Dissolved major elements exported by the Congo and the Ubangi rivers during the period 1987-1989

Abstract

On the basis of monthly sampling during the period 1987- 1989, the geochemistry of the Congo and the Ubangi (second largest tributary of the Congo) rivers was studied in order (1) to understand the seasonal variations of the physico-chemical parameters of the waters and (2) to estimate the annual dissolved fluxes exported by the two rivers. The results presented here correspond to the first three years of measurements carried out for a scientific programme (Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Geodynamics of Peri-Atlantic Intertropical Environments, Operation 'Large River Basins' (PIRAR-GBF) ) undertaken jointly by INSU and ORSTOM planned to run for at least 10 years.