Observations of open-ocean deep convection in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Seasonal and interannual variability of mixing and deep water masses for the 2007-2013 Period

• DOI: 10.1002/2016jc011857
• Publication Date: 2016-10-14T00:20:16Z
• Authors: L. Houpert; X. Durrieu de Madron; P. Testor; A. Bosse; F. D'Ortenzio; M. N. Bouin; D. Dausse; H. Le Goff; S. Kunesch; M. Labaste; L. Coppola; L. Mortier; P. Raimbault
• Keywords: Mooring; Deep convection; Temperature salinity diagrams; Mixed layer

We present here a unique oceanographic and meteorological data set focus on the deep convection processes. Our results are essentially based in situ (mooring, research vessel, glider, profiling float) collected from multiplatform integrated monitoring system (MOOSE: Mediterranean Ocean Observing System Environment), which monitored continuously northwestern Sea since 2007, particular high-frequency potential temperature, salinity, current measurements mooring LION located within region. From 2009 to 2013, mixed layer depth reaches seabed, at of 2330m, February. Then, violent vertical mixing whole water column lasts between 9 12 days setting up characteristics newly formed water. Each winter new warmer saltier “vintage” These sudden inputs salt heat ocean responsible for trends salinity (3.3 ± 0.2 × 10−3/yr) temperature (3.2 0.5 10−3 C/yr) observed 2013 600–2300 m layer. For first time, overlapping three “phases” can be observed, with secondary events (2–4 days) after beginning restratification phase, restratification/spreading phase still active following event.