Articles | Volume 17, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-975-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-975-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
23 Jul 2021
Research article |
| 23 Jul 2021
| 23 Jul 2021
Impact of dense-water flow over a sloping bottom on open-sea circulation: laboratory experiments and an Ionian Sea (Mediterranean) example
Miroslav Gačić
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Laura Ursella
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Milena Menna
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Vlado Malačič
National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station, Fornače
41, Piran 6330, Slovenia
Manuel Bensi
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Maria-Eletta Negretti
LEGI, CNRS UMR5519, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 1209-1211 rue de la piscine, Domaine Universitaire, Saint Martin d'Hères 38400,
France
Vanessa Cardin
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Mirko Orlić
Andrija Mohorovičić Geophysical Institute, Faculty of
Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 95, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Joël Sommeria
LEGI, CNRS UMR5519, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 1209-1211 rue de la piscine, Domaine Universitaire, Saint Martin d'Hères 38400,
France
Ricardo Viana Barreto
University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences,
Informatics and Statistics, Via Torino 155, Mestre 30172, Italy
Samuel Viboud
LEGI, CNRS UMR5519, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 1209-1211 rue de la piscine, Domaine Universitaire, Saint Martin d'Hères 38400,
France
Thomas Valran
LEGI, CNRS UMR5519, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 1209-1211 rue de la piscine, Domaine Universitaire, Saint Martin d'Hères 38400,
France
Boris Petelin
National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station, Fornače
41, Piran 6330, Slovenia
Giuseppe Siena
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS,
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, Sgonico (TS) 34010, Italy
Angelo Rubino
University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences,
Informatics and Statistics, Via Torino 155, Mestre 30172, Italy
Related authors
No articles found.
Manuel Bensi, Giuseppe Civitarese, Diego Borme, Carmela Caroppo, Gabriella Caruso, Federica Cerino, Franco Decembrini, Alessandra de Olazabal, Tommaso Diociaiuti, Michele Giani, Vedrana Kovacevic, Martina Kralj, Angelina Lo Giudice, Giovanna Maimone, Marina Monti, Maria Papale, Luisa Patrolecco, Elisa Putelli, Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo, Federica Relitti, Carmen Rizzo, Francesca Spataro, Valentina Tirelli, Clara Turetta, and Maurizio Azzaro
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3701–3719, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3701-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3701-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In September 2021, the Italian Arctic Research Programme funded a multidisciplinary study along 75° N in the Greenland Sea as part of the CASSANDRA project and the Synoptic Arctic Survey (SAS) programme. This study emphasises the spatial variability of water properties, nutrient distribution, and biological communities determined by oceanographic dynamics in a region influenced by sea ice melting, Atlantic Water inflow, and climatic teleconnections during a record low summer sea ice extent.
Sofia Flora, Laura Ursella, and Achim Wirth
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4685–4712, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4685-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4685-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a hierarchy of idealized deterministic–stochastic models to simulate sea surface currents in the Gulf of Trieste. They include tide- and wind-driven sea surface current components, resolving the slowly varying part of the flow, and a stochastic signal, representing the fast-varying small-scale dynamics. The comparison with high-frequency radar observations shows that the non-Gaussian stochastic model captures key dynamics and mimics the observed fat-tailed probability distribution.
Davide Lombardo, Sofia Flora, Fabio Giordano, Emanuele Ingrassia, Milena Menna, Stefano Querin, and Laura Ursella
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1176, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1176, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses the extreme meteo-marine event October–November 2023 in the Gulf of Trieste, characterised by southerly strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high river discharge. Using HF radar data, wind records, and numerical models, we analysed the interactions between river discharge and wind-driven currents. Results show that strong river discharge can dominate coastal circulation and overlay the wind effects. This multi-platform approach provides valuable insights into ocean dynamics.
