JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEAKCH, VOL. 100, NO. C9, PAGES 18,537-18,330, SEPTEMBER 15, 1995 Water mass characterislics and geostrophic circulation in the South Brazil Bight: Summer of 1991 J. D. Campos, J. E. Goncalves, and Y. Ikeda Institute Oceanugréfico, University of So Patil, Sio Paulo, Brasil Abstract. A hydrographic survey on board the German ship FS Vietor Hensen was carried out in Brazilian coastal waters between Santos (23°56'S) and Rio de Janeiro (22°54’S) from January 15 to January 22, 1991. Analyses of conductivi temperature-depth (CTD) data collected during Uis cruise show tat the geustrophic flow and water mass structure of the Brazil Current in that region have characteristics similar overall Ww those in the better observed Cabo Frio region. ‘The uppermost 200 im of the water column is dominated by the warm, highly saline Tropical Water flowing predominantly to the southwest. This flow direction appears to persist to approximately 900 m, the maximum depth reached by the CTD casts, The water lying between 250 and 750 m has the characteristics of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW). Below 750 m, down to 900 m, the water characteristics are those of Antarctic Intermediate Water. The thermohaline structure and geostrophic calculations indicate the presence of a meandering pattern, with a trough that appears to be the early stage of formation of a cold-core eddy over the upper slope region. ‘This feature extends from the surface down to approximately 500 m depth and is apparently associated with the intrusion of SACW onto the continental shelf. The geastrophic computations (with respect to two reference levels, 750) and 900 dhar) yield maximum current values in the range 0.6-0.7 m s~!. The southwestward volume transport, averaged over the entire domain, was approximately 7.3 Sv with respect to 750 dbar and 8.8, Sv with respect to 900 dbar. 1. Introduction Most of the observational work in the western eub- tropical South Atlantic, either by Brasilian or by inter- national oceanographers, has focused on the Cabo Frio region. ‘The high interest in this region is likely due to the intense upwelling observed there and to various other interesting characteristics, such as the strong hot- tom topography gradient, the relatively narrow contin- ental shelf, and the change in coastline direction from predominantly N-S to approximately E-W. According to these observational studies, the mass transport by the Brazil Current is much weaker than would be expected from the classical Sverdrup balance. ‘The equatorward drift in the interior of the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean would require, according to the ‘Sverdrup relation, a much stronger southward transport in the boundary current. For instance, computations by Evenson and Veronis [1985], based om the Hellerman ‘and Rosenstein [1983] wind stress curl distribution, in- dicate that as much as 30 Sv (30% 108 m8 s~") should flow in the Brazil Current near 30°S, and as much as 20 Copyright 1908 hy the American Geophysical Union. Paper number 951001724 (0148-0227/35/954C-01724805.00 Sv near 20°S. This current strength, however, is not con- firmed by hydrographic observations, by direct measure- rents, or by computations using inverse methods, Observations leading to transport cstimates have con centrated primarily on the arca between the Abrolhos| Bank and Rio de Jancito and between latitudes: 20°S ‘and 33°S. With the exception of a few direct current measurements by the Pegasus profiler [Evans and Si ‘gnorini, 1085], these volume transport estimates are based on geostrophic computations using hydrographic data collected by means of Nansen bottles or expenclahle bathytermograph (XBT) drops Signorini{1978] and Miranda and Castro Fulho (1981), based on historical hydrographic data, show that the total southward geostrophic transport in the Cabo Frio area is less than 10 Sv in the upper 600 m. Evans and Signorini (1985] made transport estimates, based both on hydrographic data and on results of direct measure- ments from the region between 19°S and 24°S. Using hydrographic dala, they fudl southward transports of| 3.8 Sv relative ty 500 m and 6.8 Sv relative to 1000 m, seawarl of the 200-m isobath. Making use of Pegasus observations, they estimate approximately 6 Sv above 400 m, seaward of the 200-m isobath, plus an additional 5 Sv relative to the flow inshore of the 200 m isobath. ‘They comment that this