Tipping of the double-diffusive regime in the southern Adriatic  Pit in 2017 in connection with record high-salinity values

Amorim, Felipe L. L.; Le Meur, Julien; Wirth, Achim; Cardin, Vanessa

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024

Articles | Volume 20, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Extremes in the marine environment: analysis of multi-temporal...

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 20, issue 2

Research article

|

28 Mar 2024

Research article |

| 28 Mar 2024

Tipping of the double-diffusive regime in the southern Adriatic Pit in 2017 in connection with record high-salinity values

Felipe L. L. Amorim, Julien Le Meur, Achim Wirth, and Vanessa Cardin

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024-supplement

Data sets

E2m3a-2013-2015-Time-Series South Adriatic V. Cardin et al. https://doi.org/10.6092/F8E6D18E-F877-4AA5-A983-A03B06CCB987

E2m3a-2015-2017-Time Series-South Adriatic V. Cardin et al. https://doi.org/10.6092/238B5903-A173-4FC3-AC5F-5FEDF1064A39

E2M3A-2017-2019-CTD-time-series SouthAdriatic V. Cardin et al. https://doi.org/10.6092/d0d50095-bd30-4ff7-8d0a-a12121e72f78

European Seas Gridded L 4 Sea Surface Heights And Derived Variables Reprocessed 1993 Ongoing E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00141

Mediterranean Sea Physics Reanalysis E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004_E3R1

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

Model code and software

fllamorim/Amorim_et_al_2024a: v1 (Amorim_et_al_2024a) F. L. L. Amorim https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10863275

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.