Abstract
Helium isotopes in the ocean are very useful tracers of hydrothermal input and deep-sea circulation. Unlike labile trace elements, noble gases are inert and do not react with other substances in the water column. Previous studies in the Indian Ocean showed that helium isotopes in the region were discharged mainly from the central Indian midocean ridge, convergent boundaries, and the Pacific Ocean via currents that flow through the Indonesian archipelago. These Indonesian waters then exit out as the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) into the Indian Ocean through shallow sills. The ITF plays a significant role in global climate, because it serves as the main pathway of thermocline waters between the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. We present new helium isotope data from International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) at the east Indian Ocean in December 2018. Helium isotopes were measured using a Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer at the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo. We compare our data with those from previous expeditions and discuss the source and distribution of helium isotopes near Java. Waters with high excess 3He from the ITF were observed at 1000 m. Application of two-components mixing model enabled us to estimate ITF fraction in the observed area and to clarify the ITF flow in the deep layer. Moreover, flow rate of the deep ITF from Savu sill to Indian Ocean was estimated to be ~ 0.8–1.6 Sv. Based on stations near the Java coast, there could be a deep current or hydrothermal source at 3000 m that advects water enriched in 3He southwards along the Java Island.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Prof. Yukio Masumoto as the principal investigator, and the scientists and crew of R/V Hakuho Maru during the KH-18-6 Leg 3 cruise for their invaluable help during sample collection and CTD observation. Special thanks to Idha Yulia Ikhsani for assisting in collecting the samples for helium analysis. This study was supported by the JSPS Bilateral Joint Research Projects (JPJSBP120198201) to HO, a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (JP16H02701) to HO, and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research in Innovative Areas (JP15H05820) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to HO.
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Escobar, M.T., Takahata, N., Obata, H. et al. Observation of the deep Indonesian throughflow using helium isotopes. J Oceanogr 77, 93–101 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-020-00560-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-020-00560-8