HyMeX-SOP2: The Field Campaign Dedicated to Dense Water Formation in the Northwestern Mediterranean

Estournel, Claude; Testor, Pierre; Taupier‐Letage, Isabelle; Bouin, Marie‐Noëlle; Coppola, Laurent; Durand, Jean-Pierre; Conan, Pascal; Bosse, Anthony; Brilouet, Pierre‐Etienne; Béguery, Laurent; Bélamari, Sophie; Béranger, Karine; Beuvier, Jonathan; Bourras, Denis; Canut, Guylaine; Doerenbecher, Alexis; Madron, Xavier Durrieu de; D’Ortenzio, Fabrizio; Ducrocq, Véronique; Fourrié, Nadia; Giordani, Hervé; Houpert, Loïc; Labatut, Laurent; Brossier, Cindy Lebeaupin; Nuret, Mathieu; Prieur, Jean‐Louis; Roussot, Odile; Seyfried, Léo; Somot, Samuel; Drobinsky, Philippe

doi:10.5670/oceanog.2016.94

Cited by 36 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Intense cold and dry winds are an essential ingredient of deep convection. Using combined atmospheric and oceanic observations, Estournel et al () showed restratification of the upper 500 m during periods of oceanic heat gain, generally associated with low wind conditions and, conversely, the destruction (within hours) of an ocean stratification in response to the passage of a continental air mass, associated with heat loss. Heat flux time series is therefore a relevant parameter to consider in explaining variation in the MLD, which impacts the availability of both nutrients and light for phytoplankton growth.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Vertical Mixing Effects on Phytoplankton Dynamics and Organic Carbon Export in the Western Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2018

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A 3‐D high‐resolution coupled hydrodynamic‐biogeochemical model of the western Mediterranean was used to study phytoplankton dynamics and organic carbon export in three regions with contrasting vertical regimes, ranging from deep convection to a shallow mixed layer. One month after the initial increase in surface chlorophyll (caused by the erosion of the deep chlorophyll maximum), the autumnal bloom was triggered in all three regions by the upward flux of nutrients resulting from mixed layer deepening. In contrast, at the end of winter, the end of turbulent mixing favored the onset of the spring bloom in the deep convection region. Low grazing pressure allowed rapid phytoplankton growth during the bloom. Primary production in the shallow mixed layer region, the Algerian subbasin, was characterized by a long period (4 months) of sustained phytoplankton development, unlike the deep convection region where primary production was inhibited during 2 months in winter. Despite seasonal variations, annual primary production in all three regions is similar. In the deep convection region, total organic carbon export below the photic layer (150 m) and transfer to deep waters (800 m) was 5 and 8 times, respectively, higher than in the Algerian subbasin. Although some of the exported material will be injected back into the surface layer during the next convection event, lateral transport, and strong interannual variability of MLD in this region suggest that a significant amount of exported material is effectively sequestrated.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 92%

Vertical Mixing Effects on Phytoplankton Dynamics and Organic Carbon Export in the Western Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2018

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“…To deploy Argo floats in the Mixed Patch, and reposition the Marisonde buoys for the convection period, support cruises were set up late January and late February 2013. In order to catch an intense Mistral wind event and its impact on the convection, R/V Le Provence was chartered to enable sampling on alert (Estournel et al, ). In total, about 400 CTD casts were carried out during our study period.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale Observations of Deep Convection in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea During Winter 2012–2013 Using Multiple Platforms

et al. 2018

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During winter 2012–2013, open‐ocean deep convection which is a major driver for the thermohaline circulation and ventilation of the ocean, occurred in the Gulf of Lions (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea) and has been thoroughly documented thanks in particular to the deployment of several gliders, Argo profiling floats, several dedicated ship cruises, and a mooring array during a period of about a year. Thanks to these intense observational efforts, we show that deep convection reached the bottom in winter early in February 2013 in a area of maximum 28 ± 3 109normalm2. We present new quantitative results with estimates of heat and salt content at the subbasin scale at different time scales (on the seasonal scale to a 10 days basis) through optimal interpolation techniques, and robust estimates of the deep water formation rate of 2.0 ±0.2 Sv. We provide an overview of the spatiotemporal coverage that has been reached throughout the seasons this year and we highlight some results based on data analysis and numerical modeling that are presented in this special issue. They concern key circulation features for the deep convection and the subsequent bloom such as Submesoscale Coherent Vortices (SCVs), the plumes, and symmetric instability at the edge of the deep convection area.

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“…Over the shelf, the coupled simulation shows a high sensitivity of the mixing to coupling and a larger (but limited) production of dense water (

ρ \geq

29.13 kg m −3 ). Despite the ocean model limitations due to the horizontal resolution of 1/36°, the z coordinate levels and the hydrostatic assumption, CPL produces an overflow of the shelf DWF in the Cap Creus Canyon whose occurrence (referred as “cascading”) is also suggested by some observations [ Estournel et al ., ; Testor et al , ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dense water formation in the north‐western Mediterranean area during HyMeX‐SOP2 in 1/36° ocean simulations: Ocean‐atmosphere coupling impact

et al. 2017

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The north‐western Mediterranean Sea is a key location for the thermohaline circulation of the basin. The area is characterized by intense air‐sea exchanges favored by the succession of strong northerly and north‐westerly wind situations (mistral and tramontane) in autumn and winter. Such meteorological conditions lead to significant evaporation and ocean heat loss that are well known as the main triggering factor for the Dense Water Formation (DWF) and winter deep convection episodes. During the HyMeX second field campaign (SOP2, 1 February to 15 March 2013), several platforms were deployed in the area in order to document the DWF and the ocean deep convection, as the air‐sea interface conditions. This study investigates the role of the ocean‐atmosphere coupling on DWF during winter 2012–2013. The coupled system, based on the NEMO‐WMED36 ocean model (1/36° resolution) and the AROME‐WMED atmospheric model (2.5 km resolution), was run during 2 months covering the SOP2 and is compared to an ocean‐only simulation forced by AROME‐WMED real‐time forecasts and to observations collected in the north‐western Mediterranean area during the HyMeX SOP2. The comparison shows small differences in terms of net heat, water, and momentum fluxes. On average, DWF is slightly sensitive to air‐sea coupling. However, fine‐scale ocean processes, such as shelf DWF and export or eddies and fronts at the rim of the convective patch, are significantly modified. The wind‐current interactions constitute an efficient coupled process at fine scale, acting as a turbulence propagating vectors, producing large mixing and convection at the rim of the convective patch.

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HyMeX-SOP2: The Field Campaign Dedicated to Dense Water Formation in the Northwestern Mediterranean

Cited by 36 publications

References 29 publications

Vertical Mixing Effects on Phytoplankton Dynamics and Organic Carbon Export in the Western Mediterranean Sea

Vertical Mixing Effects on Phytoplankton Dynamics and Organic Carbon Export in the Western Mediterranean Sea

Multiscale Observations of Deep Convection in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea During Winter 2012–2013 Using Multiple Platforms

Dense water formation in the north‐western Mediterranean area during HyMeX‐SOP2 in 1/36° ocean simulations: Ocean‐atmosphere coupling impact

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