Articles | Volume 18, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2119-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2119-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Surface pCO2 and hydrography in the dense water formation area of the southern Adriatic
Carlotta Dentico
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Università Cà Foscari, Venice, Italy
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Angelo Rubino
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Università Cà Foscari, Venice, Italy
Giuseppe Civitarese
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Michele Giani
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Giuseppe Siena
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Stefano Kuchler
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Julien Le Meur
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Andrea Corbo
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Vanessa Cardin
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Trieste, Italy
Related authors
Carlotta Dentico, Gianpiero Cossarini, Giuseppe Civitarese, Michele Giani, Angelo Rubino, and Vanessa Cardin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1360, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1360, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rising due to human activities. The ocean has absorbed almost 30 % of the total emissions and stored in deeper waters. We studied the southern Adriatic Sea, an area where dense water forms and sinks, helping move carbon from the surface to depth. Using a newly validated long-term dataset, we found that over the past decade this region acted as a net sink of carbon dioxide, highlighting its role in storing carbon in the Mediterranean Sea.
Riccardo Martellucci, Michele Giani, Elena Mauri, Laurent Coppola, Melf Paulsen, Marine Fourrier, Sara Pensieri, Vanessa Cardin, Carlotta Dentico, Roberto Bozzano, Carolina Cantoni, Anna Lucchetta, Alfredo Izquierdo, Miguel Bruno, and Ingunn Skjelvan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5333–5356, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
As part of the ATL2MED demonstration experiment, two autonomous surface vehicles undertook a 9-month mission from the northeastern Atlantic to the Adriatic Sea. Biofouling affected the measurement of variables such as conductivity and dissolved oxygen. COVID-19 limited the availability of discrete samples for validation. We present correction methods for salinity and dissolved oxygen. We use model products to correct salinity and apply the Argo floats in-air correction method for oxygen
Carlotta Dentico, Gianpiero Cossarini, Giuseppe Civitarese, Michele Giani, Angelo Rubino, and Vanessa Cardin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1360, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1360, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rising due to human activities. The ocean has absorbed almost 30 % of the total emissions and stored in deeper waters. We studied the southern Adriatic Sea, an area where dense water forms and sinks, helping move carbon from the surface to depth. Using a newly validated long-term dataset, we found that over the past decade this region acted as a net sink of carbon dioxide, highlighting its role in storing carbon in the Mediterranean Sea.
Marta Álvarez, Maribel I. García-Ibáñez, Nico Lange, Alex Kozyr, Antón Velo, Toste Tanhua, Giuseppe Civitarese, Carolina Cantoni, Malek Belgacem, Katrin Schroeder, Rubén Acerbi, Laurent Coppola, Thibaut Wagener, Noelia M. Fajar, Susana Flecha, Michele Giani, Louisa Giannoudi, Elisa F. Guallart, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, Emma I. Huertas, Valeria Ibello, Mehdia A. Keraghel, Ferial Louanchi, Anna Luchetta, Fiz F. Pérez, Carsten Schirnick, Ekaterini Souvermezoglou, Lidia Urbini, Monserrat Vidal, and Patrizia Ziveri
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-759, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-759, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea) is a high-quality, FAIR dataset integrating hydrographic, biogeochemical, and transient tracer data from 46 research cruises (1976–2018) across the Mediterranean Sea. The data underwent rigorous, basin-adapted quality control to remove systematic biases, unifying four decades of fragmented data, delivering two complementary products: the aggregated original cruise data product and the bias-adjusted data synthesis product.
Manuel Bensi, Giuseppe Civitarese, Diego Borme, Carmela Caroppo, Gabriella Caruso, Federica Cerino, Franco Decembrini, Alessandra de Olazabal, Tommaso Diociaiuti, Michele Giani, Vedrana Kovacevic, Martina Kralj, Angelina Lo Giudice, Giovanna Maimone, Marina Monti, Maria Papale, Luisa Patrolecco, Elisa Putelli, Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo, Federica Relitti, Carmen Rizzo, Francesca Spataro, Valentina Tirelli, Clara Turetta, and Maurizio Azzaro
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3701–3719, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3701-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3701-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In September 2021, the Italian Arctic Research Programme funded a multidisciplinary study along 75° N in the Greenland Sea as part of the CASSANDRA project and the Synoptic Arctic Survey (SAS) programme. This study emphasises the spatial variability of water properties, nutrient distribution, and biological communities determined by oceanographic dynamics in a region influenced by sea ice melting, Atlantic Water inflow, and climatic teleconnections during a record low summer sea ice extent.