total of 11 Sv to the south is not significantly different from earlier ectimates, 1833718,538 Garfield {1990}, in what is probably the most thor- cough compilation of the information available to date, summarizes the estimates of the Hrasil Current trans. port (see ‘Table 1). On the hasix of these figures, 10 Sv would appear ta he an upper limit for the volume trans: port in the region between 20°S and 54S, With respect to the thermohaline structure, the clas: sical water mass analyses [Wist, 1935; Defant, 1941] portray a layered current system with warm surface wa- ter flowing to the south above successive layers of north- ward flowing Antarctic Intermediate Water (ATW), the southward flowing North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), and northward flowing Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) This idealized structure is well accepted loday, a least in a large-scale sense, Signorini (1976) shows Uvat in he region between Cabo de Si Tomé and Cabo Fri (22"-28.59S), the water mass structure consists of warm, high-salinity’ surface water in the upper 200 m (the ‘Tropical Water (TW)), South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) (T x 6°-18.5°C; S © 34.5 ~ 36.0) between 200 and 600 m, northward flowing AAIW below the SACW, and NADW flowing to the south beneath the AAIW. In spite of the convincing aspects of this classical portrayal, a controversy related to the direction of the AAIW flow along the Brazilian coast slill exists. Several authors feg., Buscuglia, 1971; Reid et al, 1977; Piola and Gordon, 1988] suggest that the AATW flows to the CAMPOS ET AL.; SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 north as far as the subtropical convergence zone, where it leaves the western boundary and circulates around the basin as part of the subtropical gyre. It is further sug- gested by these studies that at approximately 2S near the Brazilian coast, the ATW may bifurcate into north- ward and southward flowing branches. This controversy is still a matter of discussion. In this study we present some results of a hydro. _graphie survey in the context of the Joint Oceanographic Projects (JOPS) | (leg MAR 14), a component of the Brazil-Germany Agreement in Marine Sciences. This cruise, on board the German ship FS Victor Hensen, took place from Jamary 15 to 23, 1991, in the Brazilian coastal waters between Santos (23°56"S) and Rio de Janeiro (22°54'S), a region commonly called Santos Bight or South Brazil Bight. ‘The samp ducted along four transects (T1-T4) between the 100- ‘and 2400-m isobaths and along three sections parallel to the shelf break (P1-P3), as shown in Figure 1. ‘The FS Victor Hensen cruise in January of 1991 was the first oceanographic survey in Brazilian coastal wa- ters to produce a high-resolution study with a temperatu- re-salinity probe (wouluctivity-temperature-depth (OTD) profiler). This represents a very important contribution tu the understanding of the oceanic circulation in the re- gion between Santos and Riode Janeiro. Analyses of the data collected during that cruise yielded, among other ‘Table 1, Brazil Current Geostrophic Transport Estimates (After Garfield, 1990] *$' Deplly im Sy Veli T 5 rade and aro 19 500 53. 50 Buns et a. [1983] 20 4000 0 0 -Faftost] 20. 28 00/1000 5.8/6.8 92 Boans et al. [1983] a1 500 44 G1 Brame eta. 980) 2 500-1300 52 19 Signorini 1978] 2B 500-1300 44 52 Signorini [1978] 2s 400 11 50 Beans and Signorini [1985] a 6 7 Garfield (1990) 2 00/1300 10.1/10.9 ‘Stramaaa (196) 28, 30" 500/130 80 75 Signorini [1978] Pr 1300 75 2 Fisher [1964] Pt 30 Lueaemuarn and Rock (1971) 24 35 Reid etal. [1977] u 500-1300 14.0 62 Signorin [1978] 4 00/1000 4.1/7.8 31 Beans ot al. [1985] 24 60/1300 9.4/1041 Strammn (1989) u 4000 30 Fu [1981] 24, 30° 500-1300 13.2 68 Signorini [1078] cy 4000 6 Fuss) 23, 30° 4000, a Bu [1981] (Meteor 28, 30° 4000, 20 Fa [1981] (Meteo 2830 19D LL 7 Fisher (1968) 31 8 80 Garfield [1990] 3 1700 147 BM Fisher (1964) 2 1000 18 Beans et al. [1983] 2 1600 19.2/13.8, Stramma (1980) a 1600 122 Stenmma [1989] 3 1400 19 Gordon anel Greengrove [1986] 38 1500 215 Gordon [1086]CAMPOS ET AL.: SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 ings, « more reliable representation of the water mass structure and of the geustrophie circulation in that part of the Santos Dight. Some of the results of preliminary analyses focusing on the thermohaline structure are discussed by Campos ct al. [1994], who also describe in detail the