scholarly journals A High Resolution Reanalysis for the Mediterranean Sea

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Escudier ◽  
Emanuela Clementi ◽  
Andrea Cipollone ◽  
Jenny Pistoia ◽  
Massimiliano Drudi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mixed Layer Depth ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Mediterranean

In order to be able to forecast the weather and estimate future climate changes in the ocean, it is crucial to understand the past and the mechanisms responsible for the ocean variability. This is particularly true in a complex area such as the Mediterranean Sea with diverse dynamics like deep convection and overturning circulation. To this end, effective tools are ocean reanalyses or reconstructions of the past ocean state. Here we present a new physical reanalysis of the Mediterranean Sea at high resolution, developed in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) framework. The hydrodynamic model is based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) combined with a variational data assimilation scheme (OceanVar). The model has a horizontal resolution of 1/24° and 141 unevenly distributed vertical z* levels. It provides daily and monthly temperature, salinity, current, sea level and mixed layer depth as well as hourly fields for surface velocities and sea level. ECMWF ERA-5 atmospheric fields force the model and daily boundary conditions in the Atlantic are taken from a global reanalysis. The reanalysis covers the 33 years from 1987 to 2019. Initialized from SeaDataNet climatology in January 1985, it reaches a nominal state after a 2-years spin-up. In-situ data from CTD, ARGO floats and XBT are assimilated into the model in combination with satellite altimetry observations. This reanalysis has been validated and assessed through comparison to in-situ and satellite observations as well as literature climatologies. The results show an overall improvement of the comparison with observations and a better representation of the main dynamics of the region compared to a previous, lower resolution (1/16°), reanalysis. Temperature and salinity RMSD are decreased by respectively 14 and 18%. The salinity biases at depth of the previous version are corrected. Climate signals show continuous increase of the temperature and salinity, confirming estimates from observations and other reanalysis. The new reanalysis will allow the study of physical processes at multi-scales, from the large scale to the transient small mesoscale structures and the selection of climate indicators for the basin.

A high resolution reanalysis for the Mediterranean Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Escudier ◽  
Emanuela Clementi ◽  
Mohamed Omar ◽  
Andrea Cipollone ◽  
Jenny Pistoia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermohaline Circulation ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p>In order to be able to predict the future ocean climate and weather, it is crucial to understand what happened in the past and the mechanisms responsible for the ocean variability. This is particularly true in a complex area such as the Mediterranean Sea with diverse dynamics such as deep convection and thermohaline circulation or coastal hydrodynamics. To this end, effective tools are reanalyses or reconstructions of the past ocean state. </p><p>Here we present a new physical reanalysis of the Mediterranean Sea at high resolution, developed in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) framework. The hydrodynamic model is based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) combined with a variational data assimilation scheme (OceanVar).</p><p>The model has a horizontal resolution of 1/24<strong>°</strong> and 141 vertical z* levels and provides daily and monthly 3D values of temperature, salinity, sea level and currents. Hourly ECMWF ERA-5 atmospheric fields force the model and daily boundary conditions in the Atlantic are taken from the global CMCC C-GLORS reanalysis. 39 rivers model the freshwater input to the basin plus the Dardanelles. The reanalysis covers 33-years, initialized from SeaDataNet climatology in January 1985, getting to a nominal state after a two-years spin-up and ending in 2019. In-situ data from CTD, ARGO floats and XBT are assimilated into the model in combination with satellite altimetry data.</p><p>This reanalysis has been validated and assessed through comparison to in-situ and satellite observations as well as literature climatologies. The results show an overall improvement of the skill and a better representation of the main dynamics of the region compared to the previous, lower resolution (1/16<strong>°</strong>) reanalysis. Temperature and salinity RMSE is decreased by respectively 12% and 20%. The deeper biases in salinity of the previous version are corrected and the new reanalysis present a better representation of the deep convection in the Gulf of Lion. Climate signals show continuous increase of the temperature due to climate change but also in salinity.</p><p>The new reanalysis will allow the study of physical processes at multi-scales, from the large scale to the transient small mesoscale structures.</p>

