Objective 1: Large scale monitoring and quantification of surface, mode and intermediate waters mass transport and ventilation in the southern hemisphere south of South Africa. Particular emphasis will be given to AAIW, SAMW and to the water properties of Agulhas rings and Cape Basin mesoscale structures. Coordination with L Beal project will also provide insight in transport of NADW via deep eddies.
Objective 2: Monitoring and quantification of meso and submesoscale cross-slope exchanges near the Agulhas Bank, with focus on Agulhas Current cyclones, and their impact on large-scale structure of water masses, tracer distribution and circulation.
Objective 3: Determination of the distributions of selected trace elements and isotopes (TEIs), evaluation of the sources and sinks of selected TEIs, and characterisation of the biogeochemical processes involved in the internal cycling of TEIs and carbon in the study area.