Physical Oceanography

The main research topic in the Physical Oceanography division is devoted to the study of the ocean general circulation and of the related physical processes, such as formation of different water masses, mixing and spreading, interactions with the atmosphere and mass/energy exchanges along the coastal areas.
Another key aspect in ISMAR is represented by the study of the interactions of the ocean, across its upper and lower boundary layers, i.e. with the atmosphere and the seafloor; in this direction, the dynamics and interactions of waves and currents at near-shore, coastal, regional and basin scales, including bed-load processes and sediment transport, are worth mentioning.
The activity is developed following a multidisciplinary approach in order to better understand the role of water mass dynamics on the bio-geo-chemical processes characteristics of the different marine ecosystems in coastal, pelagic and deep ocean.

In the Mediterranean sea (including in particular the Adriatic, Strait of Sicily and Tyrrhenian basins) ISMAR has dealt with regional-scale circulation and in particular with the exchanges between sub-basins, in order to understand the different scales of variability, from short time ones up to those typical of climatic trends.
ISMAR is actively involved in collecting long time series of oceanographic data (e.g. currents, temperature, salinity) in key points of the basins; in particular it maintains a continuous physical measurement system in the Corsica Channel (since 1986), and in the Strait of Sicily (since 1993), providing unique series for the whole Mediterranean, a reference at international level. In addition, ocean observations rely on research cruises (CNR owns the largest Italian Research Vessel, RV/URANIA), moored instrumentations and remote sensing.
On the other hand, in all the Mediterranean and several European seas ISMAR has a long and well-established tradition in the field of numerical modeling, having helped developing and testing several numerical models both for basin wide general circulation and for coastal dynamics simulations.

In the Ross sea (Antarctica), a key area for climate change, ISMAR focused its activities on the processes of dense water formation, mixing and spreading, deep ventilation and links with bio-geo-chemical cycles. In this delicate region ISMAR maintains long term current-meter moorings in key locations within the Drigalski basin and along the shelf-break and oceanic shelf slope. Also, specifically for the polar regions, ISMAR has developed numerical models focused on sea-ice formation, deep ventilations, influence of katabatic winds and air-sea interactions.