Synoptic scale circulation and mesoscale processes

Uri Dayan*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The summer synoptic systems point to a surface pressure gradient in a zonal cross-section above the Mediterranean basin (MB). This pattern results in a north-westerly wind over the central and eastern MB and a north-easterly flow over its western parts. In the western Mediterranean basin (WMB) upper troposphere, air masses come from the west, but in the eastern Mediterranean basin (EMB), they originate in northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Asia. The EMB is affected by cold advection in shallow tropospheric layers and dynamic subsidence generated by the descending branch of the Hadley cell and the Asian monsoon. The WMB during this season is under the influence of the eastward extension of the Azores high capped by the subtropical high aloft. The wind field in the MB at lower atmospheric levels is dominated by thermally driven processes favoring the development of land and sea breezes (LSB). Poor dispersion conditions surrounding this basin, i.e., stagnation and recirculation, are presented. From a mesoscale perspective, we point to the mixed-layer depth (MLD) variation role in controlling the dispersion of contaminants. Few key studies analyzing the spatial variations of the MLD in coastal areas surrounding and above the MB are presented.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAtmospheric Chemistry in the Mediterranean Region
Subtitle of host publicationVolume 1 - Background Information and Pollutant Distribution
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Pages113-126
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9783031127410
ISBN (Print)9783031127403
DOIs
StatePublished - 22 Jul 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Air masses
  • Asian monsoon
  • Azores anticyclone
  • Circulation type classification
  • Coastal meteorology
  • Coastal recirculation
  • Cold advection
  • Dispersion
  • Eastern Mediterranean
  • Etesian winds, Persian Trough (PT)
  • Hadley cell
  • Horizontal flow patterns
  • Land breeze
  • Land-sea temperature difference (LSTD)
  • Lower-troposphere airflow
  • Marine inversion
  • Meridional wind
  • Mesoscale process
  • Mixed layer depth (MLD)
  • NCEP reanalysis data
  • Recirculation
  • Sea breeze
  • Sea level pressure
  • Stagnation
  • Subsidence
  • Surface pressure gradients
  • Synoptic scale circulation patterns (CPs)
  • Thermally driven process
  • Upper-troposphere airflow
  • Ventilation
  • Western Mediterranean
  • Wind flow
  • Zonal wind

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