North Atlantic across 26.5N from Florida Straits to African coast

Vertical spatial coordinates; Date and time; Salinity of the water column; Temperature of the water column; Horizontal spatial co-ordinates; Transport in the water column; Density of the water column; Lagrangian currents and transport rates in the water column

Current profilers; submarine cables; CTD; current meters

The RAPID-MOCHA-WBTS dataset comprises measurements of current velocity, temperature, salinity and pressure. Oceanic volume and heat transports are calculated from these variables, in both depth and density space, resulting in continuous measurements of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Data collection is obtained from a mooring array across 26.5N in the Atlantic Ocean and cable measurements across the Florida Straits. The measurement array extends from the Bahamas to the African coast. The data have been measured continuously between April 2004 and March 2024. The data are collected periodically (currently every 30 months) from various UK and USA research cruises. Measurements between the Bahamas and Africa were made using a variety of MicroCat CTD sensors, various current meters and ADCP. An undersea cable makes current velocity measurements across the Florida Straits. The RAPID-MOCHA-WBTS programme aims to deliver a multi-decadal time series of observations of AMOC. The observations will be used with data from other sources to determine and interpret recent changes in the AMOC, to assess the risk of rapid climate change due to changes in the MOC, and to investigate the potential for predicting the MOC and its impacts on climate. The RAPID-MOCHA-WBTS programme is a joint effort between NERC in the UK (the UK Principal Investigator (PI) is Ben Moat), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) with support from NOAA (PIs Ryan Smith and Denis Volkov) and RSMAS (PIs Prof. Bill Johns and Prof. Shane Elipot) in the USA. The Atlantic MOC transport (and its components), calculated from the above data, and gridded files of temperature and salinity are held by BODC in NetCDF format.

McCarthy, G.D.; Smeed, D.A.; Johns, W.E.; Frajka-Williams, E.; Moat, B.I.; Rayner, D.; Baringer, M.O.; Meinen, C.S.; Collins, J.; Bryden, H.L. (2015) Measuring the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26°N, Progress in Oceanography

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