it. The steady field presents a barotropic behaviour, in which it is possible to distinguish a
southward current along the Italian coast and a
cyclonic circulation in the northernmost part of
the basin. Finally, the high variability observed in
the residual field should be associated with river
discharges and mesoscale structures. Therefore,
it can be concluded that the steady field
describes the basin-wide general circulation,
while small scale structures are mainly associated with the residual field.
The comparison of the results obtained from
the duster analysis and the current field shows a
better correlation between the mass pattern and
the residual component; in particular it can be
established that where water of fluvial origin (first
group) is located, a southward flow is present. The
high correlation between the field of mass and the
time-dependent component of the current field
which varies on a time scale of several days, suggests that geostrophy represents a rather good
approximation for this part of the flow.
Acknowledgements. This research has been undertaken in the
framework of the Programma di Ricerca e Sperimentazione
del Mare Adriatico Project (PRISMA 2). We thank Dr. Miroslav
Gadc for helpful comments on the manuscript.
References
Artegiani A, Salusti E (1987) Field observations of the flow of
dense water on the bottom of the Adriatic Sea during the
winter of 1981. Oceanol Acta 10 (4): 387-391
Artegiani A, Bregant D, Paschini E, Pinardi N, Raicich F, Russo A
(1997a) The Adriatic sea general circulation. 1. Air-sea interactions and water mass structure. J Phys Oceanogr 27{8}:
1492-1514
Hydrology of the Northern Adriatic
35
Artegiani A, Bregant D, Paschini E, Pinardi N, Raidch F, Russo A
(1997b) The Adriatic sea general circulation. II. Barodinic
circulation structure. J Phys Oceanogr 27(8): 1515-1532
Borzelli G, Ligi R, Ferulano B (1992) Surface circulation in the
Northern Adriatic Sea as revealed by a drifter experiment.
Nuovo Cimento 15(3): 265-274
Candela J, Beardsly RC, Limeburner R (1992) Separation of tidal
and subtidal currents in ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler
Current ProfIles observations. J Geophys Res 97: 769-788
Cardin V, Celio M (1997) Cluster analysis as a statistical method
for identification of the water bodies present in the Gulf of
Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea). Boll Teor Geofis App138(12); 119-135
Cavallini F (1985) A three-dimensional numerical model of tidal
circulation in the northern Adriatic Sea. Boll Oceano! Teor
Appl 3: 205-218
Franco P (1989) Osservazioni sull'oceanografia fisica e chimica
dell' Adriatico. In: Atti del Convegno, Lo stato di salute
dell' Adriatico: problemi e prospettive. Urbino 23-24 Maggio
1989: 21-29
Gadc M, Civitarese G, Ursella L (1998) Spatial and seasonal variability of water and biogeochemical fluxes in the Adriatic
Sea. In: Malanotte-Rizzoli P, Eremeev VN (eds) The eastern
Mediterranean as a laboratory basin for the assessment of
contrasting ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Amsterdam, pp 335-357
Legendre L, Legendre P (l984b) La structure des donnees ecologie. Ecologie num~rique 2nd ed. 2. Masson, Paris et les
Presses de l'Universite du Quebec, 363 pp
Malacie V, Viezzoli D (1998) Tidal dynamics in the Gulf of Trieste
- Northern Adriatic. In: 35th CIESM Congr Proc, vo!35(1),
pp 172-173
Malanotte-Rizzoli P (1991) The Northern Adriatic Sea as a prototype of convection and water mass formation on the continental shelf. In: Chu pc, Gascard Ie (eda) Deep convection
and deep water formation in the oceans (Elsevier oceanography series, 57) Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 229-239
Murtagh F, Heck A (1987) Multivariate data analysis. Astrophysics
and Space Science Library N C 131. Kluwer Academic
Publishers, Dordrecht, 205 pp
Raicich F (1996) On the fresh water balance of the Adriatic Sea. J
Mar Syst 9: 305-319
southward current along the Italian coast and a
cyclonic circulation in the northernmost part of
the basin. Finally, the high variability observed in
the residual field should be associated with river
discharges and mesoscale structures. Therefore,
it can be concluded that the steady field
describes the basin-wide general circulation,
while small scale structures are mainly associated with the residual field.
