Recent and Expected Future Changes in the Hydrography, Ecology, and Circulation
297
2. The main effect has been extensive deep water production by the Aegean Sea,
but it now looks that the Adriatic may be returning to lead deep water
production. The time scale to reach a new quasi-equilibrium should be on the
order of 100 years, and it is uncertain whether or not a new, stable equilibrium
will ever be reached again.
3. The nutricline became lifted. Reports of ecological effects have so far been
sparse, but such effects are to be expected.
4. Oxygen consumption was accelerated, indicating severe disturbance of the
biogeochemistry of the sea.
5. Mid-depth waters involved in outflow through Sicilian Passage became denser,
less saline and higher in nutrients. This will induce circulation and ecological
effects in the Western Mediterranean and possibly beyond.
6. Deep waters have become more saline and lower in nutrients. Upwelling will
eventually return these waters into the upper waters, where these changes may
produce long-term effects.
7. The evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient must be monitored
further, and modelling efforts are required to account for these observations in
a quantitative way in order to produce a dynamic explanation of the entire event.
References
Klein B et al. (1999) The large deep water transient in the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep-Sea Res. I,
46:371-414
Klein B et al. (2000) Is the Adriatic return ing to dominate the production of Eastern Mediterranean
Deep Water? Geophys. Res. Lett., 27:3377-3380
Lascaratos A et al. (1999) Recent changes in deep water formation and spreading in the Eastern
Mediterranean Sea: A review, Progr. Oceanogr., 44:5-36
Malanotte-Rizzoli P et al. (1999) The Eastern Mediterranean in the 80s and in the 90s: the big
transition in the intermediate and deep circulations, Dynamics Atm. Oceans, 29:365-395
Roether W, Schlitzer R (1991) Eastern Mediterranean deep water renewal on the basis of
chlorofluoromethane and tritium data, Dynamics Atm. Oceans, 15:333-354
Roether W et al. (1996) Recent changes in the Eastern Mediterranean deep waters, Science, 271 :333335
Roether W et al. (1998) Property distributions and transient tracer ages in the Levantine Intermediate
Water in the Eastern Mediterranean, 1. Marine Systems, 18:71-87
Roether W, Well R (2001) Oxygen consumption in the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep-Sea Res. I,
48:1535-1551
Wu P et al. (2000) Towards an understanding of deep water renewal in the Eastern Mediterranean,
1. Phys, Oceanogr., 30:443-458
Wiist G (1961) On the vertical circulation of the Mediterranean Sea, 1. Geophys. Res., 66:3261-3271
297
2. The main effect has been extensive deep water production by the Aegean Sea,
but it now looks that the Adriatic may be returning to lead deep water
production. The time scale to reach a new quasi-equilibrium should be on the
order of 100 years, and it is uncertain whether or not a new, stable equilibrium
will ever be reached again.
3. The nutricline became lifted. Reports of ecological effects have so far been
sparse, but such effects are to be expected.
4. Oxygen consumption was accelerated, indicating severe disturbance of the
biogeochemistry of the sea.
5. Mid-depth waters involved in outflow through Sicilian Passage became denser,
less saline and higher in nutrients. This will induce circulation and ecological
effects in the Western Mediterranean and possibly beyond.
6. Deep waters have become more saline and lower in nutrients. Upwelling will
eventually return these waters into the upper waters, where these changes may
produce long-term effects.
7. The evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient must be monitored
further, and modelling efforts are required to account for these observations in
a quantitative way in order to produce a dynamic explanation of the entire event.
References
Klein B et al. (1999) The large deep water transient in the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep-Sea Res. I,
46:371-414
Klein B et al. (2000) Is the Adriatic return ing to dominate the production of Eastern Mediterranean
Deep Water? Geophys. Res. Lett., 27:3377-3380
Lascaratos A et al. (1999) Recent changes in deep water formation and spreading in the Eastern
Mediterranean Sea: A review, Progr. Oceanogr., 44:5-36
Malanotte-Rizzoli P et al. (1999) The Eastern Mediterranean in the 80s and in the 90s: the big
transition in the intermediate and deep circulations, Dynamics Atm. Oceans, 29:365-395
Roether W, Schlitzer R (1991) Eastern Mediterranean deep water renewal on the basis of
chlorofluoromethane and tritium data, Dynamics Atm. Oceans, 15:333-354
Roether W et al. (1996) Recent changes in the Eastern Mediterranean deep waters, Science, 271 :333335
Roether W et al. (1998) Property distributions and transient tracer ages in the Levantine Intermediate
Water in the Eastern Mediterranean, 1. Marine Systems, 18:71-87
Roether W, Well R (2001) Oxygen consumption in the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep-Sea Res. I,
48:1535-1551
Wu P et al. (2000) Towards an understanding of deep water renewal in the Eastern Mediterranean,
1. Phys, Oceanogr., 30:443-458
Wiist G (1961) On the vertical circulation of the Mediterranean Sea, 1. Geophys. Res., 66:3261-3271