'''DEFINITION''' The Mediterranean water mass formation rates are evaluated in 4 areas as defined in the Ocean State Report issue 2 (OSR2, von Schuckmann et al., 2018) section 3.4 (Simoncelli and Pinardi, 2018): (1) the Gulf of Lions for the Western Mediterranean Deep Waters (WMDW); (2) the Southern Adriatic Sea Pit for the Eastern Mediterranean Deep Waters (EMDW); (3) the Cretan Sea for Cretan Intermediate Waters (CIW) and Cretan Deep Waters (CDW); (4) the Rhodes Gyre, the area of formation of the so-called Levantine Intermediate Waters (LIW) and Levantine Deep Waters (LDW). Annual water mass formation rates have been computed using daily mixed layer depth estimates (density criteria Δσ = 0.01 kg/m3, 10 m reference level) considering the annual maximum volume of water above mixed layer depth with potential density within or higher the specific thresholds specified in Table 1 then divided by seconds per year. Annual mean values are provided using the Mediterranean 1/24o eddy resolving reanalysis (Escudier et al. 2020, 2021). Time spans from 1987 to the year preceding the current one [-1Y], operationally extended yearly. '''CONTEXT''' The formation of intermediate and deep water masses is one of the most important processes occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, being a component of its general overturning circulation. This circulation varies at interannual and multidecadal time scales and it is composed of an upper zonal cell (Zonal Overturning Circulation) and two main meridional cells in the western and eastern Mediterranean (Pinardi and Masetti 2000). The objective is to monitor the main water mass formation events using the eddy resolving Mediterranean Sea Reanalysis (MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004, Escudier et al. 2020, 2021) and considering Pinardi et al. (2015) and Simoncelli and Pinardi (2018) as references for the methodology. The Mediterranean Sea Reanalysis can reproduce both Eastern Mediterranean Transient and Western Mediterranean Transition phenomena and catches the principal water mass formation events reported in the literature. This will permit constant monitoring of the open ocean deep convection process in the Mediterranean Sea and a better understanding of the multiple drivers of the general overturning circulation at interannual and multidecadal time scales. Deep and intermediate water formation events reveal themselves by a deep mixed layer depth distribution in four Mediterranean areas: Gulf of Lions, Southern Adriatic Sea Pit, Cretan Sea and Rhodes Gyre. '''KEY FINDINGS''' The Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW) formation events in the Gulf of Lion appear to be larger after 1999 consistently with Schroeder et al. (2006, 2008) related to the Eastern Mediterranean Transient event. This modification of WMDW after 2005 has been called Western Mediterranean Transition. WMDW formation events are consistent with Somot et al. (2016) and the event in 2009 is also reported in Houpert et al. (2016). The Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW) formation in the Southern Adriatic Pit region displays a period of water mass formation between 1988 and 1993, in agreement with Pinardi et al. (2015), in 1996, 1999 and 2000 as documented by Manca et al. (2002). Weak deep water formation in winter 2006 is confirmed by observations in Vilibić and Šantić (2008). An intense deep water formation event is detected in 2012-2013 (Gačić et al., 2014). Last years are characterized by large events starting from 2017 (Mihanovic et al., 2021). Cretan Intermediate Water formation rates present larger peaks between 1989 and 1993 with the ones in 1992 and 1993 composing the Eastern Mediterranean Transient phenomena. The Cretan Deep Water formed in 1992 and 1993 is characterized by the highest densities of the entire period in accordance with Velaoras et al. (2014). The Levantine Deep Water formation rate in the Rhode Gyre region presents the largest values between 1992 and 1993 in agreement with Kontoyiannis et al. (1999). '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00318

