The role of Internal Solitary Waves on deep-water sedimentary processes. The case of up-slope migrating sediment waves off the Messina Strait

Subaqueous, asymmetric sand waves are typically observed in marine channel/canyon systems, tidal environments, and continental slopes exposed to strong currents, where they are formed by current shear resulting from a dominant unidirectional flow. However, sand-wave fields may be readily observed in marine environments where no such current exists; the physical processes driving their formation are enigmatic or not well understood. We propose that internal solitary waves (ISWs) induced by tides can produce an effective, unidirectional boundary “current” that forms asymmetric sand waves. We test this idea by examining a sand-wave field off the Messina Strait, where we hypothesize that ISWs formed at the interface between intermediate and surface waters are refracted by topography. Hence, we argue that the deflected pattern (i.e., the depth-dependent orientation) of the sand-wave field is due to refraction of such ISWs. Combining field observations and numerical modelling, we show that ISWs can account for three key features: ISWs produce fluid velocities capable of mobilizing bottom sediments; the predicted refraction pattern resulting from the interaction of ISWs with bottom topography matches the observed deflection of the sand waves; and predicted migration rates of sand waves match empirical estimates. This work shows how ISWs may contribute to sculpting the structure of continental margins and it represents a promising link between the geological and oceanographic communities

Isochronous fractional PDEs

In this paper we study a number of nonlinear fractional equations, involving Caputo derivative in space or/and in time, admitting explicit solution in separating variable form. Some of these equations are particularly interesting because they admit completely periodic solutions. When time-fractional derivatives are introduced, this property is lost, but in the space-fractional case we can obtain new interesting equations admitting these solutions. This can be the starting point for a more general analysis about fractional isochronous partial differential equations

A New Global Sea Surface Salinity and Density Dataset From Multivariate Observations (1993–2016)

Monitoring sea surface salinity (SSS) and density variations is crucial to investigate the global water cycle and the ocean dynamics, and to analyse how they are impacted by climate change. Historically, ocean salinity and density have suffered a poor observational coverage, which hindered an accurate assessment of their surface patterns, as well as of associated space and time variability and trends. Different approaches have thus been proposed to extend the information obtained from sparse in situ measurements and provide gap-free fields at regular spatial and temporal resolution, based on the combination of in situ and satellite data. In the framework of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service, a daily (weekly sampled) global reprocessed dataset at ¼° × ¼° resolution has been produced by modifying a multivariate optimal interpolation (OI) technique originally developed within MyOcean project. The algorithm has been applied to in situ salinity/density measurements covering the period from 1993 to 2016, using satellite sea surface temperature differences to constrain the surface patterns. This improved algorithm and the new dataset are described and validated here with holdout approach and independent data

Sediment resuspension due to internal solitary waves of elevation in the Messina Strait (Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract By combining real-field observations and theoretical predictions, we describe role and relationships among north-propagating internal solitary waves (ISWs) generated by tidal currents in the Messina Strait (Mediterranean Sea), buoyancy deformation, sediment resuspension, and mixing effects. In particular, our results show that the presence of ISWs traveling along the Gioia Basin (north of the Strait) is not strictly related to seasonality. During winter, when the remote observation of ISWs from satellite is particularly rare due to the weak water column stratification, we observe elevation-type ISWs from hydrographic data. This finding reveals a different scenario with respect to the summer one, when the high stratified water column gives rise to depression-type north-propagating ISWs and the subsequent sea surface manifestations, detectable from satellite imagery. Moreover, our beam transmission observations and theoretical predictions of the induced near-bottom horizontal velocity suggest that these elevation-type ISWs induce sediment resuspension over the seafloor, as well as mixing effects as they break on the frontal slope nearby Capo Vaticano

Copernicus marine service ocean state report

The oceans regulate our weather and climate from global to regional scales. They absorb over 90% of accumulated heat in the climate system (IPCC Citation2013) and over a quarter of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide (Le Quéré et al. Citation2016). They provide nearly half of the world’s oxygen. Most of our rain and drinking water is ultimately regulated by the sea. The oceans provide food and energy and are an important source of the planet's biodiversity and ecosystem services. They are vital conduits for trade and transportation and many economic activities depend on them (OECD Citation2016). Our oceans are, however, under threat due to climate change and other human induced activities and it is vital to develop much better, sustainable and science-based reporting and management approaches (UN Citation2017). Better management of our oceans requires long-term, continuous and state-of-the art monitoring of the oceans from physics to ecosystems and global to local scales. The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) has been set up to address these challenges at European level. Mercator Ocean was tasked in 2014 by the European Union under a delegation agreement to implement the operational phase of the service from 2015 to 2021 (CMEMS Citation2014). The CMEMS now provides regular and systematic reference information on the physical state, variability and dynamics of the ocean, ice and marine ecosystems for the global ocean and the European regional seas (Figure 0.1; CMEMS Citation2016). This capacity encompasses the description of the current situation (analysis), the prediction of the situation 10 days ahead (forecast), and the provision of consistent retrospective data records for recent years (reprocessing and reanalysis). CMEMS provides a sustainable response to European user needs in four areas of benefits: (i) maritime safety, (ii) marine resources, (iii) coastal and marine environment and (iv) weather, seasonal forecast and climate. Figure 0.1. CMEMS geographical areas on the map are for: 1 – Global Ocean; 2 – Arctic Ocean from 62°N to North Pole; 3 – Baltic Sea, which includes the whole Baltic Sea including Kattegat at 57.5°N from 10.5°E to 12.0°E; 4 – European North-West Shelf Sea, which includes part of the North East Atlantic Ocean from 48°N to 62°N and from 20°W to 13°E. The border with the Baltic Sea is situated in the Kattegat Strait at 57.5°N from 10.5°E.to 12.0°E; 5 – Iberia-Biscay-Ireland Regional Seas, which includes part of the North East Atlantic Ocean from 26 to 48°N and 20°W to the coast. The border with the Mediterranean Sea is situated in the Gibraltar Strait at 5.61°W; 6 – Mediterranean Sea, which includes the whole Mediterranean Sea until the Gibraltar Strait at 5.61°W and the Dardanelles Strait; 7 – Black Sea, which includes the whole Black Sea until the Bosporus Strait

Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report

The Compernicus Marine Environmenta and Monitoring Servic