The Mediterranean Sea, coastal and deep-sea signatures of climatic and environmental changes

At great scales of time and space, the dynamics of the Mediterranean Sea, a concentration basin, are mainly linked to its freshwater budget. This budget is subject to evolutions due to man's use of freshwater and to climatic changes affecting precipitation and/or evaporation. Marine dynamics and Atlantic, atmospheric and terrestrial inputs are strong constraints for the geochemical behaviour of the Mediterranean Sea. From measurements made during the last decades in the deep western water, it appeared that temperature, salinity, nutrients and trace metal concentrations were changing with time. In spite of its depth, the Mediterranean Sea looks like a coastal ocean, according to its coast length, watershed and number of inhabitants and to its fast response to climatic and environmental changes. The changes discovered in deep homogeneous waters are signatures of evolutions occurred in the surface layer. But in this layer and particularly in coastal waters, climatic and/or environmental trends may be masked by seasonal and interannual variabilities of not only physical and chemical characteristics but also climatic forcing or anthropic inputs. Analyses of river runoff, atmospheric inputs or climatic trends together with marine evolutions indicate constraints concerning probable changes in the coastal sea and/or in the surface water and processes involved at the interfaces. Moreover, changes observed in coastal or deep-water constitute new constraints for the modelling of the marine circulation and the transfer of matter.     

Interannual variation of the Polar Front in the Japan/East Sea from summertime hydrography and sea level data

The Polar Front in the Japan/East Sea separates the southern warm water region from the northern cold water region. A merged TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS-1/2 altimeter dataset and upper water temperature data were used to determine the frontal location and to examine the structure of its interannual variability from 1993 to 2001. The identified frontal location, where sea surface height gradient has a maximum about 10–20 cm over the horizontal distance of 100 km, corresponds well to the maximum subsurface horizontal temperature gradient. The front migrates more widely (36°N–41°N) in the western part of the sea than in the eastern part. The interannual migration induces large variability in upper water temperatures and sea surface height in the western region. Responsible physical mechanisms were studied using a reduced-gravity model. Differences between inflow and outflow change the total volume of warm water, and total warm water volume change in the warm water region uniformly pushes the front in the meridional direction across its mean position in the model simulation. Interannual variation of wind stress causes relatively wide migration of the modeled front in the western part.     

The effect of precession-induced changes in the Mediterranean freshwater budget on circulation at shallow and intermediate depth

The Neogene marine sedimentary record of the Mediterranean basin is characterised by the regular occurrence of organic-rich layers or sapropels. These sapropels are known to correlate with the precession cycle: their deposition coincides with precession minima. This correlation is thought to be caused to a large extent by a precession-induced increase in the amount of freshwater reaching the Mediterranean Sea. In the literature, various sources of this extra freshwater have been identified and different mechanisms as to how this freshwater flux leads to sapropels have been proposed. In this study we investigate the effects of precession-induced changes in the freshwater budget using a regional ocean general circulation model of the Mediterranean Sea. Emphasis is on the effects at the surface and at intermediate depth. The forcing of the ocean model is adjusted to precession minimum conditions on a parameter by parameter basis. Novel to our approach is that the value of the required adjustments is taken from a global coupled climate model with which experiments have been performed for the present day (close to precession maximum) and precession minimum. With the ocean model we focus on the extent to which extra runoff from either south (specifically: the river Nile) or north and changes in net precipitation over the sea itself lead to a more stable stratification; this we judge by the associated reduction of the sea surface salinity and mixed layer depth in the regions of intermediate and deep water formation. Our main finding is that the effects of (1) increased discharge of the rivers coming from the north, and (2) the increase in net precipitation over the sea itself, are of equal or greater importance than that of increase in Nile discharge.     

