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Hydrographic vs. Dynamic Description of a Basin: The Example of Baroclinic Motion in the Ionian Sea

TitoloHydrographic vs. Dynamic Description of a Basin: The Example of Baroclinic Motion in the Ionian Sea
Tipo di pubblicazioneArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Anno di Pubblicazione2024
AutoriBorzelli, G.L. Eusebi, Napolitano Ernesto, Carillo Adriana, Struglia Maria Vittoria, Palma Massimiliano, and Iacono Roberto
RivistaOceans
Volume5
Paginazione383-397
ISSN26731924
Abstract

The Ionian Sea is a crucial intersection for various water masses in the Mediterranean. Its hydrography and dynamics play a significant role in the seawater budgets and biogeochemistry of the neighboring sub-basins. Multiple theories have been formulated to gain a better understanding of the Ionian dynamics. These theories primarily attribute the variability of the near-surface Ionian circulation to internal processes. Here, we utilize horizontal currents and temperature–salinity profiles from the Copernicus reanalysis to examine the contribution of baroclinic modes to the variability of the basin horizontal circulation. Our findings demonstrate that, although the basin vertical structure is characterized by three layers, the primary patterns of the Ionian circulation can be attributed to the first baroclinic mode. This mode, along with the barotropic mode, accounts for over 85% of the overall variability in the Ionian circulation, suggesting that only one of the three interfaces separating the different water masses in the basin is dynamically active. We estimate the depth of this interface to be about 490 m. Additionally, our analysis shows that more than 90% of the kinetic energy over the water column is localized above this interface, indicating that the deep layer of the Ionian is dynamically nearly inert. © 2024 by the authors.

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85196811323&doi=10.3390%2foceans5020023&partnerID=40&md5=bfae1c7c3abb8224cc38af534b42a9b8
DOI10.3390/oceans5020023
Citation KeyEusebiBorzelli2024383