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Modelled variability of the sea surface circulation in the North-western Mediterranean Sea and in the Gulf of Lions

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Abstract

A chain of three nested models, based on the MARS 3D code, is used to simulate the North-western Mediterranean Sea circulation with a finest grid of 1.2 km resolution and 30 vertical sigma levels. This modelling system allows to resolve the coastal dynamics taking into account the influence of the general basin circulation. The aim of this study is to assess the ability of the nested MARS-3D models to reproduce most of the circulation features observed in the North-western Mediterranean Basin and in the Gulf of Lions. Comparisons of modelled sea surface temperature and salinity with MEDAR/MEDATLAS climatology and NOAA/AVHRR satellite measurements show that the model accurately reproduces the large and coastal scale variability. Over the Northern Basin, the seasonal changes of the cyclonic gyre extension are correctly simulated, even though in summer, the modelled temperature of the surface layer remains in basin-average 1°C cooler than the satellite measured temperature. As soon as the stratification erodes, modelled and observed temperatures become closer. Over the Gulf of Lions, realistic coastal responses are obtained under different wind conditions. Upwellings are correctly located and their intensity and spatial extension were here improved by the use of Aladin wind fields (10 km spatial resolution) and the introduction of a drag coefficient fitted according to the stability of the planetary boundary layer. The dispersion of fresh Rhone water discharge and the mesoscale circulation simulated by MARS-3D also agree with satellite measurements.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Provence-Alpe-Côte d’Azur Region and the CNRS-INSU through the PNEC and PATOM national programs for their financial support. Data have been obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences Distributed Active Centre under the auspices of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Sea Surface Temperature data have been produced by SAF (Satellite Application Facility) of EUMETSTAT/Meteo-France and provided by Francis Gohin, through the CERSAT internet satellite images browser. The Authors thanks Francis Gohin and all the satellite data providers for making data available to the scientific community.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFREMER, DEL/AO, BP 70, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Gaël André & Pierre Garreau

  2. Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), 4600 Rickenbaker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149-1098, USA

    Valérie Garnier

  3. LSEET-LEPI, Université du Sud Toulon - Var, BP 20132, 83957, La Garde, France

    Philippe Fraunié

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  1. Gaël André
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  2. Pierre Garreau
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  3. Valérie Garnier
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  4. Philippe Fraunié
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Correspondence to Gaël André.

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Responsible Editor: Phil Dyke

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André, G., Garreau, P., Garnier, V. et al. Modelled variability of the sea surface circulation in the North-western Mediterranean Sea and in the Gulf of Lions. Ocean Dynamics 55, 294–308 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-005-0013-6

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