Abstract

SALAS-PEREZ, J. J.  and  ARENAS-FUENTES, V.. Winter water mass of the Veracruz Reef System. Atmósfera [online]. 2011, vol.24, n.2, pp.221-231. ISSN 0187-6236.

For the first time, the features of the coastal water mass in winter season, spreading over the Veracruz reef system (VRS) have been investigated using hydrographic profiles. The study was performed in two separated surveys of two days of duration in the southern and middle-northern regions of the area. These first measurements showed that there are two most remarkable features: the difference of 5 °C between winter temperature values compared with summer temperature values, and locally (VRS scale) there was a difference between the first and second survey done in the area during the sampling data. It was observed that there was a notable difference in temperature and salinity values of ~ 2 °C and ~ 2 psu, respectively, between the coastal water mass of the southern (Antón Lizardo Reef System) and those of the middle (Jamapa River) and northern (Northern Veracruz Reef System) regions, due to the passage of a strong (winds blowing between 12.1 to 18 m/s) to fresh (atmospheric temperature minor of 18 °C) norther. This variability in the water mass composition (with temperature lower than 22 °C) probably has effects on the development of the coral communities of the sampled area.

Keywords : Winter season; continental shelf; Gulf of México; T-S diagrams; norther; tropical coral reef; SST images.