ON THE FLORIDA CURRENT T S ENVELOPE

The 30 Sverdrups (Sv.) transported by the Florida Current through the Straits of Florida off Miami may consist of a wind-driven contribution of 17 Sv. from the North Atlantic, along with a thermohaline componen t of 13 Sv. from the South Atlantic. Here we examine this possibility in terms of temperature/salinity (T/S) and temperature/oxygen (T/O2) d istributions. It is demonstrated that only the salty part of the T/S e nvelope for the Florida Current can be advectively traced back to the interior sub-tropical gyre along 24N. The fresh contribution can mostl y be found to the south along 52W and into the tropical South Atlantic . There are also fresh contributions from the Canary Current and from Continental Edge Water formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The T/S character istics of the coldest segment of the Florida Current (7-12-degrees-C) could be a product of comparatively fresh water of South Atlantic orig in (upper Antarctic Intermediate Water) becoming slightly saltier by v ertical mixing in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, perhaps due to ''salt fingers.'' In the Caribbean passages there is an interesting pa rtitioning of the Florida Current T/S envelope with Windward Passage p rominently displaying the salty segment and Anegada Passage playing a crucial role in the low temperature fresh segment. This low-temperatur e contribution from the South Atlantic can be traced into the Caribbea n and Straits of Florida in oxygen range as well.