cooling and freshening for the decade as consequence of a higher Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) contribution and of a decrease of the Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) stratum. The deeper layers do not exhibit any significant change in the water masses properties. The Subantarctic Front (SAF) in 1999 is observed at 52.2–54.8° W with a relative mass transport of 32.6 Sv. In contrast, the SAF gets wider in 2010, stretching from 51.1° W to 57.2° W (the Falkland Islands), and weakening to 17.9 Sv. Changes in the SAF are mainly affecting the northward flow of Subantarctic Surface Water (SASW), SAMW and AAIW/ Antarctic Surface Water (AASW). The Polar Front (PF) carries 24.9 Sv in 1999 (49.8–44.4° W), while in 2010 (49.9–49.2° W) it narrows and strengthens to 37.3 Sv.

29 pages,8 figures, 9 tables, supporting information https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151699, We examine the large-scale distribution patterns of the nano- and microphytoplankton collected from 145 oceanic stations, at 3 m depth, the 20% light level and the depth of the subsurface chlorophyll maximum, during the Malaspina-2010 Expedition (December 2010-July 2011), which covered 15 biogeographical provinces across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, between 35°N and 40°S. In general, the water column was stratified, the surface layers were nutrient-poor and the nano- and microplankton (hereafter phytoplankton, for simplicity, although it included also heterotrophic protists) community was dominated by dinoflagellates, other flagellates and coccolithophores, while the contribution of diatoms was only important in zones with shallow nutriclines such as the equatorial upwelling regions. We applied a principal component analysis to the correlation matrix among the abundances (after logarithmic transform) of the 76 most frequent taxa to synthesize the information contained in the phytoplankton data set. The main trends of variability identified consisted of: 1) A contrast between the community composition of the upper and the lower parts of the euphotic zone, expressed respectively by positive or negative scores of the first principal component, which was positively correlated with taxa such as the dinoflagellates Oxytoxum minutum and Scrippsiella spp., and the coccolithophores Discosphaera tubifera and Syracosphaera pulchra (HOL and HET), and negatively correlated with taxa like Ophiaster hydroideus (coccolithophore) and several diatoms, 2) a general abundance gradient between phytoplankton-rich regions with high abundances of dinoflagellate, coccolithophore and ciliate taxa, and phytoplankton-poor regions (second principal component), 3) differences in dominant phytoplankton and ciliate taxa among the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific oceans (third principal component) and 4) the occurrence of a diatom-dominated assemblage (the fourth principal component assemblage), including several pennate taxa, Planktoniella sol, Hemiaulus hauckii and Pseudo-nitzschia spp., in the divergence regions. Our findings indicate that consistent assemblages of co-occurring phytoplankton taxa can be identified and that their distribution is best explained by a combination in different degrees of both environmental and historical influences., This work was supported by Consolider-Ingenio 2010, CSD2008-00077 of the former Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (ES) (Now Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, www.mineco.gob.es); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) (ES)

Recent studies suggest that previous estimates of mesopelagic biomasses are severely biased, with the new, higher estimates underlining the need to unveil behaviourally mediated coupling between shallow and deep ocean habitats. We analysed vertical distribution and diel vertical migration (DVM) of mesopelagic acoustic scattering layers (SLs) recorded at 38 kHz across oceanographic regimes encountered during the circumglobal Malaspina expedition. Mesopelagic SLs were observed in all areas covered, but vertical distributions and DVM patterns varied markedly. The distribution of mesopelagic backscatter was deepest in the southern Indian Ocean (weighted mean daytime depth: WMD 590 m) and shallowest at the oxygen minimum zone in the eastern Pacific (WMD 350 m). DVM was evident in all areas covered, on average ~50% of mesopelagic backscatter made daily excursions from mesopelagic depths to shallow waters. There were marked differences in migrating proportions between the regions, ranging from ~20% in the Indian Ocean to ~90% in the Eastern Pacific. Overall the data suggest strong spatial gradients in mesopelagic DVM patterns, with implied ecological and biogeochemical consequences. Our results suggest that parts of this spatial variability can be explained by horizontal patterns in physical-chemical properties of water masses, such as oxygen, temperature and turbidity., SI