Riccardo Martellucci, Michele Giani, Elena Mauri, Laurent Coppola, Melf Paulsen, Marine Fourrier, Sara Pensieri, Vanessa Cardin, Carlotta Dentico, Roberto Bozzano, Carolina Cantoni, Anna Lucchetta, Alfredo Izquierdo, Miguel Bruno, and Ingunn Skjelvan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5333–5356, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
As part of the ATL2MED demonstration experiment, two autonomous surface vehicles undertook a 9-month mission from the northeastern Atlantic to the Adriatic Sea. Biofouling affected the measurement of variables such as conductivity and dissolved oxygen. COVID-19 limited the availability of discrete samples for validation. We present correction methods for salinity and dissolved oxygen. We use model products to correct salinity and apply the Argo floats in-air correction method for oxygen
Annunziata Pirro, Riccardo Martellucci, Antonella Gallo, Elisabeth Kubin, Elena Mauri, Mélanie Juza, Giulio Notarstefano, Massimo Pacciaroni, Antonio Bussani, and Milena Menna
State Planet, 4-osr8, 18, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-18-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-18-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work analyses the propagation of the 2022 marine heatwave from the surface to 2000 m depth of the water column in the Mediterranean Sea. The results show that the temperature anomaly during the summer of 2022 varies between 0.88 and 2.92 °C. However, this heat stored in the surface layer is distributed in the water column during the following fall. This warming may enhance variations of the circulation of the surface and deep currents, which in turn may have an impact on the climate.
Riccardo Martellucci, Francesco Tiralongo, Sofia F. Darmaraki, Michela D'Alessandro, Giorgio Mancinelli, Emanuele Mancini, Roberto Simonini, Milena Menna, Annunziata Pirro, Diego Borme, Rocco Auriemma, Marco Graziano, and Elena Mauri
State Planet Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2024-16, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2024-16, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for SP
Short summary
Short summary
In 2023, global mean air temperatures reached unprecedented highs and the Mediterranean was hit by the longest marine heatwave in four decades. These conditions favored the spread of invasive species affecting fisheries in the central Mediterranean. This study provides new insights into the cascading impacts of climate-driven extreme events on marine ecosystems and fisheries and suggests actionable strategies for dealing with invasive species in a changing climate.
Felipe L. L. Amorim, Julien Le Meur, Achim Wirth, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 20, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Analysis of a high-frequency time series of thermohaline data measured at the EMSO-E2M3A regional facility in the southern Adriatic Pit (SAP) reveals a significant change in the double-diffusive regime in 2017 associated with the intrusion of extremely salty waters into the area, suggesting salt fingering as the dominant regime. The strong heat loss at the surface during this winter allowed deep convection to transport this high-salinity water from the intermediate to deep layers of the pit.
Pierre-Marie Poulain, Luca Centurioni, Carlo Brandini, Stefano Taddei, Maristella Berta, and Milena Menna
Ocean Sci., 19, 1617–1631, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1617-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1617-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Drifters and a profiling float were deployed in the coastal waters of the southeastern Ligurian Sea to characterize the near-surface circulation at a scale of ~10 km. The drifters were trapped in an offshore-flowing filament and a cyclonic eddy that developed at the southwestern extremity of the filament. Drifter velocities are used to estimate differential kinematic properties and relative dispersion statistics of the surface currents.
Sofia Flora, Laura Ursella, and Achim Wirth
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 30, 515–525, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-515-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-515-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
An increasing amount of data allows us to move from low-order moments of fluctuating observations to their PDFs. We found the analytical fat-tailed PDF form (a combination of Gaussian and two-exponential convolutions) for 2 years of sea surface current increments in the Gulf of Trieste, using superstatistics and the maximum-entropy principle twice: on short and longer timescales. The data from different wind regimes follow the same analytical PDF, pointing towards a universal behaviour.
