3.5. Eddy water mass variability detected in the Argo data
The SSHA analysis during summer for the period 2004–2012
showed several cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in the STF region
(Fig. 6) which confirms that eddies (cyclonic/anticyclonic) are
persistent feature in this region. In order to confirm the AAIW
freshening in the eddy regions, we used the autonomous CTD
profiling floats of the Argo program available in the STF region
The
location of Argo floats obtained from the CEs and ACEs from 2004
to 2012 are shown in Fig. 6a and b (black dots). Fig. 7a and b shows
the water mass characteristics detected in the Argo profiles from
the CEs and ACEs regions, respectively. As observed in our study,
large changes in the water mass characteristics from the mean was
also noticed in the Argo profiles. The freshening of the intermediate
waters in both CEs and ACEs were also well evident in the
number of Argo float derived hydrography presented here. Therefore,
the property of freshening of the AAIW in both the CE and
ACE is consistently seen in a larger number of profiles sampling
as well.