Tidal variability of the motion in the Strait of Otranto

Various current data, collected in the Strait of Otranto during the period 1994–2007, have been analysed with the aim of describing the characteristics of the tidal motions and their contribution to the total flow variance. The principal tidal constituents in the area were the semi-diurnal (M2) and the diurnal (K1), with the latter one predominant. The total flow was, in general, more energetic along the flanks than in the middle of the strait. Specifically, it was most energetic over the western shelf and in the upper layer along the eastern flank. In spite of the generally low velocities (a few cm s⁻¹) of the principal tidal constituents, the tidal variance has a pattern similar to that of the total flow variance, that is, it was large over the western shelf and low in the middle. The proportion of non-tidal (comprising the inertial and sub-inertial low-frequency bands) to tidal flow variances was quite variable in both time and space. The low-frequency motions dominated over the tidal and inertial ones in the eastern portion of the strait during the major part of the year, particularly in the upper and intermediate layers. In the deep, near-bottom layer the variance was evenly distributed between the low frequency, diurnal and semi-diurnal bands. An exception was observed near the western shelf break during the summer season when the contribution of the tidal signal to the total variance reached 77%. This high contribution was mainly due to the intensification of the diurnal signal at that location at both upper and bottom current records (velocities of about 10 cm s⁻¹). Local wind and sea level data were analysed and compared with the flow to find the possible origin of this diurnal intensification. Having excluded the sea-breeze impact on the intensification of the diurnal tidal signal, the most likely cause remains the generation of the topographically trapped internal waves and the diurnal resonance in the tidal response. These waves were sometimes generated by the barotropic tidal signal in the presence of summer stratification and the strong bottom slope. This phenomenon may stimulate diapycnal mixing during the stratified season and enhance ventilation of the near-bottom layers

Impact of dense-water flow over a sloping bottom on open-sea circulation: Laboratory experiments and an Ionian Sea (Mediterranean) example

The North Ionian Gyre (NIG) displays prominent inversions on decadal scales. We investigate the role of internal forcing induced by changes in the horizontal pressure gradient due to the varying density of Adriatic Deep Water (AdDW), which spreads into the deep layers of the northern Ionian Sea. In turn, the AdDW density fluctuates according to the circulation of the NIG through a feedback mechanism known as the bimodal oscillating system. We set up laboratory experiments with a two-layer ambient fluid in a circular rotating tank, where densities of 1000 and 1015ĝ€¯kgĝ€¯m-3 characterize the upper and lower layers, respectively. From the potential vorticity evolution during the dense-water outflow from a marginal sea, we analyze the response of the open-sea circulation to the along-slope dense-water flow. In addition, we show some features of the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies that form in the upper layer over the slope area. We illustrate the outcome of the experiments of varying density and varying discharge rates associated with dense-water injection. When the density is high (1020ĝ€¯kgĝ€¯m-3) and the discharge is large, the kinetic energy of the mean flow is stronger than the eddy kinetic energy. Conversely, when the density is lower (1010ĝ€¯kgĝ€¯m-3) and the discharge is reduced, vortices are more energetic than the mean flow - that is, the eddy kinetic energy is larger than the kinetic energy of the mean flow. In general, over the slope, following the onset of dense-water injection, the cyclonic vorticity associated with current shear develops in the upper layer. The vorticity behaves in a two-layer fashion, thereby becoming anticyclonic in the lower layer of the slope area. Concurrently, over the deep flat-bottom portion of the basin, a large-scale anticyclonic gyre forms in the upper layer extending partly toward a sloping rim. The density record shows the rise of the pycnocline due to the dense-water sinking toward the flat-bottom portion of the tank. We show that the rate of increase in the anticyclonic potential vorticity is proportional to the rate of the rise of the interface, namely to the rate of decrease in the upper-layer thickness (i.e., the upper-layer squeezing). The comparison of laboratory experiments with the Ionian Sea is made for a situation when the sudden switch from cyclonic to anticyclonic basin-wide circulation took place following extremely dense Adriatic water overflow after the harsh winter in 2012. We show how similar the temporal evolution and the vertical structure are in both laboratory and oceanic conditions. The demonstrated similarity further supports the assertion that the wind-stress curl over the Ionian Sea is not of paramount importance in generating basin-wide circulation inversions compared with the internal forcing

Coastal high-frequency radars in the Mediterranean - Part 1: Status of operations and a framework for future development

Due to the semi-enclosed nature of the Mediterranean Sea, natural disasters and anthropogenic activities impose stronger pressures on its coastal ecosystems than in any other sea of the world. With the aim of responding adequately to science priorities and societal challenges, littoral waters must be effectively monitored with high-frequency radar (HFR) systems. This land-based remote sensing technology can provide, in near-real time, fine-resolution maps of the surface circulation over broad coastal areas, along with reliable directional wave and wind information. The main goal of this work is to showcase the current status of the Mediterranean HFR network and the future roadmap for orchestrated actions. Ongoing collaborative efforts and recent progress of this regional alliance are not only described but also connected with other European initiatives and global frameworks, highlighting the advantages of this cost-effective instrument for the multi-parameter monitoring of the sea state. Coordinated endeavors between HFR operators from different multi-disciplinary institutions are mandatory to reach a mature stage at both national and regional levels, striving to do the following: (i) harmonize deployment and maintenance practices; (ii) standardize data, metadata, and quality control procedures; (iii) centralize data management, visualization, and access platforms; and (iv) develop practical applications of societal benefit that can be used for strategic planning and informed decision-making in the Mediterranean marine environment. Such fit-for-purpose applications can serve for search and rescue operations, safe vessel navigation, tracking of marine pollutants, the monitoring of extreme events, the investigation of transport processes, and the connectivity between offshore waters and coastal ecosystems. Finally, future prospects within the Mediterranean framework are discussed along with a wealth of socioeconomic, technical, and scientific challenges to be faced during the implementation of this integrated HFR regional network

Use of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) in the study of the circulation of the Adriatic Sea

The results of basin-wide vessel-mounted ADCP measurements carried out from May 1995 through February 1996 in the Adriatic Sea are analysed in order to characterise the tidal flow, the steady current field and some specific sub-basin scale features. The M2 tide shows the amphidromic point close to the location predicted from theory. The K1 presents an almost constant phase structure that increases in the northern part from east to west during summer. The circulation in the Italian coastal shelf area is highly variable, due to the local wind forcing and pulses of the Po River discharge. The propagation of the signal associated with the latter, can be described in terms of hybrid internal Kelvin waves, revealed also from the upwelling events. It is also shown that the bottom density-driven current draining the bottom layer of the northern Adriatic is, to a large extent, a time-dependent feature with a temporal scale on the order of days.Key words. Oceanography: general (descriptive and regional oceanography; marginal and semi-enclosed seas) Oceanography: physical (currents

Sviluppi della normativa europea riguardante i materiali stradali

La memoria descrive gli sviluppi della normazione europea in tema di materiali stradal

Thromboembolism and breast cancer: the hidden risk for patient and physician

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