The comparison of the results obtained from
the duster analysis and the current field shows a
better correlation between the mass pattern and
the residual component; in particular it can be
established that where water of fluvial origin (first
group) is located, a southward flow is present. The
high correlation between the field of mass and the
time-dependent component of the current field
which varies on a time scale of several days, suggests that geostrophy represents a rather good
approximation for this part of the flow.
Acknowledgements. This research has been undertaken in the
framework of the Programma di Ricerca e Sperimentazione
del Mare Adriatico Project (PRISMA 2). We thank Dr. Miroslav
Gadc for helpful comments on the manuscript.
References
Artegiani A, Salusti E (1987) Field observations of the flow of
dense water on the bottom of the Adriatic Sea during the
winter of 1981. Oceanol Acta 10 (4): 387-391
Artegiani A, Bregant D, Paschini E, Pinardi N, Raicich F, Russo A
(1997a) The Adriatic sea general circulation. 1. Air-sea interactions and water mass structure. J Phys Oceanogr 27{8}:
1492-1514
Hydrology of the Northern Adriatic
35
Artegiani A, Bregant D, Paschini E, Pinardi N, Raidch F, Russo A
(1997b) The Adriatic sea general circulation. II. Barodinic
circulation structure. J Phys Oceanogr 27(8): 1515-1532
Borzelli G, Ligi R, Ferulano B (1992) Surface circulation in the
Northern Adriatic Sea as revealed by a drifter experiment.
Nuovo Cimento 15(3): 265-274
Candela J, Beardsly RC, Limeburner R (1992) Separation of tidal
and subtidal currents in ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler
Current ProfIles observations. J Geophys Res 97: 769-788
Cardin V, Celio M (1997) Cluster analysis as a statistical method
for identification of the water bodies present in the Gulf of
Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea). Boll Teor Geofis App138(12); 119-135
Cavallini F (1985) A three-dimensional numerical model of tidal
circulation in the northern Adriatic Sea. Boll Oceano! Teor
Appl 3: 205-218
Franco P (1989) Osservazioni sull'oceanografia fisica e chimica
dell' Adriatico. In: Atti del Convegno, Lo stato di salute
dell' Adriatico: problemi e prospettive. Urbino 23-24 Maggio
1989: 21-29
Gadc M, Civitarese G, Ursella L (1998) Spatial and seasonal variability of water and biogeochemical fluxes in the Adriatic
Sea. In: Malanotte-Rizzoli P, Eremeev VN (eds) The eastern
Mediterranean as a laboratory basin for the assessment of
contrasting ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Amsterdam, pp 335-357
Legendre L, Legendre P (l984b) La structure des donnees ecologie. Ecologie num~rique 2nd ed. 2. Masson, Paris et les
Presses de l'Universite du Quebec, 363 pp
Malacie V, Viezzoli D (1998) Tidal dynamics in the Gulf of Trieste
- Northern Adriatic. In: 35th CIESM Congr Proc, vo!35(1),
pp 172-173
Malanotte-Rizzoli P (1991) The Northern Adriatic Sea as a prototype of convection and water mass formation on the continental shelf. In: Chu pc, Gascard Ie (eda) Deep convection
and deep water formation in the oceans (Elsevier oceanography series, 57) Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 229-239
Murtagh F, Heck A (1987) Multivariate data analysis. Astrophysics
and Space Science Library N C 131. Kluwer Academic
Publishers, Dordrecht, 205 pp
Raicich F (1996) On the fresh water balance of the Adriatic Sea. J
Mar Syst 9: 305-319