Temporal variability of currents in the eastern Ligurian Sea

Authors:
  • MAM. Astraldi
    M. Astraldi
  • GGG. P. Gasparini
    G. P. Gasparini
  • GMG. M. R. Manzella
    G. M. R. Manzella
  • THT. S. Hopkins
    T. S. Hopkins
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Abstract
Surface and intermediate waters enter the Ligurian Sea from the Tyrrhenian and Algero‐Provencal basins via northward flows along the east and west coasts of Corsica. The temporal variability of these flows is examined by means of a 1‐year time series of current data (October 1986 to September 1987) and hydrographic data from December, March, and May cruises. The flow through the Corsica Channel increases suddenly during December and then gradually decreases after March, reaching its lowest values in late summer. The seasonal variability in the channel seems associated mainly with the steric sea level differences between the Tyrrhenian Sea and Ligurian Sea. The West Corsican Current appears more stable throughout the one year of data. The two flows converge just north of Corsica into the Ligurian Current. Because of the water‐masses differences between the two currents, in the area of convergence considerable smaller‐scaled structure is observed. During winter, the less dense Tyrrhenian water provides available potential energy to the Ligurian shelf area and thereby helps sustain the large‐scale cyclonic circulation in the Ligurian basin. During the other seasons the spatial structures over the Ligurian shelf are less organized and the spatial scale of the flow is a few tens of kilometers.