Alberto Ribotti, Antonio Bussani, Milena Menna, Andrea Satta, Roberto Sorgente, Andrea Cucco, and Riccardo Gerin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4651–4659, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4651-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4651-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Over 100 experiments were realized between 1998 and 2022 in the Mediterranean Sea using surface coastal and offshore Lagrangian drifters. Raw data were initially unified and pre-processed. Then, the integrity of the received data packages was checked and incomplete ones were discarded. Deployment information was retrieved and integrated into the PostgreSQL database. Data were interpolated at defined time intervals, providing a dataset of 158 trajectories, available in different formats.
Valeria Di Biagio, Riccardo Martellucci, Milena Menna, Anna Teruzzi, Carolina Amadio, Elena Mauri, and Gianpiero Cossarini
State Planet, 1-osr7, 10, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-10-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-10-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Oxygen is essential to all aerobic organisms, and its content in the marine environment is continuously under assessment. By integrating observations with a model, we describe the dissolved oxygen variability in a sensitive Mediterranean area in the period 1999–2021 and ascribe it to multiple acting physical and biological drivers. Moreover, the reduction recognized in 2021, apparently also due to other mechanisms, requires further monitoring in light of its possible impacts.
Nydia Catalina Reyes Suárez, Valentina Tirelli, Laura Ursella, Matjaž Ličer, Massimo Celio, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 18, 1321–1337, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1321-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1321-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Explaining the dynamics of jellyfish blooms is a challenge for scientists. Biological and meteo-oceanographic data were combined on different timescales to explain the exceptional bloom of the jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) in April 2021. The bloom was associated with anomalously warm seasonal sea conditions. Then, a strong bora wind event enhanced upwelling and mixing of the water column, causing jellyfish to rise to the surface and accumulate along the coast.
Emma Reyes, Eva Aguiar, Michele Bendoni, Maristella Berta, Carlo Brandini, Alejandro Cáceres-Euse, Fulvio Capodici, Vanessa Cardin, Daniela Cianelli, Giuseppe Ciraolo, Lorenzo Corgnati, Vlado Dadić, Bartolomeo Doronzo, Aldo Drago, Dylan Dumas, Pierpaolo Falco, Maria Fattorini, Maria J. Fernandes, Adam Gauci, Roberto Gómez, Annalisa Griffa, Charles-Antoine Guérin, Ismael Hernández-Carrasco, Jaime Hernández-Lasheras, Matjaž Ličer, Pablo Lorente, Marcello G. Magaldi, Carlo Mantovani, Hrvoje Mihanović, Anne Molcard, Baptiste Mourre, Adèle Révelard, Catalina Reyes-Suárez, Simona Saviano, Roberta Sciascia, Stefano Taddei, Joaquín Tintoré, Yaron Toledo, Marco Uttieri, Ivica Vilibić, Enrico Zambianchi, and Alejandro Orfila
Ocean Sci., 18, 797–837, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-797-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-797-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work reviews the existing advanced and emerging scientific and societal applications using HFR data, developed to address the major challenges identified in Mediterranean coastal waters organized around three main topics: maritime safety, extreme hazards and environmental transport processes. It also includes a discussion and preliminary assessment of the capabilities of existing HFR applications, finally providing a set of recommendations towards setting out future prospects.
Pablo Lorente, Eva Aguiar, Michele Bendoni, Maristella Berta, Carlo Brandini, Alejandro Cáceres-Euse, Fulvio Capodici, Daniela Cianelli, Giuseppe Ciraolo, Lorenzo Corgnati, Vlado Dadić, Bartolomeo Doronzo, Aldo Drago, Dylan Dumas, Pierpaolo Falco, Maria Fattorini, Adam Gauci, Roberto Gómez, Annalisa Griffa, Charles-Antoine Guérin, Ismael Hernández-Carrasco, Jaime Hernández-Lasheras, Matjaž Ličer, Marcello G. Magaldi, Carlo Mantovani, Hrvoje Mihanović, Anne Molcard, Baptiste Mourre, Alejandro Orfila, Adèle Révelard, Emma Reyes, Jorge Sánchez, Simona Saviano, Roberta Sciascia, Stefano Taddei, Joaquín Tintoré, Yaron Toledo, Laura Ursella, Marco Uttieri, Ivica Vilibić, Enrico Zambianchi, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 18, 761–795, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-761-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-761-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
High-frequency radar (HFR) is a land-based remote sensing technology that can provide maps of the surface circulation over broad coastal areas, along with wave and wind information. The main goal of this work is to showcase the current status of the Mediterranean HFR network as well as present and future applications of this sensor for societal benefit such as search and rescue operations, safe vessel navigation, tracking of marine pollutants, and the monitoring of extreme events.
