Statistical approach to wind induced currents in the Northern Adriatic

Abstract

Wind induced currents in the Northern Adriatic were analysed from a statistical point of view based on a 10 year long meteorological data set and a large amount of current-meter data measured in the same period at two stations. More than a hundred Bora and Sirocco episodes were averaged to typical Bora and Sirocco episodes. Using principal component analysis (PCA) it was found that the first four modes explain more than 80% of the total sea current variability. The first two modes describe about 50% of the current variability. There is a significant response of the first mode to Bora forcing and the second mode to Sirocco forcing, in good agreement with an earlier numerical model.