'''DEFINITION''' This product includes the Mediterranean Sea satellite chlorophyll trend map based on regional chlorophyll reprocessed (MY) product as distributed by CMEMS OC-TAC (OCEANCOLOUR_MED_BGC_L3_NRT_009_141). This dataset, derived from multi-sensor (SeaStar-SeaWiFS, AQUA-MODIS, NOAA20-VIIRS, NPP-VIIRS, Envisat-MERIS and Sentinel3-OLCI) (at 1 km resolution) Rrs spectra produced by CNR using an in-house processing chain, is obtained by means of the Mediterranean Ocean Colour regional algorithms: an updated version of the MedOC4 (Case 1 (off-shore) waters, Volpe et al., 2019, with new coefficients) and AD4 (Case 2 (coastal) waters, Berthon and Zibordi, 2004). The processing chain and the techniques used for algorithms merging are detailed in Colella et al. (2023). The trend map is obtained by applying Colella et al. (2016) methodology, where the Mann-Kendall test (Mann, 1945; Kendall, 1975) and Sens’s method (Sen, 1968) are applied on deseasonalized monthly time series, as obtained from the X-11 technique (see e. g. Pezzulli et al. 2005), to estimate, trend magnitude and its significance. The trend is expressed in % per year that represents the relative changes (i.e., percentage) corresponding to the dimensional trend [mg m-3 y-1] with respect to the reference climatology (1997-2014). Only significant trends (p < 0.05) are included. This OMI has been introduced since the 2nd issue of Ocean State Report in 2017. '''CONTEXT''' Phytoplankton are key actors in the carbon cycle and, as such, recognised as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV). Chlorophyll concentration - as a proxy for phytoplankton - respond rapidly to changes in environmental conditions, such as light, temperature, nutrients and mixing (Colella et al. 2016). The character of the response depends on the nature of the change drivers, and ranges from seasonal cycles to decadal oscillations (Basterretxea et al. 2018). The Mediterranean Sea is an oligotrophic basin, where chlorophyll concentration decreases following a specific gradient from West to East (Colella et al. 2016). The highest concentrations are observed in coastal areas and at the river mouths, where the anthropogenic pressure and nutrient loads impact on the eutrophication regimes (Colella et al. 2016). The the use of long-term time series of consistent, well-calibrated, climate-quality data record is crucial for detecting eutrophication. Furthermore, chlorophyll analysis also demands the use of robust statistical temporal decomposition techniques, in order to separate the long-term signal from the seasonal component of the time series. '''KEY FINDINGS''' The chlorophyll trend in the Mediterranean Sea for the 1997–2024 period confirms the findings of the previous release, with predominantly negative values observed across most of the basin. On average, the region shows a trend of approximately -0.77% per year, slightly more negative than the overall trend reported previously. As in earlier assessments, weak positive trends persist in specific areas such as the northern Aegean Sea and the Sicily Channel. Compared to the 1997–2023 period, new positive trends are now evident in the Gulf of Lion. In contrast to the findings of Salgado-Hernanz et al. (2019), which were based on satellite observations from 1998 to 2014, this analysis does not reveal a distinct difference between the western and eastern Mediterranean basins. Notably, the Ligurian Sea now exhibits a negative trend, diverging from the positive trends identified by Colella et al. (2016) for the 1998–2009 period and by Salgado-Hernanz et al. (2019) for 1998–2014. Similarly, the waters of the Northern Adriatic Sea show weak positive trends, differing from the strong negative trend previously reported by Colella et al. (2016), and also representing a shift from the positive values observed by Salgado-Hernanz et al. (2019). '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00260

'''This product has been archived'''                For operationnal and online products, please visit https://marine.copernicus.eu '''Short description:''' Experimental altimeter satellite along-track sea surface heights anomalies (SLA) computed with respect to a twenty-year [1993, 2012] mean with a 5Hz (~1.3km) sampling. All the missions are homogenized with respect to a reference mission (see QUID document or http://duacs.cls.fr [http://duacs.cls.fr] pages for processing details). The product gives additional variables (e.g. Mean Dynamic Topography, Dynamic Atmosphic Correction, Ocean Tides, Long Wavelength Errors, Internal tide, …) that can be used to change the physical content for specific needs This product was generated as experimental products in a CNES R&D context. It was processed by the DUACS multimission altimeter data processing system. '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00137

'''This product has been archived''' For operationnal and online products, please visit https://marine.copernicus.eu '''Short description:''' For the European Ocean - Sea Surface Temperature Mono-Sensor L3 Observations. One SST file per 24h per area and per sensor (bias corrected) closest to the original resolution: SLSTR-A, AMSR2, SEVIRI, AVHRR_METOP_B, AVHRR18_G, AVHRR_19L, MODIS_A, MODIS_T, VIIRS_NPP. One SST file per file window per area and per sensor (bias corrected) closest to the original resolution , while still manageable in terms volume over the processed area. '''Description of observation methods/instruments:''' The METOP_B derived SSTs are not bias corrected because METOP_B is used as the reference sensor for the correction method. '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00162

