Observations on the circulation of the Saronikos Gulf: A Mediterranean embayment sea border of Athens, Greece

Abstract

The Saronikos Gulf three‐dimensional flow structure is mapped by objective analysis in 12 acoustic Doppler current profiler surveys (4 seasonal surveys per period for the periods May 1998–May 1999, May 2000–May 2001, May 2003–May 2004) under various winds. Robust seasonal flows throughout the Gulf are basically induced by thermohaline effects (winter water subduction, different responses to atmospheric heating of shallow and deeper areas of the Gulf) and density contrasts with inflowing Aegean waters. Inner Gulf observations show that the seasonal flows are modified by the wind, while recurrent structures (cyclonic and anticyclonic) appear between the seasonal flows and the coast of Attica. In summer an anticyclonic and a cyclonic flow exists throughout the Gulf above and below the pycnocline, respectively, with a jet observed to meander within the Inner Gulf. In winter and early spring an anticyclonic flow prevails in the upper ∼100 m. In late spring‐early summer cyclonic and anticyclonic flow occurs in the upper (∼0–40 m) and deeper (∼60–100 m) layers, respectively. The predominant northerly winds in summer and winter push the Inner Gulf eastward seasonal jet to the south and favor the formation of a recurrent cyclonic upwelling structure between this jet and Attica. Northwesterly, westerly, and southerly winds favor the northward meandering of the seasonal jet in the Inner Gulf and no recurrent structures appear in the limited space between this jet and Attica. In the southeast area of the Inner Gulf, the wind‐driven flow fluctuations at 30 m have time scales of 3.5–4 days. Observed meandering period is ∼13 days; meandering characteristics are close to instability predictions. Time scales of flows due to recurrent structures are ∼8 days.

Stopping Macroplastic and Microplastic Pollution at Source by Installing Novel Technologies in River Estuaries and Waste Water Treatment Plants: The CLAIM Project

“…The southwestern part of the bay is a more enclosed area, with weak currents. The overall simulated circulation is in reasonable agreement with the circulation inferred from in situ measurements (Kontoyiannis, 2010).…”

Stopping Macroplastic and Microplastic Pollution at Source by Installing Novel Technologies in River Estuaries and Waste Water Treatment Plants: The CLAIM Project

“…The southwestern part of the bay is a more enclosed area, with weak currents. The overall simulated circulation is in reasonable agreement with the circulation inferred from in situ measurements (Kontoyiannis, 2010).…”

Modelling the Marine Microplastic Distribution from Municipal Wastewater in Saronikos Gulf (E. Mediterranean)

“…The near-surface circulation of Saronikos Gulf is also overlapped. A general west-to-east flow is observed during both winter (February) and summer (July), which is consistent with in situ measurements of Kontoyiannis [32]. The eastward flow, following a broad anticyclonic loop in the north-western sub-basin, forms a cyclonic meander in the north-eastern area of Saronikos Gulf.…”

Occurrence, distribution and risk assessment of organic micropollutants in the Saronikos Gulf, Greece, utilizing LC-TIMS-HRMS

“…The most chemically burdened sediments in the sampling area, in terms of cumulative concentration of ECs, were in station S8, where 43 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 1360 mg per kg d.w. and station S7, where 24 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 675 mg per kg d.w. Sediments from station S1 contained 42 compounds in a cumulative concentration of 281 mg per kg d.w., while in station S11, a total of 26 compounds were determined at 90.8 mg per kg d.w. This feature coincides with the consistently lower dissolved oxygen concentrations recorded near the bottom of station S8, 37,38 and has been linked to the presence and dispersion of the treated wastewater plume in the inner Saronikos Gulf, southwest of Psyttalia, following the prevailing circulation pattern. To this end, the sediments serve as indicators of the long-term environmental condition, rather than capturing transient or shortterm uctuations, and reveal the link of their quality with the hydrographic characteristics of the marine environment.…”

Stopping Macroplastic and Microplastic Pollution at Source by Installing Novel Technologies in River Estuaries and Waste Water Treatment Plants: The CLAIM Project

“…The southwestern part of the bay is a more enclosed area, with weak currents. The overall simulated circulation is in reasonable agreement with the circulation inferred from in situ measurements (Kontoyiannis, 2010).…”

Modelling the Marine Microplastic Distribution from Municipal Wastewater in Saronikos Gulf (E. Mediterranean)

“…The near-surface circulation of Saronikos Gulf is also overlapped. A general west-to-east flow is observed during both winter (February) and summer (July), which is consistent with in situ measurements of Kontoyiannis [32]. The eastward flow, following a broad anticyclonic loop in the north-western sub-basin, forms a cyclonic meander in the north-eastern area of Saronikos Gulf.…”

Occurrence, distribution and risk assessment of organic micropollutants in the Saronikos Gulf, Greece, utilizing LC-TIMS-HRMS

“…The most chemically burdened sediments in the sampling area, in terms of cumulative concentration of ECs, were in station S8, where 43 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 1360 mg per kg d.w. and station S7, where 24 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 675 mg per kg d.w. Sediments from station S1 contained 42 compounds in a cumulative concentration of 281 mg per kg d.w., while in station S11, a total of 26 compounds were determined at 90.8 mg per kg d.w. This feature coincides with the consistently lower dissolved oxygen concentrations recorded near the bottom of station S8, 37,38 and has been linked to the presence and dispersion of the treated wastewater plume in the inner Saronikos Gulf, southwest of Psyttalia, following the prevailing circulation pattern. To this end, the sediments serve as indicators of the long-term environmental condition, rather than capturing transient or shortterm uctuations, and reveal the link of their quality with the hydrographic characteristics of the marine environment.…”

Stopping Macroplastic and Microplastic Pollution at Source by Installing Novel Technologies in River Estuaries and Waste Water Treatment Plants: The CLAIM Project

“…The southwestern part of the bay is a more enclosed area, with weak currents. The overall simulated circulation is in reasonable agreement with the circulation inferred from in situ measurements (Kontoyiannis, 2010).…”

Modelling the Marine Microplastic Distribution from Municipal Wastewater in Saronikos Gulf (E. Mediterranean)

“…The near-surface circulation of Saronikos Gulf is also overlapped. A general west-to-east flow is observed during both winter (February) and summer (July), which is consistent with in situ measurements of Kontoyiannis [32]. The eastward flow, following a broad anticyclonic loop in the north-western sub-basin, forms a cyclonic meander in the north-eastern area of Saronikos Gulf.…”

Occurrence, distribution and risk assessment of organic micropollutants in the Saronikos Gulf, Greece, utilizing LC-TIMS-HRMS

“…The most chemically burdened sediments in the sampling area, in terms of cumulative concentration of ECs, were in station S8, where 43 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 1360 mg per kg d.w. and station S7, where 24 analytes were detected in a total concentration of 675 mg per kg d.w. Sediments from station S1 contained 42 compounds in a cumulative concentration of 281 mg per kg d.w., while in station S11, a total of 26 compounds were determined at 90.8 mg per kg d.w. This feature coincides with the consistently lower dissolved oxygen concentrations recorded near the bottom of station S8, 37,38 and has been linked to the presence and dispersion of the treated wastewater plume in the inner Saronikos Gulf, southwest of Psyttalia, following the prevailing circulation pattern. To this end, the sediments serve as indicators of the long-term environmental condition, rather than capturing transient or shortterm uctuations, and reveal the link of their quality with the hydrographic characteristics of the marine environment.…”