Oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea

An Introductory Guide

1st Edition - October 16, 2022
Imprint: Elsevier
Editors: Katrin Schroeder, Jacopo Chiggiato
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 3 6 9 2 - 5
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 3 6 9 3 - 2

Oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea: An Introductory Guide provides a comprehensive but concise introduction to the physical oceanography of one of the most fascinating marginal… Read more

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Oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea: An Introductory Guide provides a comprehensive but concise introduction to the physical oceanography of one of the most fascinating marginal seas, the Mediterranean Sea. The book is primarily focused on the state-of-the-art understanding of the physical functioning of the Mediterranean Sea, while embracing the fundamentals of associated geological and chemical processes.

Written by multiple scientists active over many years in the Mediterranean marine community, the book provides a broad overview on the information needed to get a robust background on the physical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea for students in oceanography, climate science, marine geology and chemistry or scientists unfamiliar with the region.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
List of contributors
About the editors
Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1. The Mediterranean Sea, a “miniature ocean”
1.2. Book structure and contents
1.3. Learning objectives at a glance
Chapter 2. Mediterranean Sea evolution and present-day physiography
2.1. Origin of the Mediterranean Sea
2.2. Dimensions and seafloor topography
2.3. Sedimentation on continental margins
2.4. Concluding remarks
Chapter 3. Mediterranean climate: past, present and future
3.1. General climate and morphological characteristics of the Mediterranean basin
3.2. Instrumental observations, satellites, and reanalyses
3.3. Climate models and their evolution
3.4. Heat and moisture balance at Mediterranean regional scale and relation to surface climate
3.5. The atmospheric circulation of the subtropics and mid-latitudes
3.6. Evolution of Mediterranean climate
Chapter 4. The forcings of the Mediterranean Sea and the physical properties of its water masses
4.1. The forcings of the Mediterranean Sea
4.2. The thermohaline properties of the Mediterranean water masses
4.3. Other water mass tracers
Chapter 5. Mediterranean Sea level
5.1. General concepts about sea level
5.2. Techniques for measuring sea level
5.3. Past evolution of Mediterranean Sea level
5.4. Future projections of Mediterranean Sea level
Chapter 6. Surface wave and sea surface dynamics in the Mediterranean
6.1. General concepts about waves, definitions and phenomenology
6.2. Tides and seiches
6.3. Marine storms and coastal floods in the Mediterranean Sea
6.4. Wind generated waves
6.5. Tsunamis
Chapter 7. Dense and deep water formation processes and Mediterranean overturning circulation
7.1. General concepts
7.2. Dense/deep water characteristics and formation rates
7.3. Observations of deep/dense water formation in the Mediterranean Sea
7.4. Theory of dense/deep water formation processes: general concepts
7.5. Numerical modeling of deep/dense water formation
7.6. The Mediterranean overturning circulation: structure and dynamics
7.7. Concluding remarks
Chapter 8. Fronts, eddies and mesoscale circulation in the Mediterranean Sea
8.1. General concepts
8.2. Mediterranean Sea mesoscale variability derived from satellite altimetry
8.3. Eddies, fronts and vertical velocity
8.4. Future perspectives
Chapter 9. Recent changes in the Mediterranean Sea
9.1. General concepts about Mediterranean water masses and their circulation
9.2. Changes observed in the Eastern Mediterranean water masses
9.3. Changes observed in the Western Mediterranean water masses
9.4. Long-term trends and climate change
9.5. Impact on the Mediterranean-Atlantic system
Chapter 10. Mediterranean observing and forecasting systems
10.1. The emergence of operational oceanography in the Mediterranean Sea
10.2. The framework for ocean observing and the essential ocean variables
10.3. Observing systems operating in the Mediterranean Sea
10.4. Forecasting the Mediterranean Sea
10.5. Data management and distribution
10.6. Concluding remarks
Chapter 11. Mediterranean Sea general biogeochemistry
11.1. Dissolved oxygen distribution and ventilation
11.2. Dissolved nutrients: forms, sources, distribution, and dynamics
11.3. Dissolved organic matter: relevance, distribution, and dynamics
11.4. Inorganic carbon chemistry and acidification in the Mediterranean Sea: concepts, particularities, and distribution
11.5. Identifying Mediterranean Sea water masses using biogeochemistry
11.6. Future projections and threats to Mediterranean biogeochemistry
Chapter 12. Active geological processes in the Mediterranean Sea
12.1. General concepts
12.2. Sedimentary processes from the coast to the deep sea
12.3. Submarine and insular volcanoes
12.4. Cold seeps: diversity, distribution and controls
12.5. Geohazards and ecosystems
Chapter 13. The Mediterranean Sea in the Anthropocene
13.1. General concepts
13.2. Reduction of seafloor integrity
13.3. Modification of coastal lithosomes
13.4. Man-made alterations of the Mediterranean hydrological cycle
13.5. The load of human activities in changing Mediterranean biogeochemical dynamics
13.6. Dynamic of pollutants in the Mediterranean Sea
13.7. Plastisphere in the Mediterranean Sea
13.8. Concluding remarks
Index

Katrin Schroeder

Katrin Schroeder is Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR). She holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science (2003 and 2008), University of Venice. Her major research interests are experimental studies in physical and biogeochemical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea. She represents CNR at the European Marine Board (EMB), is the Italian National Delegate at the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO), and is Chair of the Committee “Physics and Climate of the Ocean“ of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM). In 2019 she was selected as the recipient of the IUGG Early Career Scientist Award, while in 2015 she was presented the Outstanding Young Scientists Award by the EGU. In 2011 she received the MedClivar Young Scientist Award. She has authored or co-authored more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and participated in several oceanographic cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. She is Associated Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications).

Affiliations and expertise

Senior Scientist; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR), Venice, Italy

Jacopo Chiggiato

Jacopo Chiggiato holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Science (1998), University of Venice, and a Ph.D. in Numerical Modelling for Environmental Protection (2004), University of Bologna. Amongst several experiences after the Ph.D. he was Scientist at the NATO Undersea Research Centre (2009-2011). He is currently Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), member of the Advisory Board of the Institute and member of the Scientific Council of the Department of Earth System Science and Environmental Technologies (CNR-DSSTTA). His research interests are data analysis and numerical modelling in coastal meteorology and oceanography, air-sea interactions, atmosphere-ocean coupled systems, climate variability of regional oceans and R&D in operational oceanography. He has authored and co-authored more than 60 papers in refereed International Journals JCR and participated in several sea trials in the Mediterranean Sea. Awarded with the Scientific Achievement Award 2014 issued by the Science and Technology Organization of the NATO. He is Associate Editor for Journal of Operational Oceanography (Taylor&Francis), Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications).

Affiliations and expertise

Senior Scientist; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR), Venice, Italy

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