A high resolution reanalysis for the Mediterranean Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Escudier ◽  
Emanuela Clementi ◽  
Massimiliano Drudi ◽  
Jenny Pistoia ◽  
Alessandro Grandi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermohaline Circulation ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p>In order to be able to predict the future ocean climate and weather, we need to understand what happened in the past and the mechanisms responsible for the ocean variability. This is particularly true in a complex area such as the Mediterranean Sea with diverse dynamics such as deep convection and thermohaline circulation or coastal hydrodynamics. To this end, effective tools are reanalyses or reconstructions of the past ocean state. </p><p>Here we present a new physical reanalysis of the Mediterranean Sea at high resolution, developed in the CMEMS Med-MFC framework. The hydrodynamic model is based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) combined with a variational data assimilation scheme (OceanVAR). A series of system developments have been carried out to upgrade the current Med-MFC reanalysis to the new one with high resolution, including new NEMO version and configuration, the new version of atmospheric forcing (ERA-5) datasets and revised OceanVAR scheme.</p><p>The model has a horizontal resolution of 1/24<strong>°</strong> and 141 vertical z* levels and provides daily and monthly 3D values of temperature, salinity, sea level and currents. Hourly ERA-5 atmospheric fields force the model and daily boundary conditions in the Atlantic are taken from the global CMCC C-GLORS reanalysis. 39 rivers model the freshwater input to the basin plus the Dardanelles. The reanalysis covers 30-years, initialized from World Ocean Atlas climatology in January 1985, getting to a nominal state after a two years spin-up and ending in 2018. In-situ data from CTD, ARGO floats, XBT are assimilated into the model in combination with satellite altimetry data.</p><p>This reanalysis has been validated and assessed through comparison to in-situ and satellite observations as well as literature climatologies. The results show good agreement with observations and a better representation of the main dynamics of the region compared to the previous, lower resolution (1/16<strong>°</strong>) reanalysis. The new reanalysis will allow the study of physical processes at multi-scales, from the large scale to the transient small mesoscale structures.</p>

A Near-Uniform Basin-Wide Sea Level Fluctuation of the Mediterranean Sea

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 338-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ichiro Fukumori ◽  
Dimitris Menemenlis ◽  
Tong Lee
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Level Fluctuation ◽  
Strait Of Gibraltar ◽  
Sea Level Fluctuation ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract A new basin-wide oscillation of the Mediterranean Sea is identified and analyzed using sea level observations from the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon satellite altimeter and a numerical ocean circulation model. More than 50% of the large-scale, nontidal, and non-pressure-driven variance of sea level can be attributed to this oscillation, which is nearly uniform in phase and amplitude across the entire basin. The oscillation has periods ranging from 10 days to several years and has a magnitude as large as 10 cm. The model suggests that the fluctuations are driven by winds at the Strait of Gibraltar and its neighboring region, including the Alboran Sea and a part of the Atlantic Ocean immediately to the west of the strait. Winds in this region force a net mass flux through the Strait of Gibraltar to which the Mediterranean Sea adjusts almost uniformly across its entire basin with depth-independent pressure perturbations. The wind-driven response can be explained in part by wind setup; a near-stationary balance is established between the along-strait wind in this forcing region and the sea level difference between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The amplitude of this basin-wide wind-driven sea level fluctuation is inversely proportional to the setup region’s depth but is insensitive to its width including that of Gibraltar Strait. The wind-driven fluctuation is coherent with atmospheric pressure over the basin and contributes to the apparent deviation of the Mediterranean Sea from an inverse barometer response.

