Alhammoud, Bahjat (2005) General circulation and meso-scale variability in the Eastern Mediterranean sea : numerical approach. PhD thesis Océanographie physique, ENSTA / UME - Laboratoire de Mécanique, ENSTA 2005AIX22097 p.192.

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Abstract

The circulation in the eastern Mediterranean basin has been studied using a general circulation model with very high horizontal resolution, climatologies, in-situ and remote sensed observations. A thorough validation of the model shows a good agreement of the various water masses. The surface circulation is also in good agreement with recent circulation schemes derived from observations. For instance, the main part of the Atlantic inflow follows the African coast and forms a permanent and intense coastal jet along the Libyan coasts, rather than the Mid Mediterranean Jet described few years ago by several authors. The well known mesoscale structures (Egyptian eddies, Ierapetra...) are also well reproduced. In good agreement with altimetric and SST observations, the model shows that energetic mesoscale eddies dominate the surface circulation in the south of the Levantine basin. Mesoscale eddies are more energetic in summer than in the whole of the basin. In addition, simulations allow a detailed analysis of the life cycle of these eddies and how they are able to control the mean circulation. Depending on the position and development of these eddies, different circulation regimes are observed. In particular, eddies in the Levantine basin (Egyptian eddies, Lattaquia, Ierapetra) can block and force offshore bifurcations of the coastal surface Atlantic inflow.

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