On The Formation of Intermediate & Deep Water Masses in The Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

In the eastern Mediterranean, three main water masses are classified: Modified Atlantic Water of Atlantic origin, Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW), formed in winter during storm events and Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW). High-density water, representing the optimum value areas (> 29.0 Oi), exists in the northern Levantine, and between Crete and African coast in the layer between 200 and 500 m in winter. In the lower layer (to 1000 m), the high-density water spreads all over the Lavantine. It is considered as a site of formation of modified Intermediate Water and deep water. The high-density water in northern Ionian may come from southern Adriatic and from the area between Crete and African coast. Deep water seems to be formed to the east of Crete Island in the northern Levantine (convection) not from the southern Agean.