methods used in calibration of the instruments, in data acqi tion, and in quality control. Here, in addition to a brief eummary of the methodology and of the water mass dis- tribution, we also discuss the reeults of the geostrophic computations carried out at the Oceanographic Institute of the University of So Paulo, This article ir based on ‘a more extensive study with the FS Victor Hensen data (Goncalves, 1993} 2, Methodology ‘The data discussed in this article are a set of temper- alure (T) and salinity (S) vertical profiles collected at each of the stations indicated in Figure 1. The data was collected with a Sea Bird CTD and with XBTs launched between each pair of CTD stations with water depths ‘equal (o or greater than 500 m. In this article, however, culy the CTD data set is analyze. The spacing betwe two successive CTD stations was 18.5 ku. AC sume of the CTD stations, Nansen bottles equipped with revers- ing thermometers were used to collect samples in order to check the accuracy of the data acquired with the OTD. 18,599 After rigorous quality testing (Following, World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) specifications), as de- seribed by Campos et ul. [1994], the geostrophic. com- ulations were carried out and several plots were pro- duced, showing the horizontal and vertical distributions of T and §, the structure of the related density (in fact, the density anomaly 7), and the geostrophic velocity field ‘An attempt to estimate a “level of no motion” for cal- cculating the geostrophie velocities and associated volume transport. wae made, based on the Defant method de- scribed by Fomin [1964, pp. 139-148]. This method suggests that the reference level should he located in regions where the differences in the dynamic depths of neighboring stations are constant. Figure 2 shows these differences in AD, plotted against depth, for several pairs of adjoining stations. Most of these lines are nearly vertical in the region between 750 and 900 m. Owing to this lack of definition and also to the presence of a monotonic isopycnal tilt in the density transect favoring southward flow down to 900 m, the geostrophic compu- ‘ations were done with respect to both 750 and 900 dar. In addition, the use of two reference levels can provide an indirect way of verifying dhe direction of flow i the layer in between. Since dhe 750- aud 900-Ubar isobars intersect the continental margin, in the geostrophic com- putations the reference levels for the shallower regions weic extrapolated according to the method described by 960 / ST / Nowe 2 6 / wey ty J) 0 smite ar Figure 2s + Geographical location of the 58 comductivity-temperature-deplh (CTD) stations during. the MARI cruise on board the German ship FS Vietor Henscn.18,540 CAMPOS BT AL.; SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 Difference in dynamic depth anomaly B ot Depth ( door ) Lo oS 2004 poe or 3 400+ { £ ¢ 600 3 800 7 Figure 2. Differences in dymaunic depth anomaly for (a) 10 pairs aud (L) 11 pairs uf ueighburing, stations (numbers at the top). Between 750 and 900 dbar most ofthe curves show an approximately ronstant behavior with depth, indicative of a “level of na mation” in the layer in between Fomin {1964, pp 149-160). This allowed for the caleula- tion of geostrophie velocities in regions where the local depths were shallower than 7A(] ar UO m up to the shelf break (2000 m) 8, The Thermohaline Structure ‘The vertical structures of temperature, sali deusity anomaly 79 along each transect. Th ures 3-6) show stratification ‘oceanic part of the domain), as expected fur the austral summer conditions. From the vertical temperature and salinity profiles one can scc that the TW (water with temperatures above 18.5%C and salinity values greater than 36) over the continental shelf doce not extend down to the bottom. Over the continental shelf the temperat ure decreases to about 16°C or even lower at the bottom, where salinity has values less than 36, ‘These are char- acteristics of the SACW, usually found below 200 m in the oceanic region beyond the shelf break. Below 200 m the stratification appears to he weaker, with temperature varying from approximately 1X °C at ‘2011 m to about fC: at 7501 m depth for the deeper sta- tions. ‘The salinity between these depths varies from about 36.0 to approximately 34.5. Accepting these as, limiting values for the SACW, the interface between the ‘SACW and the AAIW should then be located at a depth of 750 m. This