Seasonal variability of flow instabilities in the Strait of Sicily

Onken, Reiner; Sellschopp, Jürgen

doi:10.1029/98jc00891

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…As revealed by a spectroscopic analysis (not shown here), in the winter run the maximum wavelength of the wavelike disturbances is lower than 100 km whereas in summer the maximum is 120-130 km. This is in agreement with the findings of Onken and Sellschopp [1998], who found different values for the internal budget of potential vorticity in winter and summer.…”

Section: Model Spin-upsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…As shown by Onken and Sellschopp [1998] with the same hydrological MED5 data set, the necessary condition for the baroclinic instability is verified Figure 12. Time series of the kinetic energy and eddy kinetic energy volume averaged over the subdomain area.…”

Section: Energy Characteristics Of the Mesoscale Eddy Field And Eddy-mentioning

confidence: 67%

“…Also, the sea surface elevation shows a successive stretching and squeezing which can thus conserve potential vorticity as it flows over topography in correspondence to Adventure Bank, Malta Plateau, and Ionian Slope. The flow adjusts anticyclonically and cyclonically upstream and downstream of Adventure Bank and Malta Plateau, generating topographic eddies as inferred by Onken and Sellschopp [1998]. As will be shown later, the topographic features of the two plateaus largely influence the circulation characteristics.…”

Section: Model Spin-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A large part of the lowfrequency components of the motion is correlated with local winds, mesoscale eddies, hydrodynamic instabilities, and topographic waves [Manzella et al, 1990;Onken and Sellschopp, 1998;Pierini, 1996]. Signals of sea level variability (SLV) were identified as waves induced by instabilities mechanism [Grancini and Michelato, 1987;Manzella et al, 1990] and strong variability of the mesoscale field superimposed to the mean flow has been found by Buongiorno-Nardelli et al [1999] by means of an altimeter-in situ data comparative analysis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[7] In an idealized framework, Onken and Sellschopp [1998] investigate the effects of the seasonal variability of baroclinic instability in the channel by a primitive equation model in hybrid (quasi-isopycnic) vertical coordinates. One of the major results of this study was that the flow is baroclinically unstable year round.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling the baroclinic circulation in the area of the Sicily channel: The role of stratification and energy diagnostics

Napolitano¹,

Sannino²,

Artale³

et al. 2003

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] Aspects of the circulation of the Sicily channel region are studied with a highresolution, primitive equation, sigma coordinate model. This work is an attempt to study the process governing the purely baroclinic dynamics and its sensitivity to seasonal stratification, thus no atmospheric forcing is used. Two numerical experiments are analyzed using, as initial conditions, diagnostic velocity fields derived from the winter and summer climatological hydrologies. The quasi-steady state is characterized by circulation patterns, in the depth range of the Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) and the Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW), strongly controlled by mesoscale eddies and topography. Seasonal difference is found in the surface current which exhibits the major variability on the African side, downstream of Adventure Bank and the Ionian Slope where the absolute maximum occurs. The intermediate circulation instead does not show relevant seasonal differences. LIW enters through the two passages south of Malta Plateau and preferentially flows along the Sicilian shelf edge exiting over the northern sill. Its pathway is strongly controlled by subsurface cyclonic and anticyclonic cells. The results are in good agreement with observations. An energy diagnostics is applied to model results and sheds important light on dynamical characteristics of the mesoscale eddy field and indicates seasonal differences in the energetic exchange with the mean flow. The analysis of the mean (MKE) and eddy (EKE) kinetic energy, the transfer terms between energy compartments and the eddy momentum flux divergence indicates how eddies are strongly energetic in summer and exchange energy more efficiently with the mean flow. In the quasi-steady state MAW volume transport and MKE and EKE fluctuations are strongly correlated. This result suggests that mesoscale motions can control up to 40% of volume transport variability.INDEX TERMS: 4255 Oceanography: General: Numerical modeling; 4512 Oceanography: Physical: Currents; 4520 Oceanography: Physical: Eddies and mesoscale processes; KEYWORDS: Mediterranean, Sicily Strait, mesoscale, modeling Citation: Napolitano, E., G. Sannino, V. Artale, and S. Marullo, Modeling the baroclinic circulation in the area of the Sicily channel: The role of stratification and energy diagnostics,

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Section: Model Spin-upsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Energy Characteristics Of the Mesoscale Eddy Field And Eddy-mentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Model Spin-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling the baroclinic circulation in the area of the Sicily channel: The role of stratification and energy diagnostics

Napolitano¹,

Sannino²,

Artale³

et al. 2003

J. Geophys. Res.

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The Sicily Channel surface circulation revisited using a neural clustering analysis of a high‐resolution simulation

et al. 2016

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International audienceThe Sicily Channel surface circulation is investigated by analyzing the outputs of a high-resolution ocean model MED12 forced during 46 years by the ARPERA atmospheric fields. Applying a neural network classifier, we show that the surface circulation in the Sicily Channel can be decomposed into 8 modes characterizing the major patterns of that circulation, particularly the Algerian Current separation at the entrance to the Sicily Channel, the features of the Atlantic Tunisian Current and of the Atlantic Ionian Stream. These modes reflect the variability of the circulation in space and time at seasonal and inter-annual scales. Some modes preferably occur in winter whilst others are characteristic of summer. The mode sequence presents an inter-annual variability in good agreement with observations. The topography of the Sicily Channel sill plays a major role in steering the circulation. In particular the summer upwelling along the southern coast of Sicily, which is present in several modes, could be explained by a large-scale density forcing. A combination of barotropic/baroclinic double Kelvin waves generated on both sides of the sill provides a mechanism for explaining the complexity of the surface circulation advecting the surface waters from the Western Mediterranean toward the Eastern Mediterranean, the most salient features of which are the Atlantic Tunisian Current, the Atlantic Ionian Stream and the Tyrrhenian Sicilian Current which is a new feature highlighted by the present study

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Spatio-temporal distribution of recruits (0 group) of Merluccius merluccius and Phycis blennoides (Pisces, Gadiformes) in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

Fiorentino¹,

Garofalo²,

Santi³

et al. 2003

Migrations and Dispersal of Marine Organisms

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Seasonal variability of flow instabilities in the Strait of Sicily

Cited by 24 publications

References 30 publications

Modeling the baroclinic circulation in the area of the Sicily channel: The role of stratification and energy diagnostics

Modeling the baroclinic circulation in the area of the Sicily channel: The role of stratification and energy diagnostics

The Sicily Channel surface circulation revisited using a neural clustering analysis of a high‐resolution simulation

Spatio-temporal distribution of recruits (0 group) of Merluccius merluccius and Phycis blennoides (Pisces, Gadiformes) in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

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