Seasonal variability in sea surface oceanographic conditions in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean): an overview

Seasonal variability and the spatial distribution of sea surface temperatures (SST) and salinities (SSS) are reviewed, in relation to the prevailing climatological conditions, heat fluxes, water budget and general water circulation patterns. Within this context, consideration is given to: sea surface temperatures; air temperatures; precipitation; evaporation; wind speeds and directions; freshwater (mainly riverine) discharges throughout the Aegean; and the exchange of water masses with the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean Sea. The investigation of satellite images, covering a 6-yr period (1988–1994), has enabled a synthesis of the monthly sea surface thermal distribution to be established.The climate of the Aegean Sea is characterised by annual air temperatures of 16–19.5°C, precipitation of about 500 mm yr⁻¹ and evaporation of some 4 mm d⁻¹. The Aegean has a negative heat budget (approximately −25 W m⁻²) and positive water balance (+ 1.0 m yr⁻¹), when inflow from the Black Sea is considered. During the summer, the (northerly) Etesians are the dominant winds over the Sea.Mean monthly sea surface temperatures (SST) vary from 8°C in the north during winter, up to 26°C in the south during summer. SST depends mainly upon air temperature; there is a month's delay between the former and latter maxima. The sea surface salinity (SSS) varies also spatially and seasonally, ranging from less than 31 psu, in the north, to more than 39 psu, in the southeast; lower values (< 25 psu) occur adjacent to the river mouths. SSSs present their maximum differences during summer, whilst during winter and autumn the distribution of SSS is more uniform. The overall spatial SST and SSS distribution pattern is controlled by: distribution of the (colder) Black Sea Waters; advection of the (warmer) Levantine Waters, from the southeastern part of the Aegean; upwelling and downwelling; and, to a lesser extent, but locally important, freshwater riverine inflows.     

Impact of freshwater on a subarctic coastal ecosystem under seasonal sea ice (southeastern Hudson Bay, Canada). I. Interannual variability and predicted global warming influence on river plume dynamics and sea ice

Analysis of sea ice cover, runoff and air temperature observations in Hudson Bay shows marked interannual variability. This variability is thought to play a major role in determining overall productivity of the coastal ecosystem by changes to river plume extent, under-ice light conditions and nutrient levels during spring. Extensive field work off the Great Whale River in southeastern Hudson Bay has shown the importance of freshwater discharge, sea ice cover and meteorological forcing on the production of under-ice microalgae and the success of first feeding in fish larvae.Recent global climate model (GCM) results for a doubling of present atmospheric carbon dioxide indicate increases of both air temperature and precipitation in the Hudson Bay area. Predictions based on GCM results are used to estimate future changes to the sea ice and runoff regime. Sea ice breakup in the offshore is predicted to occur about one month earlier than presently. Estimates of the spring freshet in the Great Whale River indicate it will also advance by approximately one month. Onset of the spring freshet will occur about one month before Hudson Bay ice breakup, similar to present. A predicted reduction of about 35% in maximum sea ice thickness will lead to an increase in the ice-ocean interface irradiance and a decrease in melt water input to the Hudson Bay surface waters. These results are used in a discussion of potential effects of global climate change on northern coastal marine environments.     

On the dynamics of oxygen,phosphorus and cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea; A model study

Oxygen and phosphorus dynamics and cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea are discussed using results from the Swedish Coastal and Ocean Biogeochemical model (SCOBI) coupled to the Rossby Centre Ocean model (RCO). The high-resolution circulation model is used to simulate the time period from 1902 to 1998 using reconstructed physical forcing and climatological nutrient loads of the late 20th century. The analysis of the results covers the last 30 years of the simulation period. The results emphasize the importance of internal phosphorus and oxygen dynamics, the variability of physical conditions and the natural long-term variability of phosphorus supplies from land on the phosphorus content in the Baltic Sea. These mechanisms play an important role on the variability of available surface layer phosphorus in late winter in the Baltic Sea. The content of cyanobacteria increases with the availability of phosphorus in the surface layers of the Baltic proper and the probability for large cyanobacteria blooms in the model is rapidly increased at higher concentrations of excess dissolved inorganic phosphorus in late winter. The natural increase of phosphorus supplies from land due to increased river runoff since the early 1970s may to a large degree explain the increased phosphorus content in the Baltic proper. Another significant fraction of the increase is explained by the release of phosphorus from increased anoxic areas during the period. These results refer to the long-term variability of the phosphorus cycle. In accordance to earlier publications is the short-term (i.e. interannual) variability of the phosphorus content in the Baltic proper mainly explained by oxygen dependent sediment fluxes.     

