Deep-water renewal in a Scottish fjord: temperature, salinity and oxygen isotopes

[摘要] The sea lochs (fjords) of north-west Scotland are located in a region of Europe particularly well situated to monitor changes in westerly air streams. The moisture transported in these air streams has a profound effect on regional precipitation, freshwater run-off and, in turn, sea loch circulation. The gentle slope of the regional salinity:δ18O mixing-line, defined as 0.18 ‰ per salinity unit, suggests that the temperature: δ18O relationship may be readily resolved in these coastal waters. Deep-water renewal events, both observed and predicted from empirical models, in the bottom-waters of Loch Etive provide an opportunity to assess the temperature, salinity and δ18O relationship. Predicted changes in δ18Ocalcite as a function of changing salinity (ΔS) and changing temperature (ΔT) during deep-water renewal events suggest that >80% fall above analytical detection limits. The theoretical likelihood of recording such renewal events in the “palaeoclimate” record appears to be promising, but temperature and ...

[学科分类] 自然科学（综合）