Riccardo Martellucci, Michele Giani, Elena Mauri, Laurent Coppola, Melf Paulsen, Marine Fourrier, Sara Pensieri, Vanessa Cardin, Carlotta Dentico, Roberto Bozzano, Carolina Cantoni, Anna Lucchetta, Alfredo Izquierdo, Miguel Bruno, and Ingunn Skjelvan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5333–5356, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
As part of the ATL2MED demonstration experiment, two autonomous surface vehicles undertook a 9-month mission from the northeastern Atlantic to the Adriatic Sea. Biofouling affected the measurement of variables such as conductivity and dissolved oxygen. COVID-19 limited the availability of discrete samples for validation. We present correction methods for salinity and dissolved oxygen. We use model products to correct salinity and apply the Argo floats in-air correction method for oxygen
Felipe L. L. Amorim, Julien Le Meur, Achim Wirth, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 20, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Analysis of a high-frequency time series of thermohaline data measured at the EMSO-E2M3A regional facility in the southern Adriatic Pit (SAP) reveals a significant change in the double-diffusive regime in 2017 associated with the intrusion of extremely salty waters into the area, suggesting salt fingering as the dominant regime. The strong heat loss at the surface during this winter allowed deep convection to transport this high-salinity water from the intermediate to deep layers of the pit.
Christian Lønborg, Cátia Carreira, Gwenaël Abril, Susana Agustí, Valentina Amaral, Agneta Andersson, Javier Arístegui, Punyasloke Bhadury, Mariana B. Bif, Alberto V. Borges, Steven Bouillon, Maria Ll. Calleja, Luiz C. Cotovicz Jr., Stefano Cozzi, Maryló Doval, Carlos M. Duarte, Bradley Eyre, Cédric G. Fichot, E. Elena García-Martín, Alexandra Garzon-Garcia, Michele Giani, Rafael Gonçalves-Araujo, Renee Gruber, Dennis A. Hansell, Fuminori Hashihama, Ding He, Johnna M. Holding, William R. Hunter, J. Severino P. Ibánhez, Valeria Ibello, Shan Jiang, Guebuem Kim, Katja Klun, Piotr Kowalczuk, Atsushi Kubo, Choon-Weng Lee, Cláudia B. Lopes, Federica Maggioni, Paolo Magni, Celia Marrase, Patrick Martin, S. Leigh McCallister, Roisin McCallum, Patricia M. Medeiros, Xosé Anxelu G. Morán, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Allison Myers-Pigg, Marit Norli, Joanne M. Oakes, Helena Osterholz, Hyekyung Park, Maria Lund Paulsen, Judith A. Rosentreter, Jeff D. Ross, Digna Rueda-Roa, Chiara Santinelli, Yuan Shen, Eva Teira, Tinkara Tinta, Guenther Uher, Masahide Wakita, Nicholas Ward, Kenta Watanabe, Yu Xin, Youhei Yamashita, Liyang Yang, Jacob Yeo, Huamao Yuan, Qiang Zheng, and Xosé Antón Álvarez-Salgado
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1107–1119, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1107-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1107-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we present the first edition of a global database compiling previously published and unpublished measurements of dissolved organic matter (DOM) collected in coastal waters (CoastDOM v1). Overall, the CoastDOM v1 dataset will be useful to identify global spatial and temporal patterns and to facilitate reuse in studies aimed at better characterizing local biogeochemical processes and identifying a baseline for modelling future changes in coastal waters.
Nydia Catalina Reyes Suárez, Valentina Tirelli, Laura Ursella, Matjaž Ličer, Massimo Celio, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 18, 1321–1337, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1321-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1321-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Explaining the dynamics of jellyfish blooms is a challenge for scientists. Biological and meteo-oceanographic data were combined on different timescales to explain the exceptional bloom of the jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) in April 2021. The bloom was associated with anomalously warm seasonal sea conditions. Then, a strong bora wind event enhanced upwelling and mixing of the water column, causing jellyfish to rise to the surface and accumulate along the coast.