suggestion of 750 m as the level for the interface between the SACW ancl the AAIW is rei forced by the ‘T-S diageain shown in Pigure 7 ation with vertical profiles of 7@. A salinity minimum reached where 7p ranges between 27.0 kg m= and 27.5 kg m= at depths of approximately 700-800 m. In the T-S diagram one can detect an increase in variab ility at 16°C. This io likely due to the fact that Figure 7 is composite of the T'S diagrams of all stations. Obviously, owing to local influences, the T-S character- istics of the 16°C waters over the continental shelf are slightly different from those of waters having, the same temperature in the deeper oceanic region. RegardingCAMPOS EP AL, the surprising increase in ‘T-S variability in the neigh- borhood of the salinity minimmm below 6°C:, we have no, plausible explanation. Nevertheless, the T-S diagram of Figure 7 agrees quite well with the classic T-S curve for the South Atlantic. 4, The Brazil Current ‘The horizontal distribution of temperature and salin ity at the surface and at depths of 100, 200, and 500 m ia chown in Figures 8 and 9. The Brasil Current intru sion over the continental shelf in the region of trancects 'T3 and T4 is confirmed in Figures 8 and 9. In fact, this intrusion appears to be associated with the mean. dering of the current, which shows a well-pronounced trough, suggesting the heginning of formation of a cold- care orldy ‘The center of the ascnciated enld dame ie located approximately on the second transect (T2). ‘The presence of this cyclonic circulation is also indicated by the vertical profiles for T2 shown in Figure 4. AA satellite image of the sea surface temperature in ‘a portion of the South Atlantic, including the northern part of the region surveyed during the FS Vielor Hensen Cruise, is shown in Plate 1 (provided by O. Brown, Ru- senstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the University of Miami). Obtained on January 21, 1991, the image clearly shows the Brazil Current (red) and the relatively cooler shelf and coastal waters along a con- siderable extent of the Brazilian coastline. It should be noticed that in and to the north of the Cabo Prio region, even though the continental shelf is much narrower, the Brazil Current is farther offshore. South of Cabo Frio, however, despite the much wider shelf, the red area in- dicating the Hrazil Current. 18 closer to the shoreline, confirming the intrusion of the cn ental shelf in this region The meandering pattern of the Brazil Current, as sug- gested by the FS Victor Hensen data, is also evident from the satellite image. It is notable to see that, in spite of the less than perfect agreement with the form of the surface horizontal temperature distribution from the hydrographic data (Figure 8a), (he meandering pattern W Use west of Cabo Priv, ay seen from space, is very similar to the one suggested by the dynamic height plot for the surface (Figure Ia). rent onto the eomtin- 5. Shelf break Upwelling Im the Sonth Brazil Bight the wind direction is pre- dominantly from the northeast (ie., upwelling favor- able) all yearround, the exception being a reversal of direction during the passage of cold fronts. The pre- dominance of northeasterlies especially holds during the summer, when very few cold fronts with strength enough to cause considerable change in the wind direction reach the region. During dhe cruise reported here there was no significant change in dhe predominant northeasterly direction of the wind. Unfortunately, all of the hydeo- graphic transects were in water deeper than 100 m, SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 18,941 much too far ftom the shore to document wind-driven ‘coastal upwelling. ‘A well-known aspect of the summertime circulation in the Cabo Frio and Santos Bight regions is the frequent intrusion of SACW onto the continental shelf (Miranda, 1985]. This intrusion, in combination with the wis induced coastal upwelling, represents a very important mechanism for providing nutrient- aud oxygen-rich war 200 VHS fan/16 29/08 [visser TRUPRRATURE (C) 0&6) me 00s ie VHS an/16-22/08 fvussecl SALINITY (PSU) 0 85 6D 78 10025180176 VHS Ian /18-22/01 VESSSUCL DENSITY (sgma-t) a 12009 as 60-75 «100 «15 «1607S BOOBS Figure 3. Vertical profiles of (a) temperature T, (b) salinity S, and (c) density 4 along the first transversal section of Figure 1 (Tl)VHS fea/16 90/01 Jon/18-22/91 VHS tan/16-22/01 (HSSEC2 DENSITY (sama) 100195 ~ Hea, 160175200 25 Figure 4. Vertical