XBT observations in the Eastern Mediterranean: data analysis and assessment of numerical ocean forecasts

• Published in: Building the European Capacity in Operational Oceanography Vol. 69; pp. 105 - 108
• Main Authors: Zervakis, Vassilis, Nittis, Kostas, Perivoliotis, Leonidas, Tziavos, Christos, Papadoniou, George
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Geology, Exploration & Drilling; Hydrology, Oceanography & Glaciology; Oil & Gas Engineering
• DOI: 10.1016/S0422-9894(03)80018-1
• ISBN: 044451550X; 9780444515506
• ISSN: 0422-9894

The Mediterranean Forecasting System-Pilot Project (MFS-PP) required expendable bathythermograph (XBT) transects across the Mediterranean Sea aboard voluntary observing vessels (VOS). In this work we present observations along the Piraeus, Greece to Alexandria, Egypt transect, lasting from October 1999 to October 2000. Analysis of the data provides new information on the present currents, their variability and corre- sponding transports in this part of the Levantine Sea. Furthermore, we exploit the collected data in assessing the predictive skill of the forecasting ocean circulation model of the operational oceanography POSEIDON project.