Environmental changes in the western Black Sea related to anthropogenic and natural conditions

The Black Sea northwestern shelf (NWS) ecosystem has been subjected to the strongest anthropogenic pressure of the entire Black Sea as about 80% of the freshwater runoff is discharged there.This paper presents a review of the global environmental changes related mainly to increased eutrophication in the western Black Sea basin.A case study (CoMSBlack 92a cruise) attempts to highlight the interaction of some natural and anthropogenic factors responsible for specific chemical and biological features in the western Black Sea environment. The significance of processes located near the Danube river mouth, which, due to their relatively small space scale, have not been recognized before, is clarified. Hydrological processess of specific importance to the distribution and transformation of antropogenic inputs are river plume dynamics, coastal upwelling and mixing and downwelling over the shelf break and slope in this part of the basin. A layer of low hydrological variability (“conservative layer”) appears to be a natural feature of the area, hypothesized to precondition specific biological and chemical processes there.The results suggest that the interplay between the Danube anthropogenic nutrient load with the natural hydrological fronts and gradients provides opportunities for enhanced biological activity thus contributing to the global environmental changes in the Black Sea NWS.     

Response of the Black Sea mean level to atmospheric pressure and wind forcing

The response of the Black Sea mean level to atmospheric pressure (AP) and wind forcing is investigated using 5 years of TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P hereafter) data. A coherence analysis is first applied to mean sea level and pressure to examine the validity of the inverse barometer (IB) approximation over this area. As expected, it reveals very significant deviations from an IB response attributed to the narrowness of the Bosphorus Strait and its limiting role in water exchanges. A comparison is drawn with the Mediterranean Sea case. A single basin version of the Candela analytical model [Candela, J., 1991. The Gibraltar Strait and its role in the dynamics of the Mediterranean Sea. Dyn. Atmos. Oceans 15, 267–300], which takes linear friction at the strait into account, is then used. The model explains a significant part of the T/P mean sea level variance (about 30%, while the IB correction only explains 5% of its variance) and provides a means to correct the altimeter data for the pressure effect much better than the standard IB effect. The response of the mean sea level to wind forcing is then analysed. Coherence analysis between sea level and along-strait wind stress (WS) reveals a significant coherence at periods ranging from 40 to 100 days, with an almost steady phase of 270°. This result is confirmed with a multiple coherence analysis (mean sea level vs. WS and AP). A plausible mechanism is a piling-up of water at the northern or southern end of the strait due to along-strait wind forcing. The associated along-strait pressure gradient would modify the barotropic flow in the strait and then the mean sea level. Using an extension of the Candela model, we show that this mechanism is consistent with T/P mean sea level observations.     

Resolving the impact of short-term variations in physical processes impacting on the spawning environment of eastern Baltic cod: application of a 3-D hydrodynamic model

Variations in oxygen conditions below the permanent halocline influence the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea through a number of mechanisms. In this study, we examine the effects of physical forcing on variations in the volume of deep oxygenated water suitable for reproductive success of central Baltic cod. Recent research has identified the importance of inflows of saline and oxygenated North Sea water into the Baltic Sea for the recruitment of Baltic cod. However, other processes have been suggested to modify this reproduction volume including variations in timing and volume of terrestrial runoff, variability of the solubility of oxygen due to variations in sea surface temperature as well as the influence of variations in wind stress. In order to examine the latter three mechanisms, we have performed simulations utilizing the Kiel Baltic Sea model for a period of a weak to moderate inflow of North Sea water into the Baltic, modifying wind stress, freshwater runoff and thermal inputs. The model is started from three-dimensional fields of temperature, salinity and oxygen obtained from a previous model run and forced by realistic atmospheric conditions. Results of this realistic reference run were compared to runs with modified meteorological forcing conditions and river runoff.From these simulations, it is apparent that processes other than major Baltic inflows have the potential to alter the reproduction volume of Baltic cod. Low near-surface air temperatures in the North Sea, the Skagerrak/Kattegat area and in the western Baltic influence the water mass properties (high oxygen solubility). Eastward oriented transports of these well-oxygenated highly saline water masses may have a significant positive impact on the Baltic cod reproduction volume in the Bornholm Basin.Finally, we analysed how large scale and local atmospheric forcing conditions are related to the identified major processes affecting the reproduction volume.     

