Effects of a Cold-Air Outbreak on Shelf Waters of the Gulf of Mexico

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Abstract
Two surveys of the waters over an area of the continental shelf in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were made during January 1966. The first observation period was just before a major outbreak of cold, dry air; the second was about 15 days later with the region still under the influence of this outbreak. Waters were well mixed to 100 m, or the bottom in shallower depths. During the 15-day period temperature decreased nearly 5C and salinity increased about 1‰ near the shore. Some 150 mi offshore, temperature decreased only 1–2C and salinity showed no significant change. Study of the change in T-S relationships before and after the outbreak indicates the strong possibility that subsurface water types generally found beneath the Subtropical Underwater core in the Gulf were formed locally over the shelf by evaporation and sensible heat exchange to the atmosphere. For the period between observations, the mean rates of change of vertically-averaged salinity, temperature and heat content were computed. N... Abstract Two surveys of the waters over an area of the continental shelf in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were made during January 1966. The first observation period was just before a major outbreak of cold, dry air; the second was about 15 days later with the region still under the influence of this outbreak. Waters were well mixed to 100 m, or the bottom in shallower depths. During the 15-day period temperature decreased nearly 5C and salinity increased about 1‰ near the shore. Some 150 mi offshore, temperature decreased only 1–2C and salinity showed no significant change. Study of the change in T-S relationships before and after the outbreak indicates the strong possibility that subsurface water types generally found beneath the Subtropical Underwater core in the Gulf were formed locally over the shelf by evaporation and sensible heat exchange to the atmosphere. For the period between observations, the mean rates of change of vertically-averaged salinity, temperature and heat content were computed. N...

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