Observational evidence of salt lens formation in the Iberian Basin

The quasi‐synoptic picture of the mesoscale eddy field off Portugal is presented on the basis of recent hydrographic measurements. The dynamic topography and the salinity field at middepths (900–1300 m) is shown to be dominated by several isolated meddy structures superimposed on a general east‐west gradient. Deduced from the actual dynamical situation, there is evidence for meddy generation in this region. Numerical process studies demonstrate the possibility of vortex formation by baroclinic instability of a northward middepth jet of Mediterranean Water and by fragmentation of larger‐scale Mediterranean Water blobs.