proyecto Malaspina-2010 (CSD2008-00077) del programa CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y proyecto EURO-BASIN (FP7-ENV-2010 264933) e Instituto Español de Oceanografia (IEO). C.M. recibió un contrato PFPI del IEO., The spatial variability of biomass and stable isotopes in plankton size fractions in the upper 200 m was studied in a high spatial resolution transect along 24°N from the Canary Islands to Florida to determine nitrogen and carbon sources. Vertical advection of waters predominated in lateral zones, while the central Atlantic (30–70°W) was characterized by strong stratification and oligotrophic surface waters. Plankton biomass was low in the central zone and high on both the eastern and the western sides, with most of the variability due to either large (>2000 µm) or small plankton (50% of organic nitrogen in the central zone, and even >30% in the eastern and the western zones. The impact of diazotrophy increased with the size of the organisms, supporting the wide participation of all trophic levels in the processing of recently fixed nitrogen. These results indicate that atmospheric sources of carbon and nitrogen prevail over deep water sources in the subtropical North Atlantic and that the zone influenced by diazotrophy is much larger than reported in previous studies., CONSOLIDER-INGENIO, 7FP, 1,7490

On October 10 2011 an underwater eruption gave rise to a novel shallow submarine volcano south of the island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. During the eruption large quantities of mantle-derived gases, solutes and heat were released into the surrounding waters. In order to monitor the impact of the eruption on the marine ecosystem, periodic multidisciplinary cruises were carried out. Here, we present an initial report of the extreme physical-chemical perturbations caused by this event, comprising thermal changes, water acidification, deoxygenation and metal-enrichment, which resulted in significant alterations to the activity and composition of local plankton communities. Our findings highlight the potential role of this eruptive process as a natural ecosystem-scale experiment for the study of extreme effects of global change stressors on marine environments.

High-resolution data collected southeast of the Canary Islands during late winter 2006 are analyzed to describe the hydrography and three-dimensional circulation in the coastal transition zone off NW Africa. The data are optimally interpolated over a regular grid, the geostrophic velocity field is calculated and the Q-vector formulation of the omega equation is used to compute the quasi-geostrophic (QG) mesoscale vertical velocity. The coastal transition zone is divided into upwelling, frontal and offshore regions with distinct physical and dynamic characteristics. The upwelling region is characterized by cold and weakly stratified waters flowing towards the equator, with a poleward undercurrent of approximately 0.05ms-1 over the continental slope. The frontal region exhibits a southwestward baroclinic jet associated with cross-shore raising isopycnals; the jet transport is close to 1Sv, with maximum velocities of 0.18ms-1 at surface decreasing to 0.05ms-1 at 300db. Vertical sections across the frontal region show the presence of deep eddies probably generated by the topographic blocking of the islands to the southward current, as well as much shallower eddies that likely have arisen as instabilities of the baroclinic upwelling jet. The QG mesoscale vertical velocity field is patchy, estimated to range from -18 to 12mday-1, with the largest absolute values corresponding to an anticyclonic eddy located south of Fuerteventura Island. These values are significantly larger than estimates for other vertical velocities: diapycnal vertical velocities associated with mixing in the frontal region (a few meters per day), and wind-induced vertical velocities (non-linear Ekman pumping arising from the interaction between the wind stress and the background vorticity, maximum values of a few meters per day; linear Ekman pumping due to the divergence of Ekman transport, a fraction of a meter per day; or the coastal constraint in the upwelling region, about 0.7mday-1). However, the patchiness in both the QG mesoscale vertical velocity and the non-linear Ekman pumping velocity cause their integrated vertical transports to be one order of magnitude smaller than either coastal Ekman transport (0.08Sv), integrated linear Ekman pumping (-0.05Sv) or diapycnal transfer (about 0.1-0.2Sv). The pattern of the near-surface fluorescence field is a good indicator of these different contributions, with large homogeneous values in the coastal upwelling region and a patchy structure associated with the offshore mesoscale structures. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd., This work has been supported by a grant from the Canary government to the first author and through the Spanish government project CONAFRICA (CTM2004-02319).

High spatial resolution hydrographic data, including Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP) measurements, were acquired along a meridional section at 24.5°W in October 2009. The data are analyzed in detail with the purpose of definitively defining and quantifying the zonal Azores Current System. The Azores Current and Azores Countercurrent are delimited, each extending meridionally for 110 km. The Azores Current is located between 33.5°N and 34.5°N, flanked to the north by the Azores Countercurrent (35.25°–36.25°N). Vertically, both currents reach the γn = 27.975 kg m−3 level (∼2000 m depth), their mass transports ranging across thermocline as well as intermediate layers. The Azores Current transports 13.9 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1 ≈ 109 kg s−1) eastward with its maximum associated with the Azores Front (33.75°N). The Azores Countercurrent flows below the surface, transporting 5.5 Sv westward. This contributes to a net eastward flow of 8.4 Sv across the section. At intermediate layers, the Azores Countercurrent transports mixed Mediterranean Water to the west, and the Azores Current transports mixed Sub-Arctic Intermediate Water to the east. Shipboard ADCP and satellite-derived geostrophic velocity are used to confirm the transports revealed by the hydrographic data., Sí