Manuel Bensi, Vedrana Kovačević, Federica Donda, Philip Edward O'Brien, Linda Armbrecht, and Leanne Kay Armand
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 65–78, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-65-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-65-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Totten Glacier (Sabrina Coast, East Antarctica) has undergone significant retreat in recent years, underlining its sensitivity to climate change and its potential contribution to global sea-level rise. The melting process is strongly influenced by ocean dynamics and the spatial distribution of water masses appears to be linked to the complex morpho-bathymetry of the area, supporting the hypothesis that downwelling processes contribute to shaping the architecture of the continental margin.
Davide Zanchettin, Sara Bruni, Fabio Raicich, Piero Lionello, Fanny Adloff, Alexey Androsov, Fabrizio Antonioli, Vincenzo Artale, Eugenio Carminati, Christian Ferrarin, Vera Fofonova, Robert J. Nicholls, Sara Rubinetti, Angelo Rubino, Gianmaria Sannino, Giorgio Spada, Rémi Thiéblemont, Michael Tsimplis, Georg Umgiesser, Stefano Vignudelli, Guy Wöppelmann, and Susanna Zerbini
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 2643–2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2643-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2643-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Relative sea level in Venice rose by about 2.5 mm/year in the past 150 years due to the combined effect of subsidence and mean sea-level rise. We estimate the likely range of mean sea-level rise in Venice by 2100 due to climate changes to be between about 10 and 110 cm, with an improbable yet possible high-end scenario of about 170 cm. Projections of subsidence are not available, but historical evidence demonstrates that they can increase the hazard posed by climatically induced sea-level rise.
Piero Lionello, David Barriopedro, Christian Ferrarin, Robert J. Nicholls, Mirko Orlić, Fabio Raicich, Marco Reale, Georg Umgiesser, Michalis Vousdoukas, and Davide Zanchettin
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 2705–2731, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2705-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2705-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this review we describe the factors leading to the extreme water heights producing the floods of Venice. We discuss the different contributions, their relative importance, and the resulting compound events. We highlight the role of relative sea level rise and the observed past and very likely future increase in extreme water heights, showing that they might be up to 160 % higher at the end of the 21st century than presently.
Dagmar Hainbucher, Marta Álvarez, Blanca Astray Uceda, Giancarlo Bachi, Vanessa Cardin, Paolo Celentano, Spyros Chaikalis, Maria del Mar Chaves Montero, Giuseppe Civitarese, Noelia M. Fajar, Francois Fripiat, Lennart Gerke, Alexandra Gogou, Elisa F. Guallart, Birte Gülk, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, Nico Lange, Andrea Rochner, Chiara Santinelli, Tobias Steinhoff, Toste Tanhua, Lidia Urbini, Dimitrios Velaoras, Fabian Wolf, and Andreas Welsch
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 2747–2763, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-2747-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-2747-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We report on data from an oceanographic cruise in the Mediterranean Sea (MSM72, March 2018). The main objective of the cruise was to contribute to the understanding of long-term changes and trends in physical and biogeochemical parameters, such as the anthropogenic carbon uptake, and further assess the hydrographical situation after the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Transients. Multidisciplinary measurements were conducted on a predominantly
zonal section throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
Cited articles
Bensi, M., Cardin, V., Rubino, A., Notarstefano, G., and Poulain, P. M.:
Effects of winter convection on the deep layer of the Southern Adriatic Sea
in 2012, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 118, 6064–6075, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JC009432, 2013.
