Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
One century of oceanographic measurements has evidenced gradual increases in temperature and salinity of western Mediterranean water masses, even though the vertical stratification has basically remained unchanged. Starting in 2005, the basic structure of the intermediate and deep layers abruptly changed. We report here evidence of reinforced thermohaline variability in the deep western basin with significant dense water formation events producing large amounts of warmer, saltier and denser water masses than ever before. We provide a detailed chronological order to these changes, giving an overview of the new water masses and following their route from the central basin interior to the east (toward the Tyrrhenian) and toward the Atlantic Ocean. As a consequence of this climate shift, new deep waters outflowing through Gibraltar will impact the North Atlantic in terms of salt and heat input. In addition, modifications in the Mediterranean abyssal ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles are to be expected.
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Format: | Journal Contribution biblioteca |
Language: | English |
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2016
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Subjects: | Climate changes, Deep Water, |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/12525 |
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dig-aquadocs-1834-125252021-05-19T06:21:21Z Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Schroeder, K. Chiggiato, J. Bryden, H. L. Borghini, M. Ben Ismail, Sana Climate changes Deep Water One century of oceanographic measurements has evidenced gradual increases in temperature and salinity of western Mediterranean water masses, even though the vertical stratification has basically remained unchanged. Starting in 2005, the basic structure of the intermediate and deep layers abruptly changed. We report here evidence of reinforced thermohaline variability in the deep western basin with significant dense water formation events producing large amounts of warmer, saltier and denser water masses than ever before. We provide a detailed chronological order to these changes, giving an overview of the new water masses and following their route from the central basin interior to the east (toward the Tyrrhenian) and toward the Atlantic Ocean. As a consequence of this climate shift, new deep waters outflowing through Gibraltar will impact the North Atlantic in terms of salt and heat input. In addition, modifications in the Mediterranean abyssal ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles are to be expected. Published 2018-04-16T15:13:48Z 2018-04-16T15:13:48Z 2016 Journal Contribution Refereed DOI: 10.1038/srep23009 http://hdl.handle.net/1834/12525 en www.nature.com/srep pp.1-7 Mediterranean |
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Climate changes Deep Water Climate changes Deep Water Schroeder, K. Chiggiato, J. Bryden, H. L. Borghini, M. Ben Ismail, Sana Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
description |
One century of oceanographic measurements has evidenced gradual increases in temperature and salinity of western Mediterranean water masses, even though the vertical stratification has basically
remained unchanged. Starting in 2005, the basic structure of the intermediate and deep layers abruptly
changed. We report here evidence of reinforced thermohaline variability in the deep western basin
with significant dense water formation events producing large amounts of warmer, saltier and denser
water masses than ever before. We provide a detailed chronological order to these changes, giving an
overview of the new water masses and following their route from the central basin interior to the east
(toward the Tyrrhenian) and toward the Atlantic Ocean. As a consequence of this climate shift, new deep
waters outflowing through Gibraltar will impact the North Atlantic in terms of salt and heat input. In
addition, modifications in the Mediterranean abyssal ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles are to be
expected. |
format |
Journal Contribution |
topic_facet |
Climate changes Deep Water |
author |
Schroeder, K. Chiggiato, J. Bryden, H. L. Borghini, M. Ben Ismail, Sana |
author_facet |
Schroeder, K. Chiggiato, J. Bryden, H. L. Borghini, M. Ben Ismail, Sana |
author_sort |
Schroeder, K. |
title |
Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
title_short |
Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
title_full |
Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
title_fullStr |
Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Abrupt climate shift in the Western Mediterranean Sea. |
title_sort |
abrupt climate shift in the western mediterranean sea. |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1834/12525 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT schroederk abruptclimateshiftinthewesternmediterraneansea AT chiggiatoj abruptclimateshiftinthewesternmediterraneansea AT brydenhl abruptclimateshiftinthewesternmediterraneansea AT borghinim abruptclimateshiftinthewesternmediterraneansea AT benismailsana abruptclimateshiftinthewesternmediterraneansea |
_version_ |
1756075317369241600 |