''' Short description: ''' For the Mediterranean Sea - the CNR diurnal sub-skin Sea Surface Temperature (SST) product provides daily gap-free (L4) maps of hourly mean sub-skin SST at 1/16° (0.0625°) horizontal resolution over the CMEMS Mediterranean Sea (MED) domain, by combining infrared satellite and model data (Marullo et al., 2014). The implementation of this product takes advantage of the consolidated operational SST processing chains that provide daily mean SST fields over the same basin (Buongiorno Nardelli et al., 2013). The sub-skin temperature is the temperature at the base of the thermal skin layer and it is equivalent to the foundation SST at night, but during daytime it can be significantly different under favorable (clear sky and low wind) diurnal warming conditions. The sub-skin SST L4 product is created by combining geostationary satellite observations aquired from SEVIRI and model data (used as first-guess) aquired from the CMEMS MED Monitoring Forecasting Center (MFC). This approach takes advantage of geostationary satellite observations as the input signal source to produce hourly gap-free SST fields using model analyses as first-guess. The resulting SST anomaly field (satellite-model) is free, or nearly free, of any diurnal cycle, thus allowing to interpolate SST anomalies using satellite data acquired at different times of the day (Marullo et al., 2014). [https://help.marine.copernicus.eu/en/articles/4444611-how-to-cite-or-reference-copernicus-marine-products-and-services How to cite] '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00170

'''Short description:''' For the Mediterranean Sea - The product contains daily Level-3 sea surface wind with a 1km horizontal pixel spacing using Near Real-Time Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) observations and their collocated European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model outputs. Products are updated several times daily to provide the best product timeliness. '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00334

'''Short description:''' This product provides daily (nighttime), merged multi-sensor (Level-3S, L3S) maps of foundation Sea Surface Temperature (SST) - that is, the SST free from diurnal warming - over the Mediterranean Sea, at high (HR, 1/16°) and ultra-high (UHR, 1/100°) spatial resolutions, covering the period from 2008 to present. Each map represents nighttime SST values and is produced by the Italian National Research Council – Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR). L3S maps are generated by selecting only the highest-quality SST observations from upstream Level-2 (L2) data acquired within a short local nighttime window, in order to minimize cloud contamination and avoid the effects of the diurnal cycle. The main L2 sources currently ingested include SLSTR from Sentinel-3A and -3B, VIIRS from NOAA-21, NOAA-20, and Suomi-NPP, AVHRR from Metop-B and -C, and SEVIRI. These L3S data serve as input to an optimal interpolation procedure used to generate gap-free Level-4 (L4) SST fields, as implemented in product 010_004 (Buongiorno Nardelli et al., 2013). '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00171

'''DEFINITION''' Ocean salt content (OSC) is defined and represented here as the volume average of the integral of salinity in the Mediterranean Sea from z1 = 0 m to z2 = 300 m depth: ¯S=1/V ∫V S dV Time series of annual mean values area averaged ocean salt content are provided for the Mediterranean Sea (30°N, 46°N; 6°W, 36°E) and are evaluated in the upper 300m excluding the shelf areas close to the coast with a depth less than 300 m. The total estimated volume is approximately 5.7e+5 km3. '''CONTEXT''' The freshwater input from the land (river runoff) and atmosphere (precipitation) and inflow from the Black Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are balanced by the evaporation in the Mediterranean Sea. Evolution of the salt content may have an impact in the ocean circulation and dynamics which possibly will have implication on the entire Earth climate system. Thus monitoring changes in the salinity content is essential considering its link to changes in: the hydrological cycle, the water masses formation, the regional halosteric sea level and salt/freshwater transport, as well as for their impact on marine biodiversity. The OMI_CLIMATE_OSC_MEDSEA_volume_mean is based on the “multi-product” approach introduced in the seventh issue of the Ocean State Report (contribution by Aydogdu et al., 2023). Note that the estimates in Aydogdu et al. (2023) are provided monthly while here we evaluate the results per year. Six global products and a regional (Mediterranean Sea) product have been used to build an ensemble mean, and its associated ensemble spread. The reference products are: • The Mediterranean Sea Reanalysis at 1/24°horizontal resolution (MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004, DOI: https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004_E3R1, Escudier et al., 2020) • Four global reanalyses at 1/4°horizontal resolution (GLOBAL_REANALYSIS_PHY_001_031, GLORYS, C-GLORS, ORAS5, FOAM, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00024, Desportes et al., 2022) • Two observation-based products: CORA (INSITU_GLO_TS_REP_OBSERVATIONS_013_001_b, DOI: https://doi.org/10.17882/46219, Szekely et al., 2022) and ARMOR3D (MULTIOBS_GLO_PHY_TSUV_3D_MYNRT_015_012, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00052, Grenier et al., 2021). Details on the products are delivered in the PUM and QUID of this OMI. '''CMEMS KEY FINDINGS''' The Mediterranean Sea salt content shows a positive trend in the upper 300 m with a continuous increase over the period 1993-2021 at rate of 7.0*10-3 ±3.1*10-4 psu yr-1. The overall ensemble mean of different products is 38.57 psu. During the early 1990s in the entire Mediterranean Sea there is a large spread in salinity with the observational based datasets showing a higher salinity, while the reanalysis products present relatively lower salinity. The maximum spread between the period 1993–2021 occurs in the 1990s with a value of 0.12 psu, and it decreases to as low as 0.02 psu by the end of the 2010s. '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00325