profiles of (a) T, (b) $, and (¢) 7¢ along the second transversal section of Figure 1 (T2) Oe ters to the surface layers of the continental shelf between the coastline and the 100-tn isobath. This SACW ii was detected during Une PS Victor Iensen cruise It is clear from the data iat dhe mesoscale variability (meanders and eddies) in the Brazil Current. plays ant important role in the upwelling mechanistn. ‘The role of the western boundary current (WBC) me anders in the shelf break upwelling system, aecurding to CAMPOS ET AL. SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT. SUMMER OF 1991 Osgood et ul, [1987], van be understood as fellows. The trough of « sealer consists of a cyclonically (clock- wise in the southern hemisphere) rotating dome of cold tupwelled waler which lies between the western bound. ‘ary current and the continental slope. ‘This dome io tot a slalic feature. Rather, it moves with the meander (in fact, it can be considered a part of the meander), oo se ae soot \ ae VHS san/16-2201 Fvasseca wuNITY (PSU) 100138 1000 b oo ido 1s BtoB VHS ton/26. e201 fyagsera nese (sterme-t) = ren 0 abo 7810018 TeO TTS BO aay Figure 5. Vertical profiles of (a) T; (b) $, and (c) 1» eee ee ee ade) ar Hire 1 etd)CAMPOS EV AL: SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 200) 600] 0 aS 80S 100 tas iso ~1000-V HS Jan /18-22/01 e Fvassece sauniry «pst “1005 ae Go 7 100 125 160 178 ado 228, 200 Hee gn 18-22/91 WHSSECH DEsTY (cama) nO 1200, ses Figure 6. Vertical profiles of (a) T, (b) $, and (c) along the fourth transversal section of Figure 1 (14). and its water is continually exchanged due to upwelling ‘on the leading edge of the dome and downwelling on its trailing edge. Ahead of the cold dome the leading portion of the WBC meander is flowing poleward and shoreward and propagating poleward. This induces up- welling just equatorward of this part of the meander, i.e., in the leading edge of the cold dome. The oppos 13,363 ite happens on the trailing edge of the dome, where the WBC is flowing offshore, ‘The operation of this mechanisun is suggested by the vertical profiles of temperature and salinity presented in Uhis study. For iustance, the 16°C isotherm and the 35.6 isohaline in the frst transect (T1) appear in re- latively shallow regions of the continental shelf. This is confirmed by Figures 10a and 10b, which show the depth of the 16°C isotherm and of the 35.6 icohaline, respectively. At the farthest inshore station of TI, for example, the 16°C temperature was found at about 50 m depth. It is clear in the second transect (T2) (Figure 4) that while water with temperature lower than 16°C can still be seen over the continental shelf, it is disconnected from water of equal temperature in the deeper ocean. ‘This discontinuity occurs around the shelf break same discontinuity appears in the next transect. (1'3) but not in transect ‘I, where the 16*C: isoline appears to be continnans, As seen clearly in the horizontal plot (Figure 10), the center of a trough is located approximately over ‘T2. Thus, according to the conceptual model described above, there should be upwelling in the leading edge of the cold dome, near transect TI, and downwelling in its trailing edge, between transects T2 and T3. ‘The sane structure appears to occur for a secon trough begin ning over transect T4, where the connectiou betmeen waters from the deeper ocean and from the continental shelf again suggests upwelling. Note that the 16°C iso- therm and the 35.6 isohaline are shallower ahcad of the cold dome and deeper behind it (Figure 10) ‘The location of the discontinuity of the 16°C isotherm in the trailing part of a cyclonic meander (crest) cannot, be a coincidence. Rather, it is an indication that the meandering of the Brazil Current near the shelf break region indeed plays an important role in the mechan- jcatter diagram showing the 'T-S profile for Figure 7. all stalious.Figure 8. Horizontal distribution of temperature at (a) 0, (b) 100, (c) 200m, and (4) 500 m. jem of intrusion (and retention) of the SACW onto the continental chelf. Ahead of a cyclonic cold dome, the isotherms are raised (upwelling) and the croes-isobath flow is onshore. In the trailing part of the cold dome the isotherms are deeper (downwelling) and the cross isobath flow is offshore. ‘Thus one would expect that on the poleward edge of the cold dor welled by the meandering mechar the continental shelf, while on the equatorward edge of the cold dome, shelf