FY 1989

A dynamical interpretation of the tritium maximum in the central equatorial Pacific

McPhaden, M.J., and R.A. Fine

J. Phys. Oceanogr., 18(10), 1454–1457, doi: 10.1175/1520-0485(1988)018<1454:ADIOTT>2.0.CO;2 (1988)

The tropical tritium distribution between 1974 and 1981 is characterized by a maximum along the equator centered between 125° and 145°W. It signifies that this region has received the maximum input of high northern latitude water. A dynamical interpretation of the maximum shows that it can be explained by the strength of the Sverdrup circulation in the central equatorial Pacific where there is a strong zonal convergence in the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) and a strong meridional geostrophic flow towards the equator.