Emma Reyes, Eva Aguiar, Michele Bendoni, Maristella Berta, Carlo Brandini, Alejandro Cáceres-Euse, Fulvio Capodici, Vanessa Cardin, Daniela Cianelli, Giuseppe Ciraolo, Lorenzo Corgnati, Vlado Dadić, Bartolomeo Doronzo, Aldo Drago, Dylan Dumas, Pierpaolo Falco, Maria Fattorini, Maria J. Fernandes, Adam Gauci, Roberto Gómez, Annalisa Griffa, Charles-Antoine Guérin, Ismael Hernández-Carrasco, Jaime Hernández-Lasheras, Matjaž Ličer, Pablo Lorente, Marcello G. Magaldi, Carlo Mantovani, Hrvoje Mihanović, Anne Molcard, Baptiste Mourre, Adèle Révelard, Catalina Reyes-Suárez, Simona Saviano, Roberta Sciascia, Stefano Taddei, Joaquín Tintoré, Yaron Toledo, Marco Uttieri, Ivica Vilibić, Enrico Zambianchi, and Alejandro Orfila
Ocean Sci., 18, 797–837, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-797-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-797-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work reviews the existing advanced and emerging scientific and societal applications using HFR data, developed to address the major challenges identified in Mediterranean coastal waters organized around three main topics: maritime safety, extreme hazards and environmental transport processes. It also includes a discussion and preliminary assessment of the capabilities of existing HFR applications, finally providing a set of recommendations towards setting out future prospects.
Pablo Lorente, Eva Aguiar, Michele Bendoni, Maristella Berta, Carlo Brandini, Alejandro Cáceres-Euse, Fulvio Capodici, Daniela Cianelli, Giuseppe Ciraolo, Lorenzo Corgnati, Vlado Dadić, Bartolomeo Doronzo, Aldo Drago, Dylan Dumas, Pierpaolo Falco, Maria Fattorini, Adam Gauci, Roberto Gómez, Annalisa Griffa, Charles-Antoine Guérin, Ismael Hernández-Carrasco, Jaime Hernández-Lasheras, Matjaž Ličer, Marcello G. Magaldi, Carlo Mantovani, Hrvoje Mihanović, Anne Molcard, Baptiste Mourre, Alejandro Orfila, Adèle Révelard, Emma Reyes, Jorge Sánchez, Simona Saviano, Roberta Sciascia, Stefano Taddei, Joaquín Tintoré, Yaron Toledo, Laura Ursella, Marco Uttieri, Ivica Vilibić, Enrico Zambianchi, and Vanessa Cardin
Ocean Sci., 18, 761–795, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-761-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-761-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
High-frequency radar (HFR) is a land-based remote sensing technology that can provide maps of the surface circulation over broad coastal areas, along with wave and wind information. The main goal of this work is to showcase the current status of the Mediterranean HFR network as well as present and future applications of this sensor for societal benefit such as search and rescue operations, safe vessel navigation, tracking of marine pollutants, and the monitoring of extreme events.
Davide Zanchettin, Sara Bruni, Fabio Raicich, Piero Lionello, Fanny Adloff, Alexey Androsov, Fabrizio Antonioli, Vincenzo Artale, Eugenio Carminati, Christian Ferrarin, Vera Fofonova, Robert J. Nicholls, Sara Rubinetti, Angelo Rubino, Gianmaria Sannino, Giorgio Spada, Rémi Thiéblemont, Michael Tsimplis, Georg Umgiesser, Stefano Vignudelli, Guy Wöppelmann, and Susanna Zerbini
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 2643–2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2643-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2643-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Relative sea level in Venice rose by about 2.5 mm/year in the past 150 years due to the combined effect of subsidence and mean sea-level rise. We estimate the likely range of mean sea-level rise in Venice by 2100 due to climate changes to be between about 10 and 110 cm, with an improbable yet possible high-end scenario of about 170 cm. Projections of subsidence are not available, but historical evidence demonstrates that they can increase the hazard posed by climatically induced sea-level rise.
Miroslav Gačić, Laura Ursella, Vedrana Kovačević, Milena Menna, Vlado Malačič, Manuel Bensi, Maria-Eletta Negretti, Vanessa Cardin, Mirko Orlić, Joël Sommeria, Ricardo Viana Barreto, Samuel Viboud, Thomas Valran, Boris Petelin, Giuseppe Siena, and Angelo Rubino
Ocean Sci., 17, 975–996, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-975-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-975-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Experiments in rotating tanks can simulate the Earth system and help to represent the real ocean, where rotation plays an important role. We wanted to show the minor importance of the wind in driving the flow in the Ionian Sea. We did this by observing changes in the water current in a rotating tank affected only by the pumping of dense water into the system. The flow variations were similar to those in the real sea, confirming the scarce importance of the wind for the flow in the Ionian Sea.
