The Physical Characteristics and Dynamics of the Aegean Water Masses

The Aegean Sea’s hydrological and circulation characteristics are as complex as its geomorphological setting. All major Eastern Mediterranean (EMed) water masses can be found inside the basin, while the Aegean Sea is a producer of dense intermediate and in some cases deep water masses that are exported to the EMed. The role of the Aegean Sea as a dense/deep water source for the EMed has been revised following the Eastern Mediterranean Transient event of the 1990s decade. The local dense water production has been recognized as having a strong effect over the EMed overturning circulation. In this chapter, up-to-date information on the Aegean Sea is summarized, open questions are highlighted, and major future research aspects are proposed.