Currents, water masses, eddies and jets in the Mediterranean Levantine Basin

Hydrographic measurements in the southeastern Levantine Basin are analyzed, and the climatological water masses of the region and their seasonal variations are identified. Observes the formation of the salty and warm Levantine Surface Water layer (LSW); characterizes the subsurface Atlantic Water layer (AW); and describes the properties of the thermocline waters, called Levantine Intermediate Waters (LIW). The baroclinic dynamical modes are computed for the climatological stratification parameters. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the vertical shear profiles shows that considerable energy is contained in the second EOF at the termocline and deep levels. Maps of the baroclinic stream function field referred to 700 meters are displayed: 16 instantaneous flow field realizations show an intense mesoscale eddy field never revealed before in the region.