Cited articles
Alvarez, M., Catala, S.T., Civitarese, G., Coppola, L., Hassoun, A., Ibello, V., Lazzari, P., Lefevre, D., Macias, D., Santinelli, C., and Ulse, C.: Mediterranean Sea general biogeochemistry, in: Oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea, edited by: Schroeder, K., and Chiggiato, J., Elsevier, Amsterdam, 387–451, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823692-5.00004-2, 2023.
Amorim, F. L. L., Le Meur, J., Wirth, A., and Cardin, V.: Tipping of the double-diffusive regime in the southern Adriatic Pit in 2017 in connection with record high-salinity values, Ocean Sci., 20, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-463-2024, 2024.
Artegiani, A., Paschini, E., Russo, A., Bregant, D., Raicich, F., and Pinardi, N.: The Adriatic Sea General Circulation. Part I: Air–Sea Interactions and Water Mass Structure, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 27, 1492–1514, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(1997)027<1492:tasgcp>2.0.co;2, 1997.
Bensi, M.: Thermohaline variability and mesoscale dynamics observed at the E2M3A deep-site in the south Adriatic sea, PhD thesis, Università degli studi di Trieste, Italy, http://hdl.handle.net/10077/7387 (last access: 12 March 2026), 2012.
Bensi, M., Cardin, V., Rubino, A., Notarstefano, G., and Poulain, P. M.: Effects of winter convection on the deep layer of the Southern Adriatic Sea in 2012: Effects of strong shelf convection, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 118, 6064–6075, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013jc009432, 2013.
Bensi, M., Cardin, V., and Rubino, A.: Thermohaline variability and mesoscale dynamics observed at the deepocean observatory E2M3A in the southern Adriatic sea, in The Mediterranean Sea: Temporal Variability and Spatial Patterns, Geophysical Monograph Series, edited by: Borzelli, G. L. E., Gačić, M., Lionello, P., and MalanotteRizzoli, P., Oxford, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 139–155, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118847572.ch9, 2014.
Bignami, F., Salusti, E., and Schiarini, S.: Observations on a bottom vein of dense water in the southern Adriatic and Ionian seas, J. Geophys. Res., 95, 7249–7259, https://doi.org/10.1029/jc095ic05p07249, 1990.
Bozzano, R., Pensieri, S., Pensieri, L., Cardin, V., Brunetti, F., Bensi, M., Petihakis, G., Tsagaraki, T. M., Ntoumas, M., Podaras, D., and Perivoliotis, L.: The M3A network of open ocean observatories in the Mediterranean Sea, in: 2013 MTS/IEEE OCEANS-Bergen, IEEE, Bergen, Norway, 10–14 June 2013, 10 pp., https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANS-Bergen.2013.6607996, 2013.
Cantoni, C., Luchetta, A., Celio, M., Cozzi, S., Raicich, F., and Catalano, G.: Carbonate system variability in the Gulf of Trieste (North Adriatic Sea), Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 115, 51–62, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2012.07.006, 2012.
Cantoni, C., Luchetta, A., Chiggiato, J., Cozzi, S., Schroeder, K., and Langone, L.: Dense water flow and carbonate system in the southern Adriatic: A focus on the 2012 event, Marine Geology, 375, 15–27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2015.08.013, 2016.
Cantoni, C., De Vittor, C., Faganeli, J., Giani, M., Kovač, N., Malej, A., Ogrinc, N., Tamše, S., and Turk, V.: Carbonate system and acidification of the Adriatic Sea, Marine Chemistry, 267, 104462, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2024.104462, 2024.
Cardin, V., Bensi, M., and Pacciaroni, M.: Variability of water mass properties in the last two decades in the South Adriatic Sea with emphasis on the period 2006–2009, Continental Shelf Research, 31, 951–965, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2011.03.002, 2011.
Cardin, V., Siena, G., Giorgetti, A., Ursella, L., Brosich, A., and Partescano, E.: The Ritmare Fixed Sites Network Procedures for Real-Time Data Quality Control, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31100.44166, 2014.
Cardin, V., Wirth, A., Khosravi, M., and Gačić, M.: South Adriatic Recipes: Estimating the Vertical Mixing in the Deep Pit, Front. Mar. Sci., 7, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.565982, 2020.
Cardin, V., Le Meur, J., Ursella, L., Dentico, C., Siena, G., Mansutti, P., Brunetti, F., and Partescano, E.: EMSOE2M3A-Water-Column-time-series-South-Adriatic, OGS [data set], https://doi.org/10.13120/ZE9Q-3E51, 2025a.
