Comparative studies of the spreading of Mediterranean water through the Gulf of Cadiz

A comparative study is made of observations and model results of the spreading of Mediterranean Water (MW) from the Strait of Gibraltar through the Gulf of Cadiz past Cape St. Vincent into the eastern North Atlantic. The observations include a set of hydrographic sections from west of Gibraltar to offshore of Lisbon, the tracking of RAFOS floats, and current-meter data. The model is a very fine resolution limited-area model of the region around Cape St. Vincent and includes model floats. Both the observational data and the model results show the MW descending into two distinct layers around 800 and 1200 m depth in the Gulf of Cadiz. As the MW leaves the slope, meddies are generated and have been tracked by the RAFOS floats and can be seen in the paths of the model floats.