From geostrophic calculations the exchange of deep water from the Soma
li into the Arabian Basin through the Owen Fracture Zone has been esti
mated to be about 2 Sv, with a seasonal modulation of the same magnitu
de. After leaving the Fracture Zone, the flow bifurcates into a northe
rn and a southern branch, each closely following the slope of the Carl
sberg Ridge. The weaker vertical gradients of the hydrographic propert
ies in the deep Arabian Basin are consistent with enhanced vertical mi
xing al the rugged topography over the Carlsberg Ridge.