The circulation pattern in the Mediterranean Sea: issues for modeller consideration

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most thoroughly studied water bodies in the world. Its location and geopolitical importance since before the rise of the Roman Empire has stimulated study since the early eras of human civilisation More recently, the Sea, like many of the world's oceans, has attracted the attention of engineers considering the extraction of renewable energy. This paper outlines the complexity of the domains which underpinning modelling must consider. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-closed water body connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar in its far western extremity. The main basin is divided into two principal sub-basins, which together cover a surface area of 2.5 x 10(6) km(2), with a maximum measured depth of 5.1 km. The Sea is characterised by its three distinct water masses: surface, intermediate and deep. These cover the whole Mediterranean basin and circulate independently. The general circulation pattern of the Sea has its own features and characteristics, which are described in this paper, drawing upon published research results.