On the fresh balance of the Adriatic Sea

The long-term mean fresh water balance of the Adriatic Sea is studied by ananalysing evaporation, precipitation and river runoff. Evaporation is computed from May latent heat flux and by means of bulk formula. In the latter case two wind speed data sets are used, namely those from the NMC and May. The sea surface temperature is taken from a historical Adriatic data set, and the air temperature and relative humidity come from the NMC data set. Two precipitation data sets are considered, namely the Legates and Willmott climatology and a data set consisting of data measured at 62 rain-gauge stations located on the Adriatic coasts. Runoff contribution to the fresh water balance is estimated from the long-term average flow rates of 39 rivers and the horizontal distribution of salinity in the upper mixed layer.The spatial distribution of the fresh water balance, as well as of its components, is analysed by means of monthly objective maps, from which averages and standard deviations are computed. The results obtained from the different computations are not always univocal, particularly in the evaluation of Summer evaporation, and are affected by relatively large statistical errors. Significant spatial and seasonal variability occurs, with a noticeable fresh water gain along the coastline of the northern and middle basins, while small areas of fresh water loss are found in the middle and southern basins. Nevertheless, on an annual basis, the difference between the fresh water losses by evaporation and the gains by precipitation and runoff is clearly negative, indicating that, unlike the whole Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea is generally a dilution basin.     

Variability of mesozooplankton spatial distribution in the North Aegean Sea, as influenced by the Black Sea waters outflow

The North Aegean Sea constitutes an important region of the Mediterranean Sea since in its eastern part the mesotrophic, low salinity and relatively cold water from the Black Sea (outflowing from the Dardanelles strait) meets the oligotrophic, warm and very saline water of Levantine origin, thus forming a thermohaline front. Mesozooplankton samples were collected at discrete layers according to the hydrology of the upper 100 m, during May 1997 and September 1998. In May highest biomass and abundance values (up to 66.82 mg m^− 3 and 14,157 ind m^− 3) were detected in the 10–20 m layer (within the halocline) of the stations positioned close to the Dardanelles strait. The front moved slightly southwards in September, characterized by high biomass and abundance values within the halocline layer. The areas moderately or non influenced by Black Sea water revealed lower standing stock values than the frontal area in both cruises and maxima were detected in the uppermost low salinity layer. Samples collected at the stations and/or layers more influenced by Black Sea water were distinguished from those collected at layers and/or stations more affected by Levantine waters in both periods. In May the former samples were characterized by the copepods Acartia clausi, Centropages typicus, Paracalanus parvus. The abundance of the above species decreased gradually with increasing salinity, in the horizontal and/or in the vertical dimension, with a parallel increase of the copepods Oithona plumifera, Oithona copepodites, Oncaea media, Ctenocalanus vanus, Farranula rostrata. During September the frontal area as well as that covered by the modified Black Sea water, were highly dominated by the cladoceran Penilia avirostris and doliolids. For both seasons, MDS plots, issued from the combination of mesozooplankton and water-type data, revealed the gradual differentiation of zooplankton composition from the frontal area towards the area covered by Levantine water, following the spreading and mixing of the Black sea water. The observed temporal and spatial variability in the distribution pattern of mesozooplankton standing stock and species composition seems to depend considerably on the variability of circulation and frontal flows.     

