Deep and bottom water characteristics in the Owen Fracture Zone, Western Arabian Sea

Abstract

Hydro chemical studies at a station (10 degrees 34.l'N,56 degrees 31,7'E) in the Owen Fracture zone reveal an active movement of bottom water as approx 75 m thick, cold, low-salinity layer. Silicate profile exhibits a broad maximum coinciding with a salinity maximum at about 3 km depth in conformity with earlier results. Within the benthic layer, an increase in AOU is observed associated with minor increases in nutrients, presumably due to the oxidation of particulate organic matter sinking from the surface layer