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Fast deep sinking in Mediterranean eddies
Author(s) -
van Haren Hans,
Millot Claude,
TaupierLetage Isabelle
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl025367
Subject(s) - eddy , mesoscale meteorology , geology , oceanography , mediterranean sea , mediterranean climate , climatology , meteorology , turbulence , geography , archaeology
Large (up to 0.03 m s −1 ) downward vertical water velocities (w) are observed using yearlong moored ADCP at ∼2400 m in the deep Mediterranean Sea's Algerian basin. Once every 2–3 months, ∣w∣ rapidly increases to O(0.01 ± 0.002 m s −1 ) before slowly decreasing during a few weeks, in association with the passage of mesoscale eddies formed nearby. These amplitudes of negative w are O(100) times larger than those commonly linked to mesoscale eddies near the surface (subduction), and O(10) times larger than settling velocities for marine snow. Our observations suggest that mesoscale eddies, which are important for biological productivity near the surface, can also convect nearly fresh material down to the bottom (∼3000 m there) within a few days.