Abstract

The steric sea level through four layers in the Mediterranean Sea is estimated during the period of 1970 to 2005 by using hydrographic data from national world data center. Meteorological parameters are the principle factors that control the warming in the upper layer in the Mediterranean Sea. The annual sea level trends shows rising with calculated values which varies according to the different regions in the Mediterranean. The correlation between thermosteric component (TC), halosteric component (SC), total steric sea level variation (TSSL) and the coastal tide gauge records are unsatisfactory. The shift in formation of deep water in the Eastern Mediterranean is linked with the high salinity values detected in the Aegian Sea. Also, inter annual patterns of the total steric height was explained by using the spectral analysis.

Key words:  Steric sea, thermosteric component (TC), halosteric component (SC), total steric sea level variation (TSSL), Mediterranean Sea.