Cardin, V., Dentico, C., Brunetti, F., Bubbi, A., Chiaruttini, L., Civitarese, G., Comici, C., Corbo, A., Gerin, R., Giani, M., Kuchler, S., Le Meur, J., Mansutti, P., Savonitto, G. and Siena, G.: EMSO-E2M3A-B-Surface-timeseries-South-Adriatic, OGS [data set], https://doi.org/10.13120/y2hw-1j63, 2025b.
Civitarese, G., Gačić, M., Batistić, M., Bensi, M., Cardin, V., Dulčić, J., Garić, R., and Menna, M.: The BiOS mechanism: History, theory, implications, Progress in Oceanography, 216, 103056, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103056, 2023.
Coppola, L., Ntoumas, M., Bozzano, R., Bensi, M., Hartman, S. E., Charcos Llorens, M., Craig, J., Rolin, J-F., Giovanetti, G., Cano, D., Karstensen, J., Cianca, A., Toma, D., Stasch, C.,Pensieri, S., Cardin, V., Tengberg, A., Petihakis, G., and Cristini, L.: Handbook of Best Practices for Open Ocean Fixed Observatories, FixO3 Project, 127, FP7 Programme 2007–2013 under grant agreement no 312463, European Commission, https://doi.org/10.25607/OBP-1488, 2016.
Coppola, L., Boutin, J., Gattuso, J. P., Lefèvre, D., and Metzl, N.: The carbonate system in the Ligurian Sea, in: The Mediterranean Sea in the era of global change 1: 30 years of multidisciplinary study of the ligurian Sea, edited by: Migon, C., Nival, P., and Sciandra, A., 79–103, Wiley, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119706960.ch4, 2020.
CO2.Earth: http://co2.earth/, last access: 14 July 2025.
Dickson, A. G.: Therodynamics of the dissociation of boric acid and synthetic seawater from 273.15 to 318.15 K, Deep-Sea Res., 137, 755–766, 1990.
Dickson, A., Sabine, C., and Christian, J. R.: Guide to best practice for ocean CO2 measurements, PICES Special Publ., 3, 121-128, 2007.
Frangoulis, C., Stamataki, N., Pettas, M., Michelinakis, S., King, A. L., Giannoudi, L., Tsiaras, K., Christodoulaki, S., Seppälä, J., Thyssen, M., Borges, A. V., and Krasakopoulou, E.: A carbonate system time series in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Two years of high-frequency in-situ observations and remote sensing, Front. Mar. Sci., 11, 1348161, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1348161, 2024.
Friederich, G. E., Brewer, P. G., Herlien, R., and Chavez, F. P.: Measurement of sea surface partial pressure of CO2 from a moored buoy, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. I, 42, 1175–1186, https://doi.org/10.1016/0967-0637(95)00044-7, 1995.
Gačić, M., Marullo, S., Santoleri, R., and Bergamasco, A.: Analysis of the seasonal and interannual variability of the sea surface temperature field in the Adriatic Sea from AVHRR data (1984–1992), J. Geophys. Res., 102, 22937–22946, https://doi.org/10.1029/97jc01720, 1997.
Gačić, M., Civitarese, G., Eusebi Borzelli, G. L., Kovačević, V., Poulain, P.-M., Theocharis, A., Menna, M., Catucci, A., and Zarokanellos, N.: On the relationship between the decadal oscillations of the northern Ionian Sea and the salinity distributions in the eastern Mediterranean, J. Geophys. Res., 116, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jc007280, 2011.
García-Ibáñez, M. I., Guallart, E. F., Lucas, A., Pascual, J., Gasol, J. M., Marrasé, C., Calvo, E., and Pelejero, C.: Two new coastal time-series of seawater carbonate system variables in the NW Mediterranean Sea: rates and mechanisms controlling pH changes, Front. Mar. Sci., 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1348133, 2024.
Gattuso, J.-P. and Hansson, L. (Eds.): Ocean acidification, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780199591091, 2011.
Hassoun, A. E. R., Gemayel, E., Krasakopoulou, E., Goyet, C., Abboud-Abi Saab, M., Guglielmi, V., Touratier, F., and Falco, C.: Acidification of the Mediterranean Sea from anthropogenic carbon penetration, Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 102, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2015.04.005, 2015.
Hassoun, A. E. R., Bantelman, A., Canu, D., Comeau, S., Galdies, C., Gattuso, J.-P., Giani, M., Grelaud, M., Hendriks, I. E., Ibello, V., Idrissi, M., Krasakopoulou, E., Shaltout, N., Solidoro, C., Swarzenski, P. W., and Ziveri, P.: Ocean acidification research in the Mediterranean Sea: Status, trends and next steps, Front. Mar. Sci., 9, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.892670, 2022.