Bombosch, A. and Jenkins, A.: Modeling the formation and deposition of frazil
ice beneath the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf, J. Geophys. Res., 100,
6983–6992, 1995.
Borzelli, G. L. E, Gačić, M., Cardin, V., and Civitarese, G.: Eastern
Mediterranean Transient and reversal of the Ionian Sea circulation, Geophys.
Res. Lett., 36, L15108, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL039261, 2009.
Brandt, P., Rubino, A., Quadfasel, D., Alpers, W., Sellschopp, J., and Fiekas,
H. V.: Evidence for the influence of Atlantic-Ionian Stream fluctuations on
the tidally induced internal dynamics in the Strait of Messina, J. Phys.
Oceanogr., 29, 1071–1080, 1999.
Cenedese, C., Whitehead, J. A., Ascarelli, T. A., and Ohiwa, M.: A dense
current flowing down a sloping bottom in a rotating fluid, J. Phys.
Oceanogr., 14, 188–202, 2004.
Ceramicola, S., Praeg, D., Coste, M., Forlin, E., Cova, A., Colizza, E., and
Critelli, S.: Submarine mass-movements along the slopes of the active Ionian
continental margins and their consequences for marine geohazards
(Mediterranean Sea), in: Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences,
Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, 37, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00972-8_26, 2014.
Corrsin, S.: Local isotropy in turbulent shear flow, National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics RM 58B11, 1–17, https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc63956/m2/1/high_res_d/19930089981.pdf (last access: 27 April 2021), 1958.
de Boyer Montégut, C.: Mixed layer depth over the global ocean: An
examination of profile data and a profile-based climatology, J. Geophys. Res.,
109, C12003, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JC002378, 2004.
Emery, W. J. and Thomson, R. E.: Data Analysis Methods in Physical
Oceanography, 2nd and revised edition, 638 pp., Elsevier Science B.V., 2001.
Etling, D., Gelhardt, F., Schrader, U., Brennecke, F., Kuehn, G., Chabert
d'Hieres, G., and Didelle, H.: Experiments with density currents on a
sloping bottom in a rotating fluid, Dyn. Atm. Oceans, 31, 139–164, 2000.
Dickson, R. R.: The Local, Regional, and Global Significance
of Exchanges through the Denmark Strait and Irminger Sea, Chapter 3, The Ocean,
Natural Climate Variability on Decade-to-Century Time Scales (report), Washington, DC, The National
Academies Press, 305–317, https://doi.org/10.17226/5142, 1995.
Gačić, M., Eusebi Borzelli, G. L., Civitarese, G., Cardin, V., and
Yari, S.: Can internal processes sustain reversals of the ocean upper
circulation? The Ionian Sea example, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L09608,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL043216, 2010.
Gačić, M., Civitarese, G., Euzebi Borzelli, G. L.,
Kovačević, V., Poulain, P.-M., Theocharis, A., Menna, M., Catucci,
A., and Zarokanellos, N.: On the relationship between the decadal
oscillations of the Northern Ionian Sea and the salinity distributions in
the Eastern Mediterranean, J. Geoph. Res., 116, C12002,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JC007280, 2011.
Gačić, M., Schroeder, K., Civitarese, G., Cosoli, S., Vetrano, A., and Eusebi Borzelli, G. L.: Salinity in the Sicily Channel corroborates the role of the Adriatic–Ionian Bimodal Oscillating System (BiOS) in shaping the decadal variability of the Mediterranean overturning circulation, Ocean Sci., 9, 83–90, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-9-83-2013, 2013.
