Interannual variability of the circulation and hydrography in the Eastern Mediterranean (1986-1995)

The eastern Mediterranean Sea, one of the poorly known sea regions before t he '80s, became the object of very intensive research since 1985. The synth esis of the results based on the data sets that were collected in the frame of international (POEM, POEM-BC, EU/MAST/MTP) and national research progra ms revealed significant information about the circulation, hydrography and their variability in this Basin during the decade 1986-95. The emerged thre e scales of motion, the basin, sub-basin and mesoscale, interacting within the general circulation pattern, as well as the hydrological regime present interannual to interdecadal variability. This variability plays important role in all upper and lower thermocline processes, as intermediate and deep water mass formation, transformation, spreading, modification of water mas s pathways and vertical structure as well as basins' interaction.