Estimating Vertical Land Motion in Northern Adriatic Sea with Coastal Altimetry and In Situ Observations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco De Biasio ◽  
Stefano Vignudelli ◽  
Giorgio Baldin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Satellite Altimetry ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Tide Gauges ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p align="justify"><span>The European Space Agency, in the framework of the Sea Level Climate Change Initiative (SL_CCI), is developing consistent and long-term satellite-based data-sets to study climate-scale variations of sea level globally and in the coastal zone. Two altimetry data-sets were recently produced. The first product is generated over a grid of 0.25x0.25 degrees, merging and homogenizing the various satellite altimetry missions. The second product that is still experimental is along track over a grid of 0.35 km. An operational production of climate-oriented altimeter sea level products has just started in the framework of the European Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and a daily-mean product is now available over a grid of 0.125x0.125 degrees covering the global ocean since 1993 to present.</span></p><p align="justify"><span>We made a comparison of the SL_CCI satellite altimetry dataset with sea level time series at selected tide gauges in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on Venice and Trieste. There, the coast is densely covered by civil settlements and industrial areas with a strongly rooted seaside tourism, and tides and storm-related surges reach higher levels than in most of the Mediterranean Sea, causing damages and casualties as in the recent storm of November 12th, 2019: the second higher water registered in Venice since 1872. Moreover, in the Venice area the ground displacements exhibit clear negative trends which deepen the effects of the absolute sea level rise.</span></p><p align="justify"><span>Several authors have pointed out the synergy between satellite altimetry and tide gauges to corroborate evidences of ground displacements. Our contribution aims at understanding the role played by subsidence, estimated by the diffence between coastal altimetry and in situ measurements, on the local sea level rise. A partial validation of these estimates has been made against GPS-derived values, in order to distinguish the contributions of subsidence and eustatism. This work will contribute to identify problems and challenges to extend the sea level climate record to the coastal zone with quality comparable to the open ocean, and also to assess the suitability of altimeter-derived absolute sea levels as a tool to estimate subsidence from tide gauge measurement in places where permanent GPS receivers are not available.</span></p>

scholarly journals From satellite altimetry to Argo and operational oceanography: three revolutions in oceanography

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1127-1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Y. Le Traon
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Satellite Altimetry ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Operational Oceanography ◽  
In Situ Observations

Abstract. The launch of the US/French mission Topex/Poseidon (T/P) (CNES/NASA) in August 1992 was the start of a revolution in oceanography. For the first time, a very precise altimeter system optimized for large scale sea level and ocean circulation observations was flying. T/P alone could not observe the mesoscale circulation. In the 1990s, the ESA satellites ERS-1/2 were flying simultaneously with T/P. Together with my CLS colleagues, we demonstrated that we could use T/P as a reference mission for ERS-1/2 and bring the ERS-1/2 data to an accuracy level comparable to T/P. Near real time high resolution global sea level anomaly maps were then derived. These maps have been operationally produced as part of the SSALTO/DUACS system for the last 15 yr. They are now widely used by the oceanographic community and have contributed to a much better understanding and recognition of the role and importance of mesoscale dynamics. Altimetry needs to be complemented with global in situ observations. In the end of the 90s, a major international initiative was launched to develop Argo, the global array of profiling floats. This has been an outstanding success. Argo floats now provide the most important in situ observations to monitor and understand the role of the ocean on the earth climate and for operational oceanography. This is a second revolution in oceanography. The unique capability of satellite altimetry to observe the global ocean in near real time at high resolution and the development of Argo were essential to the development of global operational oceanography, the third revolution in oceanography. The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) was instrumental in the development of the required capabilities. This paper provides an historical perspective on the development of these three revolutions in oceanography which are very much interlinked. This is not an exhaustive review and I will mainly focus on the contributions we made together with many colleagues and friends.

scholarly journals From satellite altimetry to Argo and operational oceanography: three revolutions in oceanography

Ocean Science ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Y. Le Traon
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Satellite Altimetry ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Operational Oceanography ◽  
In Situ Observations

Abstract. The launch of the French/US mission Topex/Poseidon (T/P) (CNES/NASA) in August 1992 was the start of a revolution in oceanography. For the first time, a very precise altimeter system optimized for large-scale sea level and ocean circulation observations was flying. T/P alone could not observe the mesoscale circulation. In the 1990s, the ESA satellites ERS-1/2 were flying simultaneously with T/P. Together with my CLS colleagues, we demonstrated that we could use T/P as a reference mission for ERS-1/2 and bring the ERS-1/2 data to an accuracy level comparable to T/P. Near-real-time high-resolution global sea level anomaly maps were then derived. These maps have been operationally produced as part of the SSALTO/DUACS system for the last 15 yr. They are now widely used by the oceanographic community and have contributed to a much better understanding and recognition of the role and importance of mesoscale dynamics. Altimetry needs to be complemented with global in situ observations. At the end of the 90s, a major international initiative was launched to develop Argo, the global array of profiling floats. This has been an outstanding success. Argo floats now provide the most important in situ observations to monitor and understand the role of the ocean on the earth climate and for operational oceanography. This is a second revolution in oceanography. The unique capability of satellite altimetry to observe the global ocean in near-real-time at high resolution and the development of Argo were essential for the development of global operational oceanography, the third revolution in oceanography. The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) was instrumental in the development of the required capabilities. This paper provides an historical perspective on the development of these three revolutions in oceanography which are very much interlinked. This is not an exhaustive review and I will mainly focus on the contributions we made together with many colleagues and friends.

