Wind, surface water temperature, surface salinity and pollution in the area of the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania

The combination of water masses of different origins gave the Baie du Levier and the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania a highly diverse mixture of tropical and temperate plant and animal species. The influence of wind, water temperature and salinity on the area were investigated. Wind speed and direc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrobiologia 1993-01, Vol.258 (1-3), p.9-19
Main Author: ould Dedah, Sidina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coastal oceanography, estuaries. Regional oceanography
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Marine
Physics of the oceans
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Summary:The combination of water masses of different origins gave the Baie du Levier and the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania a highly diverse mixture of tropical and temperate plant and animal species. The influence of wind, water temperature and salinity on the area were investigated. Wind speed and direction frequency distributions and averages were calculated from meteorological observations at Nouadhibou Airport and Iouik, Mauritania, for 1953-1990. Average wind speed was maximal in May-June (9 m per second) and a minimum in November-December (6 m per second). For approximately 85 per cent of the time winds blew from northerly directions. Maps of surface water temperature were constructed. Both temperatures and surface salinity patterns showed the existence of two different water types. Sources of pollution in the area were domestic and industrial sewage, iron ore handling dust, oil and solid waste from ships.
ISSN:0018-8158
1573-5117
DOI:10.1007/BF00006182