Ocean Circulation Modulating the Nutricline at Regional and Fine scales: A Case Study in The Northwestern Mediterranean Sea
In oligotrophic regions like the Mediterranean Sea, vertical nutrient distribution plays a key role in controlling primary production via upward fluxes. In spring 2023, the BioSWOT-Med campaign explored how fine-scale ocean dynamics modulate nutrient availability in the North Balearic Front. Combining SWOT satellite observations with targeted Lagrangian sampling, the study focused on a 50 km domain encompassing contrasting water masses at and across the front, and a fine-scale anticyclonic eddy embedded within southern waters. High-resolution nutrient profiles revealed a clear two-level structure: at the regional scale, northern waters showed shallower nutriclines and steeper vertical nutrient gradients; at finer scale, the anticyclonic eddy exhibited even deeper clines and weaker gradients compared to its surroundings. A local relation between SWOT sea surface height and the nutricline highlighted the coupling between physical fine-scale structures and nutrient dynamics, with further implications for un- derstanding nutrient supply and biogeochemical functioning in oligotrophic marine sys- tems.
Authors
- Xavier Capet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9235-0635)
- Elena Mauri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9602-0628)
- Thierry Moutin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1297-8893)
- Anthony Bosse (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6968-3805)
- Andrea M. Doglioli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1309-9954)
- Riccardo Martellucci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7859-3967)
- Massimo Pacciaroni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6397-8717)
- Milena Menna (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0149-0502)
- Sandra Nunige (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2066-1415)
- Francesco d’Ovidio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9664-7778)
- Elvira Pulido‐Villena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5436-2133)
- Robin Rolland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0179-8509)
- Pascale Bouruet‐Aubertot (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8036-6122)
- Gérald Grégori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1645-9468)
- Aude Joël
- Léa Buniak
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Aix-Marseille Université (FR)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- National Council for Scientific Research (LB)
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (FR)
- Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie (FR)
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (IT)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- National Institute of Oceanography (IN)
Publication Details
- Published
- 2025-12-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176463275.55019718/v1
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.79