Publication Date:
2022-06-08
Description:
The spatial and temporal variability of eddy and
mean kinetic energy of the Central Mediterranean region has
been investigated, from January 2008 to December 2010,
by mean of a numerical simulation mainly to quantify the
mesoscale dynamics and their relationships with physical
forcing. In order to understand the energy redistribution processes,
the baroclinic energy conversion has been analysed,
suggesting hypotheses about the drivers of the mesoscale
activity in this area. The ocean model used is based on
the Princeton Ocean Model implemented at 1/32 horizontal
resolution. Surface momentum and buoyancy fluxes are
interactively computed by mean of standard bulk formulae
using predicted model Sea Surface Temperature and atmospheric
variables provided by the European Centre for
Medium Range Weather Forecast operational analyses. At
its lateral boundaries the model is one-way nested within the
Mediterranean Forecasting System operational products.
The model domain has been subdivided in four subregions:
Sardinia channel and southern Tyrrhenian Sea,
Sicily channel, eastern Tunisian shelf and Libyan Sea. Temporal
evolution of eddy and mean kinetic energy has been
analysed, on each of the four sub-regions, showing different
behaviours. On annual scales and within the first 5m depth,
the eddy kinetic energy represents approximately the 60% of
the total kinetic energy over the whole domain, confirming
the strong mesoscale nature of the surface current flows in
this area. The analyses show that the model well reproduces
the path and the temporal behaviour of the main known subbasin
circulation features. New mesoscale structures have
been also identified, from numerical results and direct observations,
for the first time as the Pantelleria Vortex and the
Medina Gyre
Description:
Published
Description:
503–519
Description:
JCR Journal
Description:
open
Keywords:
Central Mediterranean
;
03. Hydrosphere::03.02. Hydrology::03.02.99. General or miscellaneous
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
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