Gačić, M., Civitarese, G., Kovačević, V., Ursella, L., Bensi, M., Menna, M., Cardin, V., Poulain, P.-M., Cosoli, S., Notarstefano, G., and Pizzi, C.: Extreme winter 2012 in the Adriatic: an example of climatic effect on the BiOS rhythm, Ocean Sci., 10, 513–522, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-513-2014, 2014.
Jungclaus, H. J. and Backhous, J. O.: Application of a transient reduced
gravity plume model to the Denmark Strait Overflow, J. Geoph. Res.-Atmos., 99, 12375–12396 1994.
Klein, B., Roether, W., Manca, B., Bregant, D., Beitzel, V.,
Kovačević, V., and Luchetta, A.: The large deep-water transient in
the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. I, 46, 371–414,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00075-2, 1999.
Lane-Serff, G. F.: On drag-limited gravity currents, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. I, 40,
1699–1702, 1993.
Lane-Serff, G. F.: On meltwater under ice-shelves, J. Geophys. Res., 100,
6961–6965, 1995.
Lane-Serff, G. F. and Baines, P. G.: Eddy formation by dense flows on
slopes in a rotating fluid, J. Fluid Mech., 363, 229–252, 1998.
Lane-Serff, G. F. and Baines, P. G.: Eddy formation by overflows in
stratified water, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 30, 327–337, 2000.
Lascaratos, A.: Estimation of deep and intermediate water mass formation
rates in the Mediterranean Sea, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. II, 40, 1327–1332, 1993.
Menna, M., Reyes Suarez, N. C., Civitarese, G., Gačić, M., Poulain,
P.-M., and Rubino, A.: Decadal variations of the circulation in the Central
Mediterranean and its interactions with mesoscale gyres, Deep-Sea Res.
Pt. II, 164, 1–24, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2019.02.004, 2019.
Mihanović, H., Vilibić, I., Carniel, S., Tudor, M., Russo, A., Bergamasco, A., Bubić, N., Ljubešić, Z., Viličić, D., Boldrin, A., Malačič, V., Celio, M., Comici, C., and Raicich, F.: Exceptional dense water formation on the Adriatic shelf in the winter of 2012, Ocean Sci., 9, 561–572, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-9-561-2013, 2013.
Monsen, N. E., Cloem, J. E., Lucas, L. V., and Monismith, S. G.: A comment
on the use of flushing time, residence time, and age as transport time
scales, Limnol. Oceanogr., 47, 1545–1553, 2002.
Mory, M., Stern, M. E., and Griffiths, R. W.: Coherent baroclinic eddies on
a sloping bottom, J. Fluid Mech., 183, 45–62, 1987.
Nagy, H., Di Lorenzo, E., and El-Gindy, A.: The impact of climate change on
circulation patterns in the Eastern Mediterrnaean Sea upper layer using
Med-ROMS model, Prog. Oceanogr., 175, 226–244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2019.04.012, 2019.
Nof, D.: The translation of isolated cold eddies on a sloping bottom,
Deep-Sea Res., 30, 171–182, 1983.
Odier, P., Chen J., and Ecke R. E.: Understanding and modeling turbulent
fluxes and entrainment in a gravity current, Phys. D: Nonlin. Phen., 241, 260–268, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physd.2011.07.010, 2012.
Orlić, M. and Lazar, M.: Cyclonic versus Anticyclonic Circulation in
Lakes and Inland Seas, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 19, 2247–2263, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JPO4068.1, 2009.
Peters, H. and Orlić, M.: Turbulent mixing in the springtime central
Adriatic Sea, Geofizika, 22, 1–19, 2005.
Pinardi, N., Zavatarelli, M., Adani, M., Coppini, G., Fratianni, C., Oddo,
P., Simoncelli, S., Tonani, M., Lyubartsev, V., Dobricic, S., and Bonaduce,
A.: Mediterranean Sea large-scale low-frequency ocean variability and water
mass formation rates from 1987 to 2007: A retrospective analysis, Prog.
