Summary.
Influence of Amazon discharge on the Western Tropical Atlantic.
Observations were made of temperature, salinity, currents and meteorology in the ocean off the northern coast of South America, during autumn 1970 and spring 1971.
The observed salinity distributions in the surface layer reflect the seasonal variation in the trade winds.
Besides, very strong vertical current shear waS found over the layer between surface and halocline. A rough estimate for the horizontal
4 2 X 10
5
m2 s-1lateral exchange-coefficient is 1. to _ being of the same order of magnitude as the values reported for the Gulf Stream.
Large scale movements of the water have been traced by drift bottle experiments; recoveries were reported from the northern coast of South America, from Central America and from North America.
An estimate is made of the fresh water flux of the Amazon that passes along the coast. There are no indications to conclude to an intermittent fresh water flow.