A multi-centennial ocean simulation reveals aspects of the Mediterranean Sea intrinsic dynamics

A multi-centennial ocean simulation focusing on the Mediterranean Sea intrinsic dynamics is performed using an eddy-permitting nonlinear, shallow-water multilayer numerical model forced by steady transports of Atlantic Water and Levantine Intermediate Water. These transports are prescribed along two western and eastern open boundaries located along meridional sections crossing the strait of Gibraltar and the Levantine basin, respectively. Low-frequency oscillations in the inflowing Atlantic Water density are imposed, which mimic the effect of long-term North Atlantic variability on the water masses entering the Mediterranean basin. In this contribution we compare the simulated annual mean surface displacements with corresponding absolute dynamic topography altimetric observations. This research is supported by the Italian INVMED-P.R.I.N. project.