Some Features of Organic Phosphorus Distribution in the South-East Indian and South-West Pacific Oceans

Abstract

Concentrations of organic phosphorus significantly different from zero (0.10-0.38 µg-atom/l) have been found at most depths in a series of stations in the south-east Indian and south-west Pacific Oceans. For three meridional sections of the central and west Pacific and east Indian Oceans mean concentrations of organic phosphorus in the 0-200 m layer were found to be maximal (0.20-0.38µg- atom/l) along the southern boundary of the South Equatorial Current, along the Equatorial Divergence, and within the boundary of the Counter Current and North Equatorial Current. South of 30ºS. to about 40ºS. another maximum was found which could not be associated with marked current movements. Pronounced maxima were also found in the vertical profiles of organic phosphorus. These sometimes occurred at the same depth as major hydrological core layers. The most consistent agreement in depth was found between the Antarctic intermediate salinity minimum and an intermediate depth organic phosphorus maximum around 1000 m. At 41% of stations examined these two layers were found at the same depth. At several locations the depths of the maxima in organic phosphorus varied in the same direction and at the same rate as the major hydrological layers during one year's observations.