Hydrological and Meteorological Conditions in the Contract Area

The Polish contract area on the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR) between 26°09′–32°50′N; 39°38′–44°43′W is technically placed in the subtropics defined usually as having the northern boundary at the 35°N latitude. However, in practice the area is situated on the border between the easterly subtropical circulation (trade winds) of the subtropics and the westerly circulation of the middle latitudes. The actual position of the border changes seasonally, moving northward during the (boreal) warm seasons and southward during cold ones. The chapter provides information on details of hydrology and meteorology as well as of optical properties of water in the Polish contract area.