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Westward modification of Caribbean through-flow water mass structure.

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Title: Westward modification of Caribbean through-flow water mass structure.
Authors: Gradone, Joseph C.1 (AUTHOR) jgradone@marine.rutgers.edu, Wilson, W. Douglas2 (AUTHOR), Glenn, Scott M.1 (AUTHOR), Miles, Travis N.1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Deep-Sea Research Part I, Oceanographic Research Papers. Nov2025, Vol. 225, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Water masses, Salinity, Ocean temperature, Ocean circulation, Ecological impact, Ocean currents
Geographic Terms: Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, North Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean
Abstract: The Caribbean Through-Flow (CTF) is a critical chokepoint for North and South Atlantic waters that form the North Atlantic western boundary current system and the upper ocean limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. While the circulation and energetics of the CTF have been well studied, its water mass transformations remain poorly constrained. Using over 7700 Argo float profiles from 2014 to 2024, we document a prominent westward modification in water mass structure across the Caribbean Sea. From the eastern to western Caribbean, we observe systematic increases in ocean heat content, a deepening of isopycnals, and a freshening and deepening of the subsurface salinity maximum. These changes result in a net mid-depth (∼50–500 m) density reduction of 0.40 ± 0.27 kg m-3. We hypothesize that regional variations in mesoscale eddy activity, complex bathymetry, and meridional wind stress curl gradients drive this transformation. The resulting water mass structure has critical implications for regional climate, weather, ecosystems, and sea level rise, as it modifies the density and stratification of source waters entering the Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic western boundary current system. Our findings highlight the importance of internal Caribbean processes in shaping upper-ocean heat and salt transport in the Atlantic and underscore the need for sustained in situ observations in the region and targeted modeling analyses of the underlying modification processes. • Water mass structure is modified moving westward across the Caribbean Sea. • The subsurface salinity maximum freshens and deepens moving westward across the Caribbean Sea. • The Caribbean eddy field, wind stress curl field, and complex bathymetry likely drive this regional water mass modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Deep-Sea Research Part I, Oceanographic Research Papers is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 188879414
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
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  Data: Westward modification of Caribbean through-flow water mass structure.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gradone%2C+Joseph+C%2E%22">Gradone, Joseph C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jgradone@marine.rutgers.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wilson%2C+W%2E+Douglas%22">Wilson, W. Douglas</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Glenn%2C+Scott+M%2E%22">Glenn, Scott M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miles%2C+Travis+N%2E%22">Miles, Travis N.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Deep-Sea+Research+Part+I%2C+Oceanographic+Research+Papers%22">Deep-Sea Research Part I, Oceanographic Research Papers</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 225, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caribbean+Sea%22">Caribbean Sea</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gulf+of+Mexico%22">Gulf of Mexico</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caribbean%22">Caribbean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22North+Atlantic+Ocean%22">North Atlantic Ocean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Atlantic+Ocean%22">Atlantic Ocean</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The Caribbean Through-Flow (CTF) is a critical chokepoint for North and South Atlantic waters that form the North Atlantic western boundary current system and the upper ocean limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. While the circulation and energetics of the CTF have been well studied, its water mass transformations remain poorly constrained. Using over 7700 Argo float profiles from 2014 to 2024, we document a prominent westward modification in water mass structure across the Caribbean Sea. From the eastern to western Caribbean, we observe systematic increases in ocean heat content, a deepening of isopycnals, and a freshening and deepening of the subsurface salinity maximum. These changes result in a net mid-depth (∼50–500 m) density reduction of 0.40 ± 0.27 kg m-3. We hypothesize that regional variations in mesoscale eddy activity, complex bathymetry, and meridional wind stress curl gradients drive this transformation. The resulting water mass structure has critical implications for regional climate, weather, ecosystems, and sea level rise, as it modifies the density and stratification of source waters entering the Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic western boundary current system. Our findings highlight the importance of internal Caribbean processes in shaping upper-ocean heat and salt transport in the Atlantic and underscore the need for sustained in situ observations in the region and targeted modeling analyses of the underlying modification processes. • Water mass structure is modified moving westward across the Caribbean Sea. • The subsurface salinity maximum freshens and deepens moving westward across the Caribbean Sea. • The Caribbean eddy field, wind stress curl field, and complex bathymetry likely drive this regional water mass modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Deep-Sea Research Part I, Oceanographic Research Papers is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=188879414
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.dsr.2025.104581
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Water masses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Salinity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean temperature
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean circulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecological impact
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean currents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Caribbean Sea
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gulf of Mexico
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Caribbean
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: North Atlantic Ocean
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Atlantic Ocean
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Westward modification of Caribbean through-flow water mass structure.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Gradone, Joseph C.
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            NameFull: Wilson, W. Douglas
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            NameFull: Glenn, Scott M.
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            NameFull: Miles, Travis N.
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09670637
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            – Type: volume
              Value: 225
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Deep-Sea Research Part I, Oceanographic Research Papers
              Type: main
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