scholarly journals Cyclone-Anticyclone asymmetry of eddy detection on gridded altimetry product in the Mediterranean Sea 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Stegner ◽  
Briac Le Vu ◽  
Franck Dumas ◽  
Mohamed Ghannami ◽  
Amandine Nicolle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Systematic Bias ◽  
Mapping Procedure ◽  
Resolution Model ◽  
High Resolution Model ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Eddy Detection ◽  
Mesoscale Cyclones

<p>Thanks to a Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) that simulate the along-track satellite measuring process on the sea surface of the high resolution model CROCO-MED60v40-15-16 we investigate how the reliability and the accuracy of the detected eddies are influenced by the satellite sampling and the mapping procedure. The main result of this study is that there is that there is a strong cyclone-anticyclone asymmetry of the eddy detection on the altimetry products AVISO/CMEMS in the Mediterranean Sea. Large scale cyclones having a characteristic radius larger than the local deformation radius are much less reliable than large scale anticyclones. We estimate, that less than 60% of these cyclones detected on gridded altimetry product are reliable, while more than 85% of mesoscale anticyclones are reliable. Besides, both the barycenter and the size of these mesoscale anticyclones are relatively accurate. This asymmetry comes from the difference of stability between cyclones and anticyclones. Large mesoscale cyclones often splits into smaller sub mesoscale structures hav ing a rapid dynamical evolution. The high resolution model CROCO-MED60v40 shows that this complex dynamic is too fast and too small to be accurately captured by the gridded altimetry products based on a strong spatio-temporal  interpolation. The later smooth out this sub mesoscale dynamics and tend to generate an excessive number of unrealistic (i.e. unreliable) mesoscale cyclones in comparison with the reference field. On the other hand, large mesoscale anticyclones,  which are more robust and that evolve more slowly, can be spatially resolved and accurately tracked by standard altimetry products.<span>  </span>However, we confirm that gridded altimetry products have a systematic bias on the eddy intensity and especially for anticyclones. The azimuthal geostrophic velocities are always underestimated on the AVISO/CMEMS products even for large mesoscale anticyclones.<span> </span></p>

scholarly journals High resolution neodymium characterization along the Mediterranean margins and modeling of ε<sub>Nd</sub> distribution in the Mediterranean basins

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ayache ◽  
J.-C. Dutay ◽  
T. Arsouze ◽  
S. Révillon ◽  
J. Beuvier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Thermohaline Circulation ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Isotopic Signatures ◽  
Interesting Insight ◽  
Geographical Variations ◽  
Solid Discharge ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract. An extensive compilation of published neodymium (Nd) concentrations and isotopic compositions (Nd IC) was realized in order to establish a new database and a map (using a high resolution geological map of the area) of the distribution of these parameters for all the Mediterranean margins. Data were extracted from different kinds of samples: river solid discharge deposited on the shelf, sedimentary material collected on the margin or geological material outcropping above or close to a margin. Additional analyses of surface sediments were done, in order to improve this dataset in key areas (e.g., Sicilian strait). The Mediterranean margin Nd isotopic signatures vary from non-radiogenic values around the Gulf of Lions, (εNd values ~ −11) to radiogenic values around the Aegean and the Levantine sub-basins up to +6. Using a high resolution regional oceanic model (1/12° of horizontal resolution), εNd distribution was simulated for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. The high resolution of the model provides the unique opportunity to represent a realistic thermohaline circulation in the basin and thus apprehend the processes governing the Nd isotope distribution in the marine environment. Results reinforce the preceding conclusions on boundary exchange “BE” as an important process in the Nd oceanic cycle. Nevertheless the present approach simulates a slightly too radiogenic value in the Med Sea, this bias will likely be corrected once the dust and river inputs will be included in the model. This work highlights that a significant interannual variability of εNd distribution in seawater could occur. In particular, important hydrological events such as the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT), associated with deep water formed in the Aegean sub-basin, could induce a shift in εNd at deep/intermediate depths that could be noticeable in the Eastern part of the basin. This underlines that the temporal and geographical variations of εNd could represent an interesting insight of Nd as tracer of the Mediterranean Sea circulation, in particular in the context of paleo-oceanographic applications.

