engleski

Long-term variations in the Mediterranean Sea level calculated by spectral analysis

The aim of this paper is to investigate long-period climatic variations of Mediterranean sea level as well as some meteorological parameters, and the influence of atmospheric forcing on sea level fluctuations. The data of the annual mean sea level at seven stations (Trieste, Genova, Marseille, Alicante, Oran, La Goulette and Sfax), located in the western Mediterranean, and mean air pressure and temperature data at Zagreb, have been spectrally analyzed. Various peaks in power, coherence and phase spectra have been detected. The period about 5.1 years corresponds to the quasi-meridional fluctuation in the paths of Atlantic cyclones. The period about 2.7 years may be excited by variations of currents and sea-surface temperature in the North Atlantic. Peaks at periods of 3.0 and 3.5 years show oscillations of secondary cyclones over Genova bay and the Adriatic Sea. A quasi-biennal oscillation has been detected with period 2.15 to 2.25 years. Enlarged amounts of energies at 7.5 to 8, 11.2 and 18.6 years may correspond to the polar tide, solar cycle oscillation and luni-solar tide, respectively.

sea level series; meteorological series; spectral analysis; long-period climatic oscillations

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