Hydrological changes in the Mediterranean Sea in relation to changes in the freshwater budget: A numerical modelling study

The response of the Mediterranean Sea and the various sub-basins to changes in the freshwater budget are investigated in a process-oriented study, using the POM model. The model is first integrated using values of the Nile and Ebro rivers runoff, as well as of the Dardanelles freshwater input, typical of the fifties. The model reaches a steady state representative of that existing in the Mediterranean prior to the major damming period after 90 years of integration. Then the model is integrated using the reduced river runoff values typical of the after-damming period. The additional impact of decadal scale trends in the precipitation rate as well as of intense surface cooling periods/events on the thermohaline circulation during the last 40 years were also examined. The model results show that the dramatic reduction of the Nile freshwater input and to a lesser extent the reduction of the freshwater input from the Dardanelles Straits induced a large increase in the sea surface salinity in the Aegean and Levantine basins in the late sixties/early seventies, in agreement with observations. Furthermore, the Ebro runoff reduction during the same period further enhanced the salinity increase in the Levantine basin as higher salinity surface waters of the western basin reached the eastern basin via the Atlantic Water circulation. This saltier surface layer in the vicinity of the Rhodes Gyre favoured the preconditioning for the formation of the Levantine Intermediate Water, resulting in about 40% increase of its formation rate. This in turn resulted in the production of saltier and larger amounts of deep waters in the various deep-water formation sites. According to the model, the river damming and decreased precipitation since the eighties explain about 95% of the observed salinity increase in the Western Mediterranean Deep Water over the last 40 years. The major contributor to this increase was proved to be the Nile damming. The salt increase in the surface layer is proved to be insufficient to produce alone the two climatic transient events in the deep waters of the Eastern Mediterranean in the late sixties and early nineties, respectively. Surface cooling was found to be important, resulting in large deep water formation and thus allowing the propagation of the increased surface salinity signal to the deep layers. However, model results demonstrate that the river damming played an important role in the long-term salt preconditioning of the surface/intermediate layers, thus contributing in triggering the two events.     

Remotely-sensed chlorophyll a observations of the northern Red Sea indicate seasonal variability and influence of coastal reefs

The biological dynamics of the open northern Red Sea (21.5°–27.5° N, 33.5°–40° E) have not been studied extensively, due in part to both the inaccessibility of this desert region and political considerations. Remotely-sensed chlorophyll a data therefore provide a framework to investigate the primary patterns of biological activity in this oceanic basin. Monthly chlorophyll a data from the 8-year Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View sensor (SeaWiFS) mission, and data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), were analyzed with the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) online data analysis system “Giovanni”. The data indicate that despite the normal low chlorophyll a concentrations (0.1–0.2 mg m^− 3) in these oligotrophic waters, there is a characteristic seasonal bloom in March–April in the northernmost open Red Sea (24° to 27.5° N) concurrent with minimum sea surface temperature. The location of the highest chlorophyll concentrations is consistent with a linear box model [Eshel, G., and Naik, N.H., 1997. Climatological coastal jet collision, intermediate water formation, and the general circulation of the Red Sea. J. Phys. Oceanogr. 27(7), 1233–1257.] of Red Sea circulation. Two years in the data set exhibited a different seasonal cycle consisting of a relatively weak northern spring bloom and elevated chlorophyll concentrations to the south (21.5° to 24° N).The data also indicate that large coral reef complexes may be sources of either nutrients or chlorophyll-rich detritus and sediment, enhancing chlorophyll a concentration in waters adjacent to the reefs.     

Sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability in the Bay of Biscay, inferred from satellite altimeter data

Twelve years (1993–2005) of altimetric data, combining different missions (ERS-1/2, TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and Envisat), are used to analyse sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability in the Bay of Biscay at different time-scales. A specific processing of coastal data has been applied, to remove erroneous artefacts. Likewise, an optimal interpolation has been used, to create a series of regional Sea Level Anomaly maps, merging data sets from two satellites.The sea level presents a trend of about 2.7 mm/year, which is within the averaged values of sea level rise in the global ocean. Frequency spectra show that the seasonal cycle is the main time-scale affecting the sea level and Eddy Kinetic Energy variability. The maximum sea level occurs in October, whilst the minimum is observed in April. The steric effect is the cause of this annual cycle. The Northern French shelf/slope presents intense variability which is likely due to internal tides. Some areas of the ocean basin are also characterised by intense variability, due to the presence of eddies.The Eddy Kinetic Energy, in turn, is higher from December to May, than during the rest of the year and presents a weak positive trend from April 1995 to April 2005. Several documented mesoscale events, occurring at the end of 1997 and during 1998, are analysed. Altimetry maps prove to be a useful tool to monitor swoddy-like eddies from their birth to their decay, as well as the inflow of seasonal slope water current into the southeastern corner of the Bay of Biscay.     