Antipol 97-Totem 97: A Large-Scale Exercise in the Mediterranean Sea

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-147
Author(s):  
Eric Calonne ◽  
Christophe Rousseau
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Major Operation ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Oil Company

ABSTRACT To implement the national POLMAR Plan, the French maritime and terrestrial authorities organise yearly large oil spill exercises called “Antipol.” Antipol 97 was of a greater scale than any other operation conducted in the past 10 years in the Mediterranean sea. During the 2 days of the exercise, major spill response capabilities were deployed on the sea with ten ships, including French Navy ships, together with the 280,000-tons tanker Iseult, owned by TOTAL. In the air, were five planes, including one of OSRL's C 130s flown in from Southampton and an Italian reconnaissance plane, as well as five helicopters. Various response actions were conducted at sea and on the shoreline: evacuation of injured crew from the tanker, tanker towing, lightering operation, deployment of boom and recovery equipment, shoreline cleanup using FOST co-operative resources and strike team. In parallel a large crisis management exercise called “Totem 97,” supported by TOTAL and prepared and conducted by CEDRE (Centre for Documentation, Research, and Experimentation in the Field of Accidental Water Pollution), mobilised crisis management teams in Toulon, Paris, Marseilles, Nantes, and Brest. This major operation had a triple objective:To test the efficiency of the new POLMAR Plan, the TOTAL Group, and France Shipmanagement emergency plansTo update and improve the procedures laid down in those plansTo demonstrate the collective crisis management performance of the three key players: the public authorities, the ship operator and the oil company For added realism Totem 97 included a unit run by CEDRE, that simulated reactions from the media, lobby groups, and the general public.

Local and large-scale controls of the exceptional Venice floods of November 2019

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Ferrarin ◽  
Marco Bajo ◽  
Francesco Barbariol ◽  
Mauro Bastianini ◽  
Alvise Benetazzo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Adriatic Sea ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Flood Event ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Tyrrhenian Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean

&lt;p class=&quot;western&quot; align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;en-US&quot;&gt;On 12 November 2019, an exceptional flood event occurred in Venice, second only to the one that occurred on 4 November 1966. The maximum recorded sea level value of 189 cm above local datum resulted in the flooding of more than 85% of the pedestrian surface of the historical city. Moreover, with four extremely high tides since 11 November 2019, this has been the worst week for flooding in Venice ever since 1872, when official statistics were first produced. The event that struck Venice and the northern Adriatic Sea on 12 November 2019, although having certain conditions seemingly typical of the events that cause exceptional high waters, also had some peculiar characteristics not observed before and therefore it requires an in-depth analysis. Several factors made this event exceptional: an in-phase timing of the peak of the storm surge and the astronomical tide; an anomalously high monthly mean sea level in the Adriatic Sea induced by a steady low-pressure and wind systems over the Mediterranean Sea associated with large-scale low-frequency atmospheric dynamics; a deep low-pressure system over the central-southern Tyrrhenian Sea that generated strong sirocco (south-easterly) winds along the main axis of the Adriatic Sea pushing the waters towards north; a fast-moving local depression - and the associated wind perturbation - travelling in the north-westward direction along the Italian coast that may have forced long ocean waves (e.g., edge wave); and very strong winds (100 km h&lt;/span&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;en-US&quot;&gt;-1&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;en-US&quot;&gt; on average, with gusts reaching 110 km h&lt;/span&gt;&lt;sup&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;en-US&quot;&gt;-1&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;en-US&quot;&gt;) over the Lagoon of Venice which led to a further rise in water levels and damage to the historic city. In this study, a large set of available observations and the high-resolution numerical simulations are used to quantify the influence of these drivers on the peak flood event and to investigate the peculiar weather and sea conditions over the Mediterranean Sea during the Venice floods of November 2019.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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