Marine currents and oxygen levels off the northern coast of Peru 2015-2016

Abstract

In order to understand the changes undergone during the warm event of the 2015-2016 period, the spatial-temporal distribution of marine currents and oxygen levels off Peru were characterized. The data come from the Peruvian hake assessment cruises (Merluccius gayi peruanus, Ginsburg, 1954) and the bio-oceanographic cruises of the Budget Program 0068 El Niño, carried out by IMARPE, which include the parameters of temperature, salinity, used to estimate the geostrophic currents (relative currents), and dissolved oxygen up to 100 nm from the coast and a depth of 500 nm. Measurements of direct currents at different depth levels were also obtained. The results show complex circulation with differentiated changes in the vertical distribution and intensity of surface (Humboldt Current) and subsurface (Peru-Chile Undercurrent) currents. In addition, the oxygen distribution shows significant changes in the distribution of the Oxygen Minimum Zone and the minimum values reached.