Heat storage in the Western Mediterranean

Abstract EN

Heat Storage (HS) in the water column and space plays an essential role in the dynamics of the ocean.

In the western Mediterranean, the HS is calculated for the upper 100 and 300m by using the historical hydrographic data.

The maximum HS in the upper 100m layer is located in southern part of the western Mediterranean in the period February- June and in the south-western part of the Alboran Sea in the July- January months.

In the upper 300m layer the HS decreases generally north-westward, while in the Alboran Sea it increases southwestward.

The minimum geographic HS for both layers is found in the gulf of Lion all over the year.

This area is an active vertical convection and formation zone of Winter Intermediate Water (WIW) and deep western Mediterranean water masses.

The monthly minimum HS is clearly found in March, while the maximum one is in September for both layers representing the end of the cooling and heating periods respectively.

The minimum HS amplitude, for both layers, is found neighboring Sicily and Gibraltar straits representing the areas of continuous advection with adjacent basins (Eastern Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean).

The highest values are located aneighboring the Gulf of Lions area representing the convection zone in which the WIW and Western Mediterranean deep waters are formed and sink in late winters.