[EN] The Gulf of Cádiz receives suspended particulated matter from Guadalquivir, Tinto-Odie1 and Guadiana rivers. Inputs from atmosferic processes and from the reworking of sea-bed sediments may also be important. Highest concentrations of suspended matter from these rivers forms advective plumes which flow parallel to the coast. Settling and sedimentation of the particles on the shelf and diffusive processes lower the nepheloid concentrations with time. Apparently there are larger amounts of particles which manage to bypass the shelf towards the south of Guadalquivir mouth than in the remaining areas. Shelf and slope near-bottom samples, shelf samples from the surface and intermediate sample of the south-oriental slope are made up of clay minerals, quartz, carbonate and feldspar. The samples from the surface at the continental slope stations contain large amounts of amorphous-organic matter, some skeletal biogenic particles, some organic debris and some inorganic particles. The amount of organic debris increases towards the northwest both in the shelf and in the slope. Near-bottom deep samples from the slope have more clorite and less kaolinite than samples from the shelf. Furthermore, these samples have a relative high content of calcite and dolomite and they have no feldspar. Particles from other source areas (Gibraltar Strait) or from the reworking of deep bottom sediments may exist in this area

[ES] Las principales fuentes de aporte de material particulado en suspensión en el Golfo de Cádiz son los ríos Guadiana, Tinto-Odie1 y Guadalquivir. Estos ríos generan plumas de material particulado que se desplazan arrastradas por las corrientes litorales paralelamente a la costa y por advección. En la plataforma, las suspensiones se concentran mayoritariamente en una capa de turbidez situada sobre el fondo. La sedimentación de partículas en la plataforma y la difusión hacia el mar abierto son procesos que hacen descender la concentración de materia en suspensión en el borde de la plataforma y en el talud. En la zona profunda se ha detectado un aumento de partículas hacia el sureste

Peer reviewed