ICOS-Ocean Thematic Center: https://www.icos-otc.org/, last access: 14 October 2025.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Changing State of the Climate System, in: Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis: Working Group I Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 2023, 287–422, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157896.004, 2021.
Ingrosso, G., Giani, M., Comici, C., Kralj, M., Piacentino, S., De Vittor, C., and Del Negro, P.: Drivers of the carbonate system seasonal variations in a Mediterranean gulf, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 168, 58–70, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.11.001, 2016.
Ingrosso, G., Bensi, M., Cardin, V., and Giani, M.: Anthropogenic CO2 in a dense water formation area of the Mediterranean Sea, Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 123, 118–128, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2017.04.004, 2017.
IOC UNESCO: https://www.ioc.unesco.org/en, last access: 21 July 2025.
Kapsenberg, L., Alliouane, S., Gazeau, F., Mousseau, L., and Gattuso, J.-P.: Coastal ocean acidification and increasing total alkalinity in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, Ocean Sci., 13, 411–426, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-411-2017, 2017.
Lazoglou, G., Papadopoulos-Zachos, A., Georgiades, P., Zittis, G., Velikou, K., Manios, E. M., and Anagnostopoulou, C.: Identification of climate change hotspots in the Mediterranean, Sci. Rep., 14, 29817, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80139-1, 2024.
Lee, K., Kim, T. -W., Byrne, R. H., Millero, F. J., Feely, R. A., and Liu, Y.-M.: The universal ratio of boron to chlorinity for the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 74, 1801–1811, 2010.
Lueker, T. J., Dickson, A. G., and Keeling, C. D.: Ocean pCO2 calculated from dissolved inorganic carbon, alkalinity, and equations for K1 and K2: Validation based on laboratory measurements of CO2 in gas and seawater at equilibrium, Mar. Chem., 70, 105–119, 2000.
Le Meur, J., Wirth, A., Paladini De Mendoza, F., Miserocchi, S., and Cardin, V.: Intermittent supply of dense water to the deep South Adriatic Pit: an observational study, Front. Mar. Sci., 12, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1516780, 2025.
Malanotte-Rizzoli, P.: The Northern Adriatic Sea as a prototype of convection and water mass formation on the continental shelf, edited by: Chu, P. C. and Gascard, J. C., Deep Convection and Deep Water Formation in the Oceans, Elsevier Oceanography Series, vol. 57, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 229–239, ISBN 0-444-88764-4, 1991.
Martellucci, R., Giani, M., Mauri, E., Coppola, L., Paulsen, M., Fourrier, M., Pensieri, S., Cardin, V., Dentico, C., Bozzano, R., Cantoni, C., Lucchetta, A., Izquierdo, A., Bruno, M., and Skjelvan, I.: CO2 and hydrography acquired by autonomous surface vehicles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea: data correction and validation, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5333–5356, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5333-2024, 2024a.
Martellucci, R., Menna, M., Mauri, E., Pirro, A., Gerin, R., Paladini De Mendoza, F., Garić, R., Batistić, M., Di Biagio, V., Giordano, P., Langone, L., Miserocchi, S., Gallo, A., Notarstefano, G., Savonitto, G., Bussani, A., Pacciaroni, M., Zuppelli, P., and Poulain, P.-M.: Recent changes of the dissolved oxygen distribution in the deep convection cell of the southern Adriatic Sea, Journal of Marine Systems, 245, 103988, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2024.103988, 2024b.
Martellucci, R., Dentico, C., Coppola, L., Skjelvan, I., Giani, M., Pensieri, S., Cantoni, C., Cardin, V., Fourrier, M., Bozzano, R., Paulsen, M., and Mauri, E.: Air-sea CO2 exchange in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea based on autonomous surface measurements, Front. Mar. Sci., 12, 1633617, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1633617, 2025.
Menna, M., Martellucci, R., Notarstefano, G., Mauri, E., Gerin, R., Pacciaroni, M., Bussani, A., Pirro, A., and Poulain, P.-M.: Record-breaking high salinity in the South Adriatic Pit in 2020, in: Copernicus Ocean State Report, Journal of Operational Oceanography, 15, 1–220, https://doi.org/10.1080/1755876X.2022.2095169, 2022.
Merlivat, L., Boutin, J., Antoine, D., Beaumont, L., Golbol, M., and Vellucci, V.: Increase of dissolved inorganic carbon and decrease in pH in near-surface waters in the Mediterranean Sea during the past two decades, Biogeosciences, 15, 5653–5662, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5653-2018, 2018.
