Naslov
Response of the Adriatic Sea level to the planetary-scale atmospheric forcing

Autori
Pasarić, Miroslava ; Orlić, Mirko

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
Sea level changes: determination and effects

Urednik/ci
Woodworth, Philip L.

Izdavač
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics ; American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Grad
Washington (MD)

Godina
1992

Raspon stranica
29-39

ISBN
087590-460-2

Ključne riječi
Adriatic, Mediterranean, climatic perturbation, air pressure, low-frequency oscillations

Sažetak
Time series of sea level, air pressure and geopotential height of the 500 mbar surface, collected in the Adriatic area between 1985 and 1989, are used to examine variability at low frequencies (~0.01 – 0.1 cpd). It is shown that all the time series are seasonally modulated: pronounced low_frequency oscillations occur in winter, reduced variability prevails in summer. This finding is explained in terms of seasonal changes of the general atmospheric circulation and its influence on sea level. Cross-spectral analysis shows that low-frequency oscillations of sea level are mainly caused by planetary atmospheric waves, being related to corresponding air-pressure fluctuations. Sea level is opposed in phase to this forcing, but it surpasses a simple inverse-barometer response. A long-lasting negative anomaly of sea level is also observed, reaching minimum in January 1989. The anomaly was caused by a persistent anticyclonic disturbance over Europe, which in turn was linked to the low sea-surface temperatures of the northwest Atlantic and equatorial Pacific. Sea level did not respond isostatically to this climatic perturbation. A two-basin, two-strait model is used to simulate response of the Mediterranean Sea to the planetary-scale atmospheric forcing. The model predicts quasi-isostatic adjustment of the sea to dispersive atmospheric waves and air-pressure pulse of winter 1988/89. It is concluded that the Adriatic sea level responds not only to the air pressure, but also to some other forcing agent – most probably wind – related to the planetary-scale atmospheric disturbances.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Geologija

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