Effects of the North Sea Caspian pattern on surface fluxes of Euro-Asian-Mediterranean seas -: art. no. L21701

The influence of the North Sea Caspian Pattern (NCP) on marine basins of the Euro-Asian-Mediterranean region (Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas) is investigated by making use of Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) analysis. The effect of the NCP on surface fluxes of momentum and heat, as well as on curl and divergence of wind stress is evident in all of the studied basins. In particular, the Aegean and southern Black Sea heat fluxes are significantly affected by NCP. The processes underlying the demonstrated effects of the NCP on the Mediterranean Sea deserve further attention, especially as they relate to the so-called Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT), a recent event that resulted in abrupt changes in the marine climate.