A reduced-gravity model of the Catalan Sea

A reduced-gravity model is used to study the effects of the wind on the upper layer circulation in the Catalan Sea. The model parameters were set by observed features of the circulation in the basin. It is shown that the results are particularly sensitive to the open sea boundary conditions. Simulations were done using the following boundary fluxes: (i) mean values estimated by Bethoux (1980) and (ii) more recent geostrophic transports computed from hydrographic data by Font et al. (1988). The latter seem to lead to more realistic circulation patterns. The influence of seasonal winds (climatological data) on the dynamics is clear, especially during the winter.     

Variability of the Bohai Sea circulation based on model calculations

The circulation and the hydrography of the Bohai Sea are simulated with the Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model (HAMSOM). The model is three-dimensional, prognostic baroclinic and has a resolution of 5 min in latitude and longitude and 10 layers in the vertical. It is initialised and forced with the five main tidal constituents, temperature and salinity distributions taken from the Levitus database, monthly mean river run-off values and European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) re-analysed data of air pressure, wind stress and of those parameters relevant for the calculation of heat fluxes. The simulation period covers 14 years from 1980 to 1993 due to the availability of the time-dependent ECMWF forcing.The results are analysed by means of time series and EOFs focussing on the interpretation of fluctuations with periods above the tidal cycle. Furthermore, tracer simulations are carried out and turnover times are calculated in order to evaluate the importance of these fluctuations on the renewal and transport of water masses in the Bohai Sea.One of the major outcomes of the investigation is the overall dominance of the annual cycle in all hydrographic parameters and the importance of stochastic weather fluctuations on the transport of water masses in the Bohai Sea.     

Review on the seasonal variation of the surface circulation in the Japan/East Sea

The seasonal variation of the surface circulation in the Japan/East Sea (JES) and the Tsushima/Korea Straits (TKS) is reviewed and discussed, focusing on mesoscale and submesoscale variabilities.The monsoon modified by coastal geographical features near Vladivostok generates a dipole of vortex off Vladivostok which induces dramatic changes in the surface circulation in the northwest JES, splitting the Subpolar Gyre into two smaller gyres by generating the Vladivostok Dome. Between these two smaller gyres, the Northwest Thermal Front is formed and current reversal is induced along the North Korean coast. The winter monsoon also induces a current reversal along the Sakhalin coast. The volume transport of the surface Subpolar Gyre has two maxima in January and August. The maximum in August is induced by the summer intensification of the Liman-North Korean Cold Current and the shallow and narrow surface coastal jet generated by the sea ice and snow melting. The maximum in January is induced by the northwest monsoon and associated cooling.Salient features in the TKS are the submesoscale variabilities. In the western channel, submesoscale eddies with length scale of about 80 km and time scale of 5–6 days develop in the cold period. On the lee side of the Tsushima Islands, Karman-like vortex pairs are generated in the warm period. Anticyclonic vortices generated at the northern tip of the Tsushima Islands have a time scale of 5 to 8 days, length scale of 35 to 60 km, and propagate toward the JES with a phase speed of 8 cm/s. Cyclonic vortices south of the anticyclonic counter part of the vortex pairs are rather stationary with intermittent occasional propagation toward the east. The development of stratification seems to be necessary for the development of Karman-like vortex pairs.Summarizing the results above, a schematic surface circulation with seasonal change is proposed.     