Mihanović, H., Vilibić, I., Šepić, J., Matić, F., Ljubešić, Z., Mauri, E., Gerin, R., Notarstefano, G., and Poulain, P.-M.: Observation, Preconditioning and Recurrence of Exceptionally High Salinities in the Adriatic Sea, Front. Mar. Sci., 8, 672210, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.672210, 2021.
Ovchinnikov, I. M., Zats, V. I., Krivosheya, V. G., and Udodov, A. I.: Formation of deep Eastern Mediterranean waters in the Adriatic Sea, Oceanology, 25, 704–707, 1985.
Orr, J. C., Epitalon, J.-M., and Gattuso, J.-P.: Comparison of ten packages that compute ocean carbonate chemistry, Biogeosciences, 12, 1483–1510, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1483-2015, 2015.
Oudot, C., Gerard, R., and Morin, P.: Precise shipboard determination of dissolved oxygen (Winkler procedure) for productivity studies with commercial system, Limnology and Oceanography 33, 146–150, 1988.
Pecci, M., Sferlazzo, D., Anello, F., Becagli, S., Colella, S., Silvestri, L. D., Iorio, T. D., Meloni, D., Monteleone, F., Piacentino, S., Principato, E., and Sarra, A. D.: Large influence of the 2022–23 marine heatwave on the air-sea CO2 flux in the Central Mediterranean, ESS Open Archive [preprint], https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.173393985.55347710/v1, 11 December 2024.
Pierrot, D., Lewis, E., and Wallace, D. W. R.: MS Excel Program Developed for CO2 system calculations, Carbon dioxide information analysis center, https://github.com/dpierrot/co2sys_xl.git (last access: 12 March 2026), 2006.
Ravaioli, M., Bergami, C., Riminucci, F., Langone, L., Cardin, V., Di Sarra, A., Aracri, S., Bastianini, M., Bensi, M., Bergamasco, A., Bommarito, C., Borghini, M., Bortoluzzi, G., Bozzano, R., Cantoni, C., Chiggiato, J., Crisafi, E., D'Adamo, R., Durante, S., Fanara, C., Grilli, F., Lipizer, M., Marini, M., Miserocchi, S., Paschini, E., Penna, P., Pensieri, S., Pugnetti, A., Raicich, F., Schroeder, K., Siena, G., Specchiulli, A., Stanghellini, G., Vetrano, A., and Crise, A.: The RITMARE Italian Fixed-Point Observatory Network (IFON) for marine environmental monitoring: a case study, Journal of Operational Oceanography, 9, s202–s214, https://doi.org/10.1080/1755876x.2015.1114806, 2016.
Riebesell, U., Gattuso, J. P., Thingstad, T. F., and Middelburg, J. J.: Arctic ocean acidification: pelagic ecosystem and biogeochemical responses during a mesocosm study, Biogeosciences, 10, 5619–5626, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5619-2013, 2013.
Robinson, A. R., Leslie, W. G., Theocharis, A., and Lascaratos, A.: Mediterranean Sea circulation. Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences Academic Press, Harcourt Science & Technology, London, UK, 1689–1705, https://doi.org/10.1006/rwos.2001.0376, 2001.
Roether, W. and Schlitzer, R.: Eastern Mediterranean deep water renewal on the basis of chlorofluoromethane and tritium data, Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 15, 333–354, https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0265(91)90025-B, 1991.
Schlitzer, R., Roether, W., Oster, H., Junghans, H.-G., Hausmann, M., Johannsen, H., and Michelato, A.: Chlorofluoromethane and oxygen in the Eastern Mediterranean, Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers, 38, 1531–1551, https://doi.org/10.1016/0198-0149(91)90088-w, 1991.
Schneider, A., Tanhua, T., Körtzinger, A., and Wallace, D. W. R.: High anthropogenic carbon content in the eastern Mediterranean, J. Geophys. Res., 115, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010jc006171, 2010.
Schroeder, K., Ben Ismail, S., Bensi, M., Bosse, A., Chiggiato, J., Civitarese, G., Falcieri M, F., Fusco, G., Gačić, M., Gertman, I., Kubin, E., Malanotte-Rizzoli, P., Martellucci, R., Menna, M., Ozer, T., Taupier-Letage, I., Vargas-Yáñez, M., Velaoras, D., and Vilibić, I.: A consensus-based, revised and comprehensive catalogue for Mediterranean water masses acronyms, Mediterranean Marine Science, 25, 783–791, https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.38736, 2024.
