The arrival of recently formed Labrador Sea Water in the deep western boundary current at 26.5 °N

The Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) of the North Atlantic is a principal conduit between the formation region for Labrador Sea Water (LSW) and the oceanic interior to the south. Time series (1985-1997) of hydrographic properties obtained in the DWBC at 26.5°N show that prior to 1994, temperature, salinity, and transient tracer properties within the LSW density range showed little indication of recently formed parcels. Properties characteristic of a newer version of LSW (cooler, fresher, and higher tracer concentrations) were observed beginning in 1994 and continuing through 1997. Longer time series of temperature and salinity, developed from a regional data base, show both the1994 and a 1980-1981 event in the Abaco region. Both events are consistent with anomalies in the Labrador Sea that occurred some 10 years earlier. The 10-year transit time from the Labrador Sea to 26.5°N is less than the 18-year transit time inferred from earlier studies.