CHAPTER 2
Physical and Geochemical Transports Along the Ancona Coastal Area
G. Budillonl, M. GrottP, P. Rivaro2, G. Spezie!, and S. Tucci'
ABSTRACT
In the last two years a quasi-synoptic research programme has been carried out in the Adriatic
Sea. The project, named PRISMA-2 (Programma di Rlcerca e Sperimentazione per iI Mare
Adriatico - 2 nd phase) is a multidisciplinary study focused on the physical and biogeochemical
processes which determine the fate and the distribution of the chemical species discharged in
the Adriatic Sea.
During the summer and winter legs (July-September 1996 and February-April 1997 respectively) a lot of collected data allowed the study and the comparison of the physical and geochemical parameters of the coastal waters offshore in the Ancona area where the cyclonic circulation of the Adriatic Sea is strongly intensified. In this region the coastal flow is characterized
by the presence of fresh waters coming from the river discharges and then it is very rich in pollutants and nutrients.
Estimated transports of fresh water coming from the northern Adriatic Sea, defined by our
hydrological and current measurements, reveal a strong temporal variability that is consistent
with the change of the river discharges from the summer to the winter season. Also the distribution of nutrients within the water column exhibits a high temporal variability related to the fast
evolution of biological activities and water masses modification. Summer transports of suspended matter from north are clearer than in the winter season. In particular, during the winter
considerable differences in the quantities collected are noted.
Introduction
The Adriatic Sea is an elongated basin northwest-southeast oriented. connected with the
Mediterranean Sea only in its southern part.
On the basis of its hydro dynamical and morphological characteristics, the Adriatic Sea is traditionally separated in three sub-basins. The
northern sector is a shallow shelf area with a
gently sloping and an average bottom depth of
about 35 m. The middle area is 140 m deep on
average and it is characterized by two depressions reaching 260 m. The southern sector connects the Adriatic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea
through the Otranto Strait.
The circulation and the hydrology of the
Adriatic Sea have been recently analysed by
Artegiani et a!. (1997a. b) and by Zavatarelli et ala
(1998) on the basis of historical data distributed
in the periods 1911-14 and 1947-83. The baroclinic general circulation has been classified into
several currents and gyres. The development and
the intensity of these structures reveal a strong
seasonal variability especially in the northern
part (Artegiani et aI. 1999).
The circulation of the North Adriatic Sea
(N .A.S.) is primarily driven by the thermohaline
forcing (Franco et a1. 1982), which is responsible
for the flushing time of the system {Hopkins et
a1. 1999}, and by the infrequent but strong forcing that is constituted by the wind stress especially in the northern part (Malanotte Rizzoli
and Bergamasco 1983). The N.A.S. is also an
unusual environment, since the extremely differ1 Istituto di Meteorologia e Oceanografia, Istituto Universitario NavaIe di Napoli, Via Acton 38,80127 Napoli, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Sezione di Chimica Analitica ed Ambientale, Universita di Genova, Italy
3 Dipartimento per 10 Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse, Universita di Genova, Italy
EM. Faranda, L. Guglielmo. G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Springer-Verlag ltalia 2001
Physical and Geochemical Transports Along the Ancona Coastal Area
G. Budillonl, M. GrottP, P. Rivaro2, G. Spezie!, and S. Tucci'
ABSTRACT
In the last two years a quasi-synoptic research programme has been carried out in the Adriatic
Sea. The project, named PRISMA-2 (Programma di Rlcerca e Sperimentazione per iI Mare
Adriatico - 2 nd phase) is a multidisciplinary study focused on the physical and biogeochemical
processes which determine the fate and the distribution of the chemical species discharged in
the Adriatic Sea.
During the summer and winter legs (July-September 1996 and February-April 1997 respectively) a lot of collected data allowed the study and the comparison of the physical and geochemical parameters of the coastal waters offshore in the Ancona area where the cyclonic circulation of the Adriatic Sea is strongly intensified. In this region the coastal flow is characterized
by the presence of fresh waters coming from the river discharges and then it is very rich in pollutants and nutrients.
Estimated transports of fresh water coming from the northern Adriatic Sea, defined by our
hydrological and current measurements, reveal a strong temporal variability that is consistent
with the change of the river discharges from the summer to the winter season. Also the distribution of nutrients within the water column exhibits a high temporal variability related to the fast
evolution of biological activities and water masses modification. Summer transports of suspended matter from north are clearer than in the winter season. In particular, during the winter
considerable differences in the quantities collected are noted.
Introduction
The Adriatic Sea is an elongated basin northwest-southeast oriented. connected with the
Mediterranean Sea only in its southern part.
On the basis of its hydro dynamical and morphological characteristics, the Adriatic Sea is traditionally separated in three sub-basins. The
northern sector is a shallow shelf area with a
gently sloping and an average bottom depth of
about 35 m. The middle area is 140 m deep on
average and it is characterized by two depressions reaching 260 m. The southern sector connects the Adriatic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea
through the Otranto Strait.
The circulation and the hydrology of the
Adriatic Sea have been recently analysed by
Artegiani et a!. (1997a. b) and by Zavatarelli et ala
(1998) on the basis of historical data distributed
in the periods 1911-14 and 1947-83. The baroclinic general circulation has been classified into
several currents and gyres. The development and
the intensity of these structures reveal a strong
seasonal variability especially in the northern
part (Artegiani et aI. 1999).
The circulation of the North Adriatic Sea
(N .A.S.) is primarily driven by the thermohaline
forcing (Franco et a1. 1982), which is responsible
for the flushing time of the system {Hopkins et
a1. 1999}, and by the infrequent but strong forcing that is constituted by the wind stress especially in the northern part (Malanotte Rizzoli
and Bergamasco 1983). The N.A.S. is also an
unusual environment, since the extremely differ1 Istituto di Meteorologia e Oceanografia, Istituto Universitario NavaIe di Napoli, Via Acton 38,80127 Napoli, Italy
2 Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Sezione di Chimica Analitica ed Ambientale, Universita di Genova, Italy
3 Dipartimento per 10 Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse, Universita di Genova, Italy
EM. Faranda, L. Guglielmo. G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Springer-Verlag ltalia 2001