Variations in the structure of the anticyclonic gyres found in the Alboran Sea

Abstract

Historical satellite, aircraft, and in situ data have shown that two anticyclonic gyres (the western and eastern Alboran gyres) are major ocean features of the Alboran Sea. An examination of several years of satellite imagery indicates that large variations in the surface expression of these two gyres occur and that on occasion one or the other gyre disappears (the disappearance of both gyres at the same time was not seen). The initial disappearance of either gyre occurs on a time scale of a week to 2 weeks, whereas the return may take from 3 weeks to 2 months. Various forcing mechanisms, i.e., winds, mass flux inflow through the Straits of Gibraltar and Sicily, and/or density, have been used in numerical ocean circulation models to study the dynamics of the western Mediterranean Sea. Various model results show relationships similar to those shown by the satellite imagery. However, no single forcing mechanism has been positively identified as the source of the disappearances, and the events may be a result of a combination of forcing mechanisms.

The seasonal cycle of the Atlantic Jet dynamics in the Alboran Sea: direct atmospheric forcing versus Mediterranean thermohaline circulation

“…The relative coarse horizontal resolution of the model or the smoothed topography used could be partially responsible for this misbehavior of the simulated currents in that region. The geometry and topography of the Alboran basin have been reported as crucial for determining the formation, size, and location of the gyres (e.g., Preller 1986;Werner et al 1988;Herburn and La Violette 1990); however, for practical reasons (computational time and storage capacity), it is not possible for us to run the model with a finer resolution at least for long-term simulations. Nevertheless, future model ) and angle (°).…”

Land–sea correlation between Late Holocene coastal and infralittoral deposits in the SE Iberian Peninsula (Western Mediterranean)

“…l B), the Westem Alborán Gyre (WAG) and the Eastem Alborán Gyre (EAG) (Herbum and la Violette, 1990). The spatial pattem and the velocity of the inflow respond to long-term changes of sea level and to the intensity of thermohaline circulation.…”

Mediterranean Forecasting System: forecast and analysis assessment through skill scores

“…There is a well known front (Millot, 1999) close to that area which crosses the Mediterranean from the Spanish to the Tunisian coast, the so called Almeria-Oran front characterized by a strong gradient of salinity between the incoming Atlantic water with a low salinity and the salty Mediterranean water. The location of this front is influenced by the anticyclonic gyres of the Alboran sea (Heburn et al, 1990), which varies in time and space. A misplacement in the model of the front, due to eddies phase errors, could be responsible of the major difference between the analysis and the buoy.…”