| Term: | Arctic intermediate water |
| Definition: |
A water mass identified by a salinity minimum found at a depth of about 800 m in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is formed in two varieties in the Labrador Sea and in the Iceland Sea, from where it spreads southward but is quickly absorbed by North Atlantic Deep Water. The equivalent water mass in the Pacific Ocean is known as Subarctic Intermediate Water. AMSglossary
GCW |