Ventilation of bottom water in the North Sea–Baltic Sea transition zone

The transition zone between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea is a highly dynamic region where a general estuarine circulation forms a regional scale frontal system from northern Kattegat to the Arkona Sea. This system is characterized by an upper low saline out?owing Baltic water mass from the in?owing saline Skagerrak bottom water to the Kattegat and Belt Sea area. Large and rapid ?uctuations of the frontal system are caused by barotropic transports, forced by changing sea level difference between northern Kattegat and the western Baltic Sea, and this results in high variability of the hydrographic conditions and also in frequent in- and out?ow events to the Baltic. The dynamics in the region are here analyzed by a regional model of the transition zone, covering the area from the northern Kattegat to the Arkona Sea. The model is validated against water level, temperature and salinity measurements from the region, and the transports through the Danish straits are related to previous estimates and empirical relations. A sensitivity study quantify the role of bathymetry, the tidally induced mixing and the in?owing Skagerrak bottom water for ventilating the bottom water with Skagerrak water or surface water.Furthermore, the dynamics in the region is analyzed with tracers representing the age of the water. The distribution of age tracers with different boundary conditions are analyzed, and the role of advection and mixing for ventilating the bottom water is quanti?ed in terms of the water age. It is shown that the Great Belt area is a very dynamical area where bottom water is ventilated with surface water. The interannual variation of the ventilation of bottom water in the period 2001–2003 is analyzed by various age tracers and related to observed oxygen conditions, and it is shown that the extreme hypoxic event in the autumn 2002 in the southern Kattegat, the Great Belt and in the western Baltic Sea coincide with an unusual low vertical ventilation rate in the Great Belt area, but normal advection rates of bottom water from the northern Kattegat. This indicates that during this particular event, and probably in general, ventilation of bottom water in the Great Belt has signi?cant in?uence on oxygen conditions in the southern part of the region and for ventilation of bottom waters in the western Baltic Sea. In contrast, the central Kattegat is primarily ventilated by advection of bottom water from the Skagerrak. An age tracer representing the ventilation rate of bottom water with either Skagerrak water or surface water is shown to be inversely correlated to the observed oxygen distribution in the region.     

About the seasonal variability of the Alboran Sea circulation

Data from a mooring line deployed midway between the Alboran Island and Cape Tres Forcas are used to study the time variability of the Alboran Sea from May 1997 to May 1998. The upper layer salinity and zonal velocity present annual and semiannual cycles characterised by a minimum in spring and autumn and a maximum in summer and winter. Temperature has the opposite behaviour to that of salinity indicating changes in the presence of the Atlantic water within the Alboran Passage. A large set of SST images is used to study these cycles. The decrease of salinity and velocity in our mooring location in spring and autumn seems to be related to the eastward drifting of the Western Alboran Gyre (WAG). The increase of salinity and velocity is caused by the Atlantic current flowing south of the Alboran Island and its associated thermohaline front. Conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) data from two cruises along the 3°W are coherent with current meters and SST interpretations.During the period analysed, summer months are characterised by the stability of the two-gyre system, while in winter, the circulation is characterised by a coastal jet flowing close to the African shore. We use sea level differences across the Strait of Gibraltar for studying the variability of the Atlantic inflow. We discuss the changes in the Alboran Sea circulation and its relation with the variability of the inertial radius of the Atlantic inflow. Though our results are speculative, we find a possible relation between the disappearance of the two-gyre system and a reversal of the circulation in Gibraltar. Longer time series are needed to conclude, but comparison with previous works makes us think that the seasonal cycle described from May 1997 to May 1998 could be the most likely one for the Alboran Sea upper layer.     

Numerical analysis of water circulation and thermohaline structures in the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea has a unique ecosystem that consists of endemic species. The deterioration of the unique ecosystem has become increasingly worrisome since a wide variety of pollutants have been released into the water. Water circulation plays a key role in advection and diffusion of these pollutants. In the present study, water circulation and thermohaline structures in the Caspian Sea were analyzed by means of a three dimensional numerical simulation. The effects of meteorological changes, river inflow, and an icing event were taken into account as boundary conditions. Numerical simulation was carried out for 20 years to achieve stable seasonal variations in model variables. As a result, the horizontal distributions of water temperature and salinity could be reproduced; the gradient of water temperature in the north–south direction, the decrease in water temperature along the east coast of the middle Caspian Sea due to coastal upwelling, and low salinity in the northern Caspian Sea. The icing event kept the water temperature in the northern Caspian Sea from decreasing to an unrealistic value. The observed cyclonic gyres were basically formed by the density-driven current due to thermohaline structure.