Mesoscale, seasonal and interannual variability in the Mediterranean Sea using a numerical ocean model

In this paper, we present the results from a 1/8° horizontal resolution numerical simulation of the Mediterranean Sea using an ocean model (DieCAST) that is stable with low general dissipation and that uses accurate control volume fourth-order numerics with reduced numerical dispersion. The ocean model is forced using climatological monthly mean winds and relaxation towards monthly climatological surface temperature and salinity. The variability of the circulation obtained is assessed by computing the volume transport through certain sections and straits where comparison with observations is possible. The seasonal variability of certain currents is reproduced in the model simulations. More important, an interannual variability, manifested by changes in currents and water mass properties, is also found in the results. This may indicate that the oceanic internal variability (not depending on external atmospheric forcing), is an important component of the total variability of the Mediterranean circulation; variability that seems to be very significant and well documented by in situ and satellite data recovered in the Mediterranean Sea during the last decade. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This study is a contribution to the Projects MAR1998-0840 and REN2001-3982. Partial support from SOFT, EC funded project, EVK3-2000-00561 is also acknowledged. V. Fernández acknowledges a FPI grant from the Spanish Ministry for Science and Technology (PN1998 36125588). David E. Dietrich acknowledges a grant from the Spanish ministry for Education and Culture (SAB1999-0037)Peer Reviewe