Abstract
The purpose of this study is to study the medium-scale dynamics, as well as the dynamics of the sub-basin scale in the Central Mediterranean, and to elucidate the routes of the Atlantic waters in this region using a high-resolution numerical model of the eddy-resolving simplest equation. The seasonal variability of the two streams of modified Atlantic waters crossing the Sicilian Strait varies considerably. The main stream along the coast of Tunisia, giving rise to the Atlantic Tunisian current, is stronger than the Atlantic Ionian stream (AIP) from autumn to spring. The Atlantic Tunisian current, which, apparently, is present throughout the year, is characterized by high spatial and temporal variability from the simulation results. The high-resolution model is capable of well reproducing the flow and variability of AIP, including such associating characteristic structures as the Advent Benk Vortex, Moltis Channel Cross, Ionian Benc Vortex and the outflow to the northern Ionian Sea.
Highlights
The variability of the water masses properties and circulation characteristics in the Central Mediterranean Sea has been largely investigated in the past years through hydrographical observations [Manzella, La Violette, 1990; Sammari et al, 1999], sub-surface currentmeters data [Gasparini et al, 1999; Vetrano et al, 2004; Astraldi et al, 2005], Lagrangian drifters [Poulain, Zambianchi, 2007] and high resolution numerical simulations [Onken et al, 2003; Sorgente et al, 2003; Béranger et al, 2005]
We have investigated the seasonal variations of the surface circulation in the central Mediterranean Sea from a high resolution eddy-resolving primitive equation numerical model (ROMS)
The surface circulation has been inferred from a high resolution general circulation model of the Central Mediterranean Sea
Summary
The variability of the water masses properties and circulation characteristics in the Central Mediterranean Sea has been largely investigated in the past years through hydrographical observations [Manzella, La Violette, 1990; Sammari et al, 1999], sub-surface currentmeters data [Gasparini et al, 1999; Vetrano et al, 2004; Astraldi et al, 2005], Lagrangian drifters [Poulain, Zambianchi, 2007] and high resolution numerical simulations [Onken et al, 2003; Sorgente et al, 2003; Béranger et al, 2005]. The current off Cap Bon (Tunisia) may be truncated by the sampling [Béranger et al, 2004]. In this context, numerical model simulations constitute an important tool to fill the observational gaps and to study the spatial and temporal ocean circulation variability
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