water is pumped offshore. Given vis. Jon - 191, yd a ig” oe = nel Baas” ta mn a b Figure 9. Horizontal distribution of salinity (a) 0, (b) 100, (c) 200, and (a) 500 1.CAMPOS ET AL.: SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 18,545 “8 a3 as ts tai 82qg3 aa ai a ai Figure 9. (continued) Plate 1. Sea surface temperature in western Brazil basin from 22° to 24.5°S, Satellite picture was provided by O. Brown ofthe Ronen School of Marine and Atmospheric Scece, University of iami.Figure 10. Depth of the 16°C isotherm (a) and of the 35.6 isohaline (b). ‘The dashed line is the 200'm isobath. The isotherms and isohalines are shallower between TI and 2 than between T2 Figure 11. Dynamic height at (a) 0, (b) 100, (c) 200, and (2) 500 m relative to 750 dbar.CAMPOS ET AL.: SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 VHS 800 vussec1 (0 900 db) Geostrophic Velocity’ (mm/s) 1000 VHS VHssRe2 (0-900 dh) Geoatrophle Velocity’ (m/s) 1000 19.507 600 1000 Figure 12. Geostrophic flow across transect, (a) T1, (b) T2, (c) T3, and (d) T4. Numbers across the top indicate the hydrographic stations ( that such meanders propagate poleward, it would be ex- pected that the trailing crest, which corresponds to an intrusion of the Brazil Current over the shelf, would block this return flow, thus trapping the upwelled water ‘on the inshore side of the current. 6. The Inferred Geostrophic Circulation ‘As suggested by the horizontal distributions of T and SS (Figures 8 and 9), the circulation in the upper 200 m appears to be dominated by strong meandering, with the presence of two troughs. One trough is barely crossed by the last transect (Td). ‘The other is more evident, with the center located over the second transect (2). “The signatire of these two meanders ean alsa he seen in the vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, and density, especially near 200 m depth (Figures 4 and 6). ‘The geostrophic circulation, as indicated hy the dy- namic height relative to 900-m isobath, is shown in Fig- igure 1), Solid lines represent velocities to the SW. ures La-I1d for the surface and for the depths of 100, 200, and 00:m. In all four it is possible to see the Brazil Current flowing roughly parallel to the 200-m isobath, with a meandering pattern, suggesting « significant in- trusion onto the continental shelf in the region between the second and fourth transecta (T2 and 4). This flow pattern io in good agreement. with that euggected by the horisontal distributions of temperature and salinity. Both of the eyclonie troughs, crossed by the T2 and T4, are evident in the dynamic height figures. ‘The geostrophic velocity fields across transects T1— "TA, shown in Figure 12, were calculated relative to 900) bar (approximately 900 m). Since this level is rmich deeper than the continental shelf, the method indicated above was used for extrapolating the reference level to shallower regions, in order to calenlate the geostrophic velocities over the micslope and shelf break. In Fig- ure 12 the solid lines indicate velocities to the SW. and dashed lines, velocities to the NE. Across TI the flow isCAMPOS ET AL: — c -200 ~400 -s00 ~aoa - VIS \vecsecs (0-000) IGevatroptie Velocity” (m/s) 20 400 SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 “ Ato 200 ~400 -w00 =A00 200 400 600 600 VHS “P00 vussace (0 900 ab) 70 Geostropnle Velocity” (m/s) 1000 1000 predominantly to the SW, with maximum valucs of the ‘Across the second transect (T2) a in agreement with the cyclonic meander suggested in the temperature and salinity profiles and in the dynamic height plots. Velo- cites across ‘12 reach values up to 0.60 m s~!. Across the third transect, as for the first, no significant velocit- Jes to the NE: are found. Aceoss the final section (4) there is again no noticeable flow to the NB, perhaps due to the fact that the region is only on the equat- orward side of the crest between the two troughs (and ahead of the leading edge of the associated cold dome). In Figures 124-124, the presence of a relatively strong flow to the SW is clear, representing if not the entire width of the Drazil Current, then cousderable frac- tion thereof. ‘The pattern of the flow suggests hat he order of 0.4 me! ‘eyclonie circulation is evident. Thi northeasterly current is relatively weak to the region sampled. Figure 12, (continued) Volume transports rclative to 750 and 900 dbar were computed for each transect. ‘The values of the trane- port, integrated over the entire