[1] Here we present results from sediment traps that separate particles as a function of their settling velocity, which were moored in the Canary Current region over a 1.5-year period. This study represents the longest time series using “in situ” particle settling velocity traps to date and are unique in providing year-round estimates. We find that, at least during half of the year in subtropical waters (the largest ocean domain), more than 60% of total particulate organic carbon is contained in slowly settling particles (0.7–11 m d−1). Analyses of organic biomarkers reveal that these particles have the same degradation state, or are even fresher than rapidly sinking particles. Thus, if slowly settling particles dominate the exportable carbon pool, most organic matter would be respired in surface waters, acting as a biological source of CO2 susceptible to exchange with the atmosphere. In the context of climate change, if the predicted changes in phytoplankton community structure occur, slowly settling particles would be favored, affecting the strength of the biological pump in the ocean.

15 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables, supporting information http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2010JC006161/suppinfo, One of the longest current meter time series in the Lanzarote Passage in the eastern boundary of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre has been used to determine and quantify the 9-year mean transport, the inter-annual and seasonal mass transport variability for the three water masses present in the area. Results show North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) flowing southward in the upper levels with a mean mass transport of -0.81 ± 1.48 Sv, Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) flowing northward at intermediate levels with a mean transport of +0.09 ± 0.57 Sv and Mediterranean Water (MW) flowing southward in the deep part of the passage with a mean transport of -0.05 ± 0.17 Sv. Harmonic and wavelet analysis show the presence of a seasonal pattern in the passage for the three water masses. A maximum southward transport in winter and spring has been observed for the NACW followed by a minimum in summer and fall. Near zero values during winter and spring are found for AAIW, with a maximum northward value in summer and a negative value in fall, when this water mass reverses its flow. MW has a similar seasonal pattern to NACW. The vertical structure in the Lanzarote Passage can be approximated by four significant oscillatory modes which cumulatively explain 86.4% of the variance. The strong transport fluctuation found at the seasonal and inter-annual timescales demonstrates that the Eastern Boundary Current transport has a strong impact on meridional overturning estimates, thus indicating that to understand Meridional Overturning Circulation variability, these transport estimates at the eastern Atlantic margin are necessary, This study has been performed as part of the Instituto Español de Oceanografía RAPROCAN Project, European Union through CANIGO (MAS‐CT96‐0060) project and the Spanish Ministry of Science though Argo‐Spain (ICTS‐2008‐14) and ORCA (CTM2005‐04701‐C02‐01) project

Strong interest in multidecadal changes in ocean temperature and heat transport has resulted in the occupation of the North Atlantic Ocean hydrographic transect along 24.5°N five times since 1957, more than any other transoceanic section in the world. This latitude is chosen because it is where the northward ocean transport of heat in the Atlantic reaches its maximum. An analysis of the five oceanographic cruises at this latitude shows that there has been a significant cooling of −0.15°C in the upper ocean (600–1800-dbar range) over the last 7 years, from 1998 to 2004, which is in contrast to the warming of 0.27°C observed from 1957 to 1998. Salinity shows a similar change in tendency, with freshening since 1998. For the upper ocean at 24.5°N, 1998 was the warmest and saltiest year since 1957. Data from the Argo network are used to corroborate the strong cooling and freshening since 1998, showing a −0.13°C cooling in the period between 1998 and 2006 and revealing interannual variability between 2005 and 2008 to be much smaller than the decadal variability estimated using the transect. The results also demonstrate that Argo is an invaluable tool for observing the oscillations in the tendencies of the ocean., Sí

[1] Based on hydrographic sections carried out during the last decade in the Canary region at 29° 10′N, we show that there has been a statistically significant rise in temperature and salinity on isobars between 1500 and 2300 db. The maximum increase, found at 1600 db, is occurring at a rate of 0.29°C and 0.047 per decade. Isobaric change decomposition into changes on neutral surfaces and changes due to the vertical displacement of the isoneutrals was performed. Results reveal that the lower part of North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) cooled and freshened on neutral surfaces, suggesting changes in the freshwater fluxes at the outcropping region. However, the signal in deep waters (1500–2300 db) was principally due to a downward displacement of the isoneutrals, although water mass modification is observed in the range of Mediterranean Water (MW) influence.