Mixed Layer Deepening and Variability in the Upper Layers of the Central Western Mediterranean, MILEX-82

摘要

The 1982 Mixed-Layer Experiment is described in detail and the data are presented in ways designed to illustrate the spatial and temporal variability of the surface and deeper layers of the central western Mediterranean Sea during the autumn transition period. The surface mixed-layer is seen to cool and to deepen due to convection and mechanical stirring induced by passing storms. The predominating motions observed are the near inertial internal waves propagating horizontally and vertically from the mixed layer into the pycnocline. Possible generation mechanisms for the vertical oscillations are discussed. These may originate to the north, in the Golfe du Lion where a high amplitude, inertially oscillating, Ekman mass-flux divergence can be expected due to the high values of wind-stress curl in that region. Data are, in some cases, fairly extensively worked up to produce a variety of contour plots for temperature, salinity, density and dynamic anomaly and a variety of composite time-series for both the thermistor-chain data and current-meter array vectors. Keywords: Mixed layer marine; Sea water temperature; Upwelling; Advection; Air sea interaction; NATO furnished. (EDC)