area of the sections, are shown in Figure 13. Relative to 750 dbar, these values vary from approximately 6.1 to 8.2 Sv, with an average value of 7.3 Sv for the entire domain. With respect to ‘400 dbar the computation yielded values varying from, 7. to 10.6 Sv, with an average of 8.8 Sv. These values are in agreement with the suggestion by earlier authors [Miranda and Castro Fitho, 1981; Evans und Signorini, [1985] that the transport in the Cabo Frio region should not be greater than 10 Sv. It should be pointed out that even though the four transects discussed here did re width of the Brazil Current, must of uel inside the region studied. ‘Thus the above values are an acceptable indication of the actual volume of water transported by the Drazil Current that area, the east ofCAMPOS ET AL.: SOUTH BRAZIL BIGHT: SUMMER OF 1991 Figure 13. Bar charts of geostrophic transport across the four transversal sections of Figure 1 at (top) 0-900 dbar and (bottom) 0-750 dbar 7. Conclusions ‘The water mass structure of the Kranil Current region between Rio de Janeiro and Santos, hased on the ana- Iysis carried out in this stndy, has characteristics sim- ilar to those of the better observed Cabo Frio region. In the oceanic region (beyond the shelf break) the upper- most, 2 m is dominated by warm, highly saline water (1'W) flowing predominantly to the southwest, but with ‘a pronounced departure from the along-isobath direc- tion. ‘The overall southwestward direction of the flow seems to persist to depths down to approxitnately 900 m, The water lying between 200 and 750 mt has the characteristics of SACW. Below 750 m, dowu to 900- 950 m (the maximum depth reached in this study), the ‘water mass characteristics were found to be those of the Antarctic Intermediate Water. ‘Water mass analyses, based on T-S diagrams, indicate that the thermohaline structure in the study region is, very similar w Utat of the Cabo Frio regiou. Plots of the vertical and horizontal profiles of temperature, salinity, 18,509 and density anvily show strong stratification in the upper 200 mn and an indication of the outcropping of the seasonal thermocline over the continental shelf, ‘A strong meandering of the Brazil Current, with a well-defined trough located over the upper continental slope, appears to be reeponeible for the intrusion of SACW onto the continental shelf. A conceptual model suggests that the cyclonic circulation of these meanders may be an important factor in modifying the mechanism that drives the shelf break upwelling of SACW into shal- lower coastal regions. Despite limited data our analyses suggest that the combination of near-shore wind-driven ‘upwelling and deeper shelf break upwelling may be re- sponsible for the transport of nutrient-rich SACW from, regions deeper than 200 m to the shallower parts of the continental shelf near the coast. ‘The results of geostrophic computations indicate that the direction of flow near the continental slope remains poleward down to approxisnately 900 11 and that the cal- culated transport values are comparable to those found in the literature. The results also confirm the hypotl that AATW flows poleward at latitudes south of 22 Acknowledgments. ‘The authors expross their gratit tude ta the sponsors and organizers of the Brazian Ger- man Victor Hensen Program - Juint Oceanographic Pro- jects (JOPS 1); to the Secretaria da Comissio Interminis- terial para os Kecursos do Mar (SeCIRM); to the Gon- sell Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico © Teenoligico (CNPq); to the crew of the FS Vietor Heneen: ta the coparti- Cipants at the Institute flr Meereskunde an der Universitat zz Kiel (IOM-Kiel), and to all in the Instituto Oceanogréfico 4a Universidade de Sia Paulo (IOUSP) who assisted in the present work, We especially Wiank the Pundagio de Am- paro & Pesquisa do Eetado de Sio Paulo (PAPESP), which, trough grant. 92/1196-8, provided part of the computer s¥S- tem uliliaed during the data processing and preparation of, thie article, ‘The satellite data utilized for processing, Plate were collected by the Servicio de Hidrografia Naval of die ‘Atgentine Navy, as part of an agrecment with the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University fof Miami. 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Eraficn, 191, Cidade lIniversitéria - Rutan, San Paulo, SP, Brazil, 05508-900. (e-mail: edmo@vortex.i.usp-br) (Received Octaher 4, 1900; revised Qetaher 18, 1994; accepted May 11, 1995.)