Near-bottom Currents in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Rift Valley

Near-bottom current measurements during a 46 day period (October to December 1973) in the rift valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge just south of the Azores reveal a mean flow at two stations of 2.6 and 8.2 cm/s, predominantly trending parallel to the northeast orientation of the valley. Maximum velocities recorded at the sites were 14.4 and 24.2 cm/s. Semi-diurnal tidal currents appear to strongly influence the flow within the valley causing current reversals, except in areas where local topography and constrictions in the valley apparently result in a unidirectional flow to the northeast.