On the connection between the Mediterranean outflow and the Azores Current

As the salty and dense Mediteranean overflow exits the Strait of Gibraltar and descends rapidly in the Gulf of Cadiz, it entrains the fresher overlying subtropical Atlantic Water. A minimal model is put forth in this study to show that the entrainment process associated with the Mediterranean outflow in the Gulf of Cadiz can impact the upper-ocean circulation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean and can be a fundamental factor in the establishment of the Azores Current.