RT Journal Article
T1 Interannual variability of the Mediterranean outflow observed in Espartel sill, western Strait of Gibraltar
A1 García-Lafuente, Jesús
A1 Delgado-Cabello, Javier
A1 Sánchez-Román, Antonio
A1 Soto-Navarro, Francisco Javier
A1 Carracedo, Lidia
A1 Díaz del Río, Guillermo
K1 Circulación oceánica - Gibraltar (Estrecho)
AB Four-year time series of observations in Espartel sill at the western part of the Strait of Gibraltar have been analyzed in order to investigate the variability of the Mediterranean outflow. It is assumed that the observed variability comes from the changing properties of the dense waters that are located at the maximum depth from where they can be uplifted in the upstream basin (Albora´n Sea, inside the Mediterranean Sea) and evacuated through the strait. From this perspective, the following three mechanisms are investigated: (1) the replenishment of the deep basin by newly formed Western Mediterranean Deep Water that, depending on its density, can either uplift old resident waters or lay above them leaving in any case a cold signature in the temperature series; (2) the presence/absence of the energetic anticyclonic gyres in the Albora´n Sea, particularly the western one, which can transfer momentum to the underlying Mediterranean vein and provide it with additional energy to ascend over the sills of the strait; and (3) the meteorologically enhanced flows that follow the rapid changes of atmospheric pressure over the western Mediterranean basin, which would be able to aspire deeper waters residing in the upstream basin. The three mechanisms act on different timescales, from annual in case (1) to monthly in case (2) to weekly in case (3) although these two latter are modulated annually by the seasonal prevalence of the western Albora´n gyre in summer and of the strong meteorologically driven fluctuations in winter. The mechanisms overlap at annual timescales making it difficult to separate out the different contributions.
PB American Geophysical Union
YR 2009
FD 2009-10
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/29354
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/29354
LA eng
NO García-Lafuente, J., J. Delgado, A. Sánchez Román, J. Soto, L. Carracedo, and G. Díaz del Río (2009), Interannual variability of the Mediterranean outflow observed in Espartel sill, western Strait of Gibraltar, J. Geophys. Res., 114, C10018, doi:10.1029/2009JC005496.
NO Los datos analizados en este trabajo se recopilaron en el marco de los proyectos financiados por los proyectos del plan nacional español de investigación INGRES (REN03–01608/MAR, CTM06–02326/MAR) y las acciones complementarias CTM04–21540E y CTM08-00709-E. Reconocemos este apoyo financiero así como el apoyo parcial de la Junta de Andalucía a través de los proyectos P08-RNM-3738 y P07-RNM-2938. J.S. realizzó esta investigación mientras disfrutaba de una beca de doctorado de la Consejería de Innovacion Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 20 ene 2026