A possible influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on the circulation of the western Mediterranean Sea

Vignudelli, Stefano; Gasparini, Gian Pietro; Astraldi, M.; Schiano, M. E.

doi:10.1029/1999gl900038

Cited by 78 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Astraldi and Gasparini (1992) explained this increase by the local circulation: the West Corsican Current, that flows on the northwestern side of Corsica, shows little seasonal variability while the Tyrrhenian Current only crosses the Corsica Channel during the cold season. The winter intensification of the transport through the Corsica Channel was confirmed by Vignudelli et al (1999) and Gasparini et al (2008), based on longer time series. Figure 11 shows this seasonal transport between winter 1993-1994 and 2004-2005.…”

Section: Importance Of Preconditioning Relative To Buoyancy Fluxessupporting

confidence: 55%

Importance of the variability of hydrographic preconditioning for deep convection in the Gulf of Lion, NW Mediterranean

et al. 2010

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Abstract.We study the variability of hydrographic preconditioning defined as the heat and salt contents in the Ligurian Sea before convection. The stratification is found to reach a maximum in the intermediate layer in December, whose causes and consequences for the interannual variability of convection are investigated. Further study of the interannual variability and correlation tests between the properties of the deep water formed and the winter surface fluxes support the description of convection as a process that transfers the heat and salt contents from the top and intermediate layers to the deep layer. A proxy for the rate of transfer is given by the final convective mixed layer depth, that is shown to depend equally on the surface fluxes and on the preconditioning. In particular, it is found that deep convection in winter [2004][2005] would have happened even with normal winter conditions, due to low pre-winter stratification.

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Section: Importance Of Preconditioning Relative To Buoyancy Fluxessupporting

confidence: 55%

Importance of the variability of hydrographic preconditioning for deep convection in the Gulf of Lion, NW Mediterranean

et al. 2010

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“…In the northwestern Mediterranean Sea the changes in surface water circulation are subject to large-scale climatic forcing (Astraldi et al 1995;Vignudelli et al 1999). Recently, the link between the North Atlantic climate and the thermal yearly anomalies in the same area has been hypothesized (Molinero et al 2005a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Extraction of main patterns of T. democratica and S. fusiformis temporal variability: Two matrices were composed comprising the 188 (January 1974-September 1977) and 832 (January 1984-December 1999 weekly mean abundance (ind. 100 m 23 ) log 10 transformed of T. democratica and S. fusiformis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term fluctuations (1974‐99) of the salps Thalia democratica and Salpa fusiformis in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Relationships with hydroclimatic variability

Licandro

Ibañez

Etienne

2006

Limnology & Oceanography

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We investigated the long-term variability of the salps Thalia democratica and Salpa fusiformis during the period 1974-1999 at a coastal site in the Bay of Villefranche-sur-mer. During this period T. democratica varied both interannually and seasonally, whereas S. fusiformis showed only seasonal fluctuations. Weeks in which T. democratica and S. fusiformis populations were developing in situ (i.e., near the sampling station without advection) are defined as the informative periods. Different species-specific optima of temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a concentration, as well as stability conditions of the water column, were related to informative periods for the two Thalia and Salpa species. Long-term temperature oscillations were significantly related to the interannual maxima of T. democratica. The link between positive anomalies of temperature and outbreaks of T. democratica stress the importance of primary consumers as indicators of changes occurring in the marine system.

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“…In the central-western part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, an anticyclonic gyre is coupled with a North Tyrrhenian cyclone. In the northern part of the Tyrrhenian, where the interannual variability is likely related to teleconnection mechanisms (Vignudelli et al 1999), the seasonal variability is primarily conditioned by steric effects and modulates the exchange between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas (Marullo et al 1994, Vignudelli et al 19992000). In the southern Tyrrhenian Basin, the dynamics are dominated by the water exchanges through the Sicily and Sardinia Straits.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent improvements in mesoscale characterization of the western Mediterranean Sea: synergy between satellite altimetry and other observational approaches

Pascual¹,

Bouffard²,

Ruiz³

et al. 2013

Sci. Mar.

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SUMMARY: Satellite altimetry is a key component of the global observing system and plays a major role in the study of the mesoscale processes that drive most of the ocean circulation variability at middle and high latitudes. However, satellite altimetry alone provides only surface information at a limited spatio-temporal resolution. To address these limitations and to better describe the mesoscale three-dimensional variability, it is necessary to complement altimetry data with additional remote and in situ measurements. This study provides an update of the recent advances in the study of the mesoscale variability using a combination of altimetry and other independent observations, with an emphasis on the results obtained for the western Mediterranean Sea. The circulation in this area is complex because of the presence of multiple interacting scales, including basin-scale, sub-basin-scale and mesoscale structures. Thus, characterizing these processes requires highresolution observations and multi-sensor approaches. Accordingly, multi-platform experiments and analyses have been designed and undertaken in the different sub-basins of the western Mediterranean Sea. These studies have demonstrated the advantages of synergetic approaches that use a combination of observation techniques and are able to resolve different spatiotemporal scales with the aim of better understanding mesoscale dynamics.Keywords: satellite altimetry, mesoscale variability, instruments and techniques, Mediterranean Sea. RESUMEN: AvAnces recientes en lA cArActerizAción de lA mesoescAlA en lA cuencA mediterráneA occidentAl: sinergiAs entre AltimetríA y otros sistemAs de observAción. -La altimetría satelitaria es una componente clave del sistema de observación global y juega un papel importante en el estudio de los procesos de mesoescala que impulsan la mayor parte de la variabilidad de la circulación oceánica en las latitudes medias y altas. Sin embargo, la altimetría por satélite sólo proporciona información superficial y con una resolución espacio-temporal limitada. Para hacer frente a estas limitaciones, es necesario complementar los datos de altimetría con otras medidas. Este estudio proporciona una actualización de los avances recientes en el estudio de la variabilidad de mesoescala utilizando una combinación de observaciones altimétricas con otros datos independientes en el Mediterráneo Occidental. La circulación en esta zona es compleja debido a la presencia de múltiples escalas interactuando entre ellas: cuenca, sub-cuenca y estructuras de mesoescala. Por tanto, la caracterización de estos procesos requiere de alta resolución en las observaciones y de enfoques multi-sensoriales. En este trabajo, presentamos una revisión de diversos experimentos multi-plataforma que se han diseñado y llevado a cabo en los diferentes sub-cuencas del Mediterráneo occidental durante los últimos años. Estos estudios han demostrado las ventajas de los enfoques sinérgicos y métodos innovadores que utilizan una combinación de técnicas de observación, y que son ca...

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A possible influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on the circulation of the western Mediterranean Sea

Cited by 78 publications

References 7 publications

Importance of the variability of hydrographic preconditioning for deep convection in the Gulf of Lion, NW Mediterranean

Importance of the variability of hydrographic preconditioning for deep convection in the Gulf of Lion, NW Mediterranean

Long‐term fluctuations (1974‐99) of the salps Thalia democratica and Salpa fusiformis in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Relationships with hydroclimatic variability

Recent improvements in mesoscale characterization of the western Mediterranean Sea: synergy between satellite altimetry and other observational approaches

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