Oceanogr., 132, 318–332, 2015
Querin, S., Bensi, M., Cardin, V., Solidoro, C., Bacer, S., Mariotti, L., Stel, V., and Malačič, V.: Saw-tooth modulation of the deep-water thermohaline properties in the
southern Adriatic Sea, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 121, 4585–4600, 2016.
Raicich, F., Malačič, V., Celio, M., Giaiotti, D., Cantoni, C., Colucci, R. R., Čermelj, B., and Pucillo, A.: Extreme air-sea interactions
in the Gulf of Trieste (North Adriatic) during the strong Bora event in
winter 2012, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 118, 5238–5250,
https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrc.20398, 2013.
Roether, W., Manca, B. B., Klein, B., Bregant, D., Georgopoulos, D.,
Beitzel, V., Kovačević, V., and Lucchetta, A.: Recent changes in
eastern Mediterranean deep waters, Science, 271, 333–335, 1996.
Rubino, A., Gačić, M, Bensi, M., Kovačević, V., Malačič, V., Menna, M., Negretti, M. E., Sommeria, J., Zanchettin, D., Barreto, R. V., Ursella, L., Cardin, V., Civitarese, G., Orlić, M., Petelin, B., and Siena, G.: Experimental evidence of
long-term oceanic circulation reversals without wind influence in the North
Ionian Sea, Sci. Rep. 10, 1905, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-57862-6,
2020.
Smith, P. C.: A streamtube model for the bottom boundary currents in the
ocean, Deep-Sea Res., 22, 853–874, 1975.
Simoncelli, S., Fratianni, C., Pinardi, N., Grandi, A., Drudi, M., Oddo, P.,
and Dobricic, S.: Mediterranean Sea Physical Reanalysis (CMEMS MED-Physics), Copernicus Monitoring Environment Marine Service (CMEMS) [data set],
https://doi.org/10.25423/MEDSEA_REANALYSIS_PHYS_006_004, 2019.
Spall, M. A. and Price, J. F.: Mesoscale variability in Denmark Strait: The
PV outflow hypothesis, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 28, 1598–1623, 1998.
Vigo, I., Garcia, D., and Chao, B. F.: Change of sea level trend in the
Mediterranean and Black seas, J. Mar. Res., 63, 1085–1100,
https://doi.org/10.1357/002224005775247607, 2005.
Theocharis, A., Krokos, G., Velaoras, D., and Korres, G.: An internal
mechanism driving the alternation of the Eastern Mediterranean dense/deep
water sources, in: The Mediterranean Sea: Temporal Variability and Spatial
Patterns, edited by: Borzelli, G. L. E., Gačić, M., Lionello, P., and Malanotte-Rizzoli, P., AGU Geophys. Monogr. Ser., John Wiley, Oxford, U.K.,
202, 113–137, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118847572.ch8,
2014.
Velaoras, D., Krokos, G., Nittis, K., and Theocharis, A.: Dense intermediate
water outflow from the Cretan Sea: A salinity driven, recurrent phenomenon,
connected to thermohaline circulation changes, J. Geophys. Res., 119,
4797–4820, 2014.
Whitehead, J. A., Stern, M. E., Flierl, G. R., and Klinger, B. A.:
Experimental observations of baroclinic eddies on a sloping bottom, J.
Geophys. Res., 95, 9585–9610, 1990.
Wirth, A.: On the basic structure of oceanic gravity currents, Ocean Dyn.,
59, 551–563, 2009.
Short summary
Experiments in rotating tanks can simulate the Earth system and help to represent the real ocean, where rotation plays an important role. We wanted to show the minor importance of the wind in driving the flow in the Ionian Sea. We did this by observing changes in the water current in a rotating tank affected only by the pumping of dense water into the system. The flow variations were similar to those in the real sea, confirming the scarce importance of the wind for the flow in the Ionian Sea.
Experiments in rotating tanks can simulate the Earth system and help to represent the real...