'''Short description:''' The Reprocessed (REP) Mediterranean (MED) dataset provides a stable and consistent long-term Sea Surface Temperature (SST) time series over the Mediterranean Sea (and the adjacent North Atlantic box) developed for climate applications. This product consists of daily (nighttime), optimally interpolated (L4), satellite-based estimates of the foundation SST (namely, the temperature free, or nearly-free, of any diurnal cycle) at 0.05° resolution grid covering the period from 1st January 1981 to present (approximately one month before real time). The MED-REP-L4 product is built from a consistent reprocessing of the collated level-3 (merged single-sensor, L3C) climate data record (CDR) v.3.0, provided by the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) and covering the period up to 2021, and its interim extension (ICDR) that allows the regular temporal extension for 2022 onwards. '''DOI (product) :''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00173

'''Short description:''' Altimeter satellite along-track sea surface heights anomalies (SLA) computed with respect to a twenty-year [1993, 2012] mean. All the missions are homogenized with respect to a reference mission (see QUID document or http://duacs.cls.fr [http://duacs.cls.fr] pages for processing details). The product gives additional variables (e.g. Mean Dynamic Topography, Dynamic Atmosphic Correction, Ocean Tides, Long Wavelength Errors) that can be used to change the physical content for specific needs This product is processed by the DUACS multimission altimeter data processing system. It serves in near-real time the main operational oceanography and climate forecasting centers in Europe and worldwide. It processes data from all altimeter missions: Jason-3, Sentinel-3A, HY-2A, Saral/AltiKa, Cryosat-2, Jason-2, Jason-1, T/P, ENVISAT, GFO, ERS1/2. It provides a consistent and homogeneous catalogue of products for varied applications, both for near real time applications and offline studies. To produce maps of SLA (Sea Level Anomalies) in near-real time, the system exploits the most recent datasets available based on the enhanced OGDR+IGDR production. The system acquires and then synchronizes altimeter data and auxiliary data; each mission is homogenized using the same models and corrections. The Input Data Quality Control checks that the system uses the best altimeter data. The multi-mission cross-calibration process removes any residual orbit error, or long wavelength error (LWE), as well as large scale biases and discrepancies between various data flows; all altimeter fields are interpolated at crossover locations and dates. After a repeat-track analysis, a mean profile, which is peculiar to each mission, or a Mean Sea Surface (MSS) (when the orbit is non repetitive) is subtracted to compute sea level anomaly. The MSS is available via the Aviso+ dissemination (http://www.aviso.altimetry.fr/en/data/products/auxiliary-products/mss.html [http://www.aviso.altimetry.fr/en/data/products/auxiliary-products/mss.html]). Data are then cross validated, filtered from residual noise and small scale signals, and finally sub-sampled (sla_filtered variable). The ADT (Absolute Dynamic Topography, adt_filtered variable) can computed as follows: adt_filtered=sla_filtered+MDT where MDT. The Mean Dynamic Topography distributed by Aviso+ (http://www.aviso.altimetry.fr/en/data/products/auxiliary-products/mdt.html [http://www.aviso.altimetry.fr/en/data/products/auxiliary-products/mdt.html]). '''Associated products:''' A time invariant product [http://marine.copernicus.eu/services-portfolio/access-to-products/?option=com_csw&view=details&product_id=SEALEVEL_GLO_NOISE_L4_NRT_OBSERVATIONS_008_032] describing the noise level of along-track measurements is available. It is associated to the sla_filtered variable. It is a gridded product. One file is provided for the global ocean and those values must be applied for Arctic and Europe products. For Mediterranean and Black seas, one value is given in the QUID document.