HydroChanges is a CIESM initiative to build a Mediterranean-wide network of moorings recording long-term time series of temperature and salinity, a priority in the current context of global change. Moorings are located in key Mediterranean areas such as straits and deepest waters. Distinct stations are operated at Gibraltar to sample the Atlantic Water entering the Mediterranean, the Mediterranean Waters finally exiting (click here to see details and maps).

The 2012 yearly maintenance of the HydroChanges moorings operated at Gibraltar jointly by Morocco (Faculté Polyvalente de Larache /FPL) and France (Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography /MIO/Aix-Marseille University/CNRS/IRD/USTV, formerly Centre d’Océanologie de Marseille/COM) was organized with a French research vessel, which provided an opportunity to carry a joint hydrological campaign, together with the Institut National de Recherche Halieutique /INRH (Maroc) and the University of Malaga (Spain).

The mooring located on the Moroccan shelf at ~80 m to monitor the inflowing Atlantic Water was recovered, but not the one located on the Camarinal Sill at 270 m to monitor the outflowing Mediterranean Waters. Due to logistical constraints this mooring had not been visited for over 24 months, while the moorings maintenance interval should not normally exceed 12 - 15 months.

The 4-day hydrological survey on board the R/V Tethys II was designed to address the very high spatial and temporal variability: for the first time several transects across the strait of Gibraltar have been performed with CTD casts spaced every ~1 mile, and /or with a Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP), a towed free-falling CTD that enables a ~800 m interval. Two transects have been performed twice, up to 3 times for one in order to capture different tidal situations.

From left to right:
Jamal Chioua ⁽¹⁾, Gwenael Brusq ⁽⁴⁾, Simone Sammartino ⁽³⁾, Stéphane Carral ⁽⁴⁾, Cristina Naranjo Rosa ⁽³⁾, Gilles Rougier ⁽⁶⁾, Céline Bachelier ⁽⁵⁾, Vincent Le Duvehat ⁽⁴⁾, Rémi Lafond ^(4*), Yvon Mogis ⁽⁴⁾, Mickael Cayol ⁽⁴⁾, Eric Le Rudulier ⁽⁴⁾, Deny Malengros ⁽⁶⁾, Isabelle Taupier Letage ⁽⁶⁾, Anass Lalilti ⁽²⁾
(not on the picture but present on the first leg: Javier Soto Navarro ⁽³⁾, Jesus García Lafuente ⁽³⁾)

⁽¹⁾ Institut National de Recherche Halieutique.
⁽²⁾ Faculté Polyvalente de Larache.
⁽³⁾ University of Malaga.
⁽⁴⁾ Crew of the RV Tethys II, * the Captain.
⁽⁵⁾ Division Technique de l'Insu.
⁽⁶⁾ MIO/ Aix-Marseille University.

CIESM is grateful for the support of the Moroccan Faculté Polyvalente de Larache and Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (Maroc), of the Spanish University of Malaga, of the French MIO/ Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSU, IRD, USTV, MOOSE, Division Technique de l’INSU, CETSM, and of the RV Tethys II crew who all made possible the HydroChanges Gibraltar campaign.

Contacts: Isabelle Taupier Letage, Gilles Rougier