cline, both in the Northern and Middle Adriatic
Sea. In autumn, a barotropic homogeneous
motion prevails. The examination of Figs. 8c and
9c reveals the pool of saline water on the eastern
side and the penetration of its filaments into the
northern basin. Comparing them with Figs. 8d
and 9d gives an indication of the path of advection due to the existing circulation.
The Southern Adriatic Sea
The topography of the southern basin exercises a
strong control over the circulation. The Pelagosa
sill acts as a barrier limiting the penetration of
the Ionian waters into the northern basin. The
geopotential anomaly and sea-surface salinity
analyses of the data collected during the seasonal surveys in the southern basin are depicted in
Figs. 10 and 11, respectively. The best coverage
obtained during the spring survey results from a
a
Cruise Spring ' 95: Otronto Transect
W
Salinity
E
!I(ll 1,102 M03 M04 M05 MD6 M07
1108 1.409 MIO 1.411
0
.35
0
:lB.5!J=
.l8.50
200
200
~ 400
400
" E
" 600
600
800
800
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Distance I'm)
C
Cruise Autumn ' 95: Otranto Transect
W
Salinity
E
ci AOI ~
M~3 "' 9 4 M5C M06 MIl7 M~8 M29 MIO Ml1 1.412
I
I
I
I
I
0
38,00
- 38:55
38.45
200
200
j 400
400
E
Q.
600
600
eoo
800
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oislance Ikm)
Seasonal Variability of the Adriatic Sea Hydrography
53
co-operative investigation in the southern basin,
when three ships were contemporarily at sea,
within the framework of the projects "OTRANTO MAST IMTP" and "OTRANTO GAP" of
NATO's SACLANTCEN in La Spezia.
The maps show a consistent cyclonic circulation and the rim current parallel to the western
coast transporting fresh water to the southern
Otranto sections. The sea-surface salinity patterns generally follow the geopotential anomaly,
showing a maximum salinity in the centre of the
gyre. The sea-surface temperature (not shown)
indicates the absence of any permanent structure throughout the year with the exception of
winter, when the gyre intensifies, bringing cold
and saline water from the deep layer in contrast
to the warm surface water of Ionian origin.
The northern-bound rim current at the shelf
break bifurcates. While one branch turns southwest to close the cyclonic gyre, the other basicalCruise Summer ' 95: Otranto Transect
b
W
Salinity
E
1,101 M02 M03 1.404 M05 M06 M07 MOB M09 1.410 Mil MI2
0
0
3~.50
38.60
200
"
.ttl'
Js. 8s 200
","
'6'0
"f 400
-,'0'
400
1>
::s,
'" 600
600
800
800
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oi.lance (I
d
Salinity
E
M04 MaS MaS M07 MOB Mag MIa MlI M12
I
, I I
0
38.45 '
200
38. 70
200
38.8. 0
I 400
Ss.80
400
E.
J~;>o
'" 600
600
800
BOO
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oi.lance (km)
Fig.7a-d. Salinity distributions along the Otranto transect in: a spring '95; b summer '95; c autumn '95; d winter '96. The identifications at the top of the panels denote the positions of the stations
Sea. In autumn, a barotropic homogeneous
motion prevails. The examination of Figs. 8c and
9c reveals the pool of saline water on the eastern
side and the penetration of its filaments into the
northern basin. Comparing them with Figs. 8d
and 9d gives an indication of the path of advection due to the existing circulation.
The Southern Adriatic Sea
The topography of the southern basin exercises a
strong control over the circulation. The Pelagosa
sill acts as a barrier limiting the penetration of
the Ionian waters into the northern basin. The
geopotential anomaly and sea-surface salinity
analyses of the data collected during the seasonal surveys in the southern basin are depicted in
Figs. 10 and 11, respectively. The best coverage
obtained during the spring survey results from a
a
Cruise Spring ' 95: Otronto Transect
W
Salinity
E
!I(ll 1,102 M03 M04 M05 MD6 M07
1108 1.409 MIO 1.411
0
.35
0
:lB.5!J=
.l8.50
200
200
~ 400
400
" E
" 600
600
800
800
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Distance I'm)
C
Cruise Autumn ' 95: Otranto Transect
W
Salinity
E
ci AOI ~
M~3 "' 9 4 M5C M06 MIl7 M~8 M29 MIO Ml1 1.412
I
I
I
I
I
0
38,00
- 38:55
38.45
200
200
j 400
400
E
Q.
600
600
eoo
800
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oislance Ikm)
Seasonal Variability of the Adriatic Sea Hydrography
53
co-operative investigation in the southern basin,
when three ships were contemporarily at sea,
within the framework of the projects "OTRANTO MAST IMTP" and "OTRANTO GAP" of
NATO's SACLANTCEN in La Spezia.
The maps show a consistent cyclonic circulation and the rim current parallel to the western
coast transporting fresh water to the southern
Otranto sections. The sea-surface salinity patterns generally follow the geopotential anomaly,
showing a maximum salinity in the centre of the
gyre. The sea-surface temperature (not shown)
indicates the absence of any permanent structure throughout the year with the exception of
winter, when the gyre intensifies, bringing cold
and saline water from the deep layer in contrast
to the warm surface water of Ionian origin.
The northern-bound rim current at the shelf
break bifurcates. While one branch turns southwest to close the cyclonic gyre, the other basicalCruise Summer ' 95: Otranto Transect
b
W
Salinity
E
1,101 M02 M03 1.404 M05 M06 M07 MOB M09 1.410 Mil MI2
0
0
3~.50
38.60
200
"
.ttl'
Js. 8s 200
","
'6'0
"f 400
-,'0'
400
1>
::s,
'" 600
600
800
800
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oi.lance (I
d
Salinity
E
M04 MaS MaS M07 MOB Mag MIa MlI M12
I
, I I
0
38.45 '
200
38. 70
200
38.8. 0
I 400
Ss.80
400
E.
J~;>o
'" 600
600
800
BOO
10
20
30
40
50
60
Oi.lance (km)
Fig.7a-d. Salinity distributions along the Otranto transect in: a spring '95; b summer '95; c autumn '95; d winter '96. The identifications at the top of the panels denote the positions of the stations