Steinhoff, T., Gkritzalis, T., Jones, S., Macovei, V. A., Neill, C., Schuster, U., Akl, J., Arruda, R., Atamanchuk, D., Barry, M., Beaumont, L., Cantoni, C., Dickson, A., Fahning, J., Fought, J., Frangoulis, C., Gutiérrez-Loza, L., Hagan, C., Honkanen, M., Kielosto, S., Kinski, N., Körtzinger, A., Landschützer, P., Lauvset, S. K., LawrenceSlavas, N., Li, Q., Luchetta, A., Malarde, D., Paulsen, M., Ritschel, M., Rutgersson, A., Sanders, R., Shitashima, K., Spaulding, R., Stamataki, N., Stenbäck, K., Sutton, A., Tatkiewicz, W., Telszewski, M., Theetaert, H., Tilbrook, B., and Wanninkhof, R.: The ICOS OTC P CO2 instrument intercomparison, Limnology and Oceanography Methods, 23, 924–948, https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10727, 2025.
Takahashi, T., Olafsson, J., Goddard, J. G., Chipman, D. W., and Sutherland, S. C.: Seasonal variation of CO2 and nutrients in the high-latitude surface oceans: A comparative study, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 7, 843–878, https://doi.org/10.1029/93GB02263, 1993.
Takahashi, T., Sutherland, S. C., Wanninkhof, R., Sweeney, C., Feely, R. A., Chipman, D. W., Hales, B., Friederich, G., Chavez, F., Sabine, C., Watson, A., Bakker, D. C. E., Schuster, U., Metzl, N., Yoshikawa-Inoue, H., Ishii, M., Midorikawa, T., Nojiri, Y., Körtzinger, A., Steinhoff, T., Hoppema, M., Olafsson, J., Arnarson, T. S., Tilbrook, B., Johannessen, T., Olsen, A., Bellerby, R., Wong, C. S., Delille, B., Bates, N. R., and De Baar, H. J. W.: Climatological mean and decadal change in surface ocean pCO2, and net sea–air CO2 flux over the global oceans, Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 56, 554–577, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.12.009, 2009.
Touratier, F. and Goyet, C.: Impact of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient on the distribution of anthropogenic CO2 and first estimate of acidification for the Mediterranean Sea, Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 58, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2010.10.002, 2011.
Turk, D., Malačič, V., DeGrandpre, M. D., and McGillis, W. R.: Carbon dioxide variability and air-sea fluxes in the northern Adriatic Sea, J. Geophys. Res., 115, 2009JC006034, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JC006034, 2010.
Ulses, C., Estournel, C., Marsaleix, P., Soetaert, K., Fourrier, M., Coppola, L., Lefèvre, D., Touratier, F., Goyet, C., Guglielmi, V., Kessouri, F., Testor, P., and Durrieu de Madron, X.: Seasonal dynamics and annual budget of dissolved inorganic carbon in the northwestern Mediterranean deep-convection region, Biogeosciences, 20, 4683–4710, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4683-2023, 2023.
Urbini, L., Ingrosso, G., Djakovac, T., Piacentino, S., and Giani, M.: Temporal and Spatial Variability of the CO2 System in a Riverine Influenced Area of the Mediterranean Sea, the Northern Adriatic, Front. Mar. Sci., 7, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00679, 2020.
Urdiales-Flores, D., Zittis, G., Hadjinicolaou, P., Osipov, S., Klingmüller, K., Mihalopoulos, N., Kanakidou, M., Economou, T., and Lelieveld, J.: Drivers of accelerated warming in Mediterranean climate-type regions, NPJ Clim. Atmos. Sci., 6, 97, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00423-1, 2023.
Zittis, G., Hadjinicolaou, P., Klangidou, M., Proestos, Y., and Lelieveld, J.: A multi-model, multi-scenario, and multi-domain analysis of regional climate projections for the Mediterranean, Reg. Environ. Change, 19, 2621–2635, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-019-01565-w, 2019.
Short summary
The ocean absorbs excess heat and carbon dioxide from human-driven climate change, causing warming, acidification, and impacts on marine life and coastal communities. The southern Adriatic, an important area for air-sea CO2 exchange, is still poorly characterized. Using high-resolution oceanographic measurements, local physical and biogeochemical changes were investigated, providing a dataset to improve future understanding of the role of the southern Adriatic as a carbon source or sink.
The ocean absorbs excess heat and carbon dioxide from human-driven climate change, causing...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint