In October and early November 1999, the GOGP99 experiment collected hydrological, currentmeter, tide recorder, thermistor and drifting buoy data near the Strait of Hormuz. Data analysis provides the water mass structure in the Strait: Persian Gulf Water (PGW) core is banked against the Omani coast, while Indian Ocean Surface Water (IOSW) lies near the Iranian coast. These water masses are most often covered by a homogeneous surface layer. Thermohaline characteristics of the PGW core decrease substantially downstream, from the Persian/Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. PGW and IOSW thermohaline characteristics and distribution also exhibit notable changes at periods shorter than a month as shown by repeated hydrological sections. The tidal signal measured... |