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Weather Systems Affecting the Meteorological Conditions over the Aegean Sea

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The Aegean Sea Environment

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 127))

Abstract

The meteorological conditions over the Aegean Sea are subjected to strong influences from the large-scale patterns of the general atmospheric circulation, the surrounding continents, the almost enclosed Mediterranean Sea, the complex topography and coastline, as well as the mesoscale and local phenomena imposed on the synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation. This chapter discusses the most important circulation patterns that affect the area determining not only the weather conditions but also the climatic characteristics. The discussion unravels seasonal and spatial characteristics of the weather and climate patterns giving also a particular emphasis on the formation of cyclones (cyclogenesis). The role of upper-air conditions and air-sea interaction is highlighted, especially demonstrating the remarkable patterns of explosive cyclones and Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones (medicanes). This chapter also provides a preliminary analysis of air temperature and precipitation over the Aegean Sea unveiling spatiotemporal variabilities and trends.

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Acknowledgments

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Copernicus Programme are gratefully acknowledged for the provision of ERA-5 reanalysis data. The European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) are acknowledged for the provision of satellite images. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is acknowledged for the provision of a Terra/Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite image. Google Earth is acknowledged for the provision of maps.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Anavissos Attikis, Greece

    Anastasios Papadopoulos & George Varlas

Authors
  1. Anastasios Papadopoulos
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  2. George Varlas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anastasios Papadopoulos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Oceanography, Athens, Greece

    Christos L. Anagnostou

  2. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, S.Yu. Witte Moscow University, Moscow, Russia

    Andrey G. Kostianoy

  3. Department of Geology & Geoenvironment, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Ilias D. Mariolakos

  4. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Oceanography, Athens, Greece

    Panayotis Panayotidis

  5. Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Marina Soilemezidou

  6. Panteion University of Social and Political Science, Athens, Greece

    Grigoris Tsaltas

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Papadopoulos, A., Varlas, G. (2020). Weather Systems Affecting the Meteorological Conditions over the Aegean Sea. In: Anagnostou, C.L., Kostianoy, A.G., Mariolakos, I.D., Panayotidis, P., Soilemezidou, M., Tsaltas, G. (eds) The Aegean Sea Environment. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 127. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2020_657

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