Current, Pressure and Temperature data from the Gulf Stream; IES Data in the Central and Inlet Array from SYNOP Experiment

These instruments were in place from October 1987 to September 1990. The Central Array had two different deployment configurations, but the largest and longest configuration consisted of 24 IESs, 12 of which included bottom pressure gauges. The Central Array also included 12 tall current meter moorings, each with four levels (400, 700, 1000, and 3500 m) instrumented.

Three of the moorings had upward-looking acoustic doppler current profilers with pressure and temperature sensors mounted above the topmost current meter. This configuration remained in place from May 1988 to August 1990. One of the most interesting findings of this experiment was the presence of strong deep cyclones and anitcyclones beneath the Gulf Stream.

The spin-up of the deep flow field occurred during the passage of steep meander crests and troughs of the Gulf Stream. The velocities at 3500 m depth often were as high as 35-40 cm/s during these strong events. While strong velocities had previously been observed under the Gulf Stream, the association of these strong velocities with an organized deep flow field was not understood prior to the SYNOP observations.