Water masses and transports between the Aegean and Levantine basins duringLIWEX'95

Within the framework of the POEM-BC program, a multinational collaborative experiment LIWEX '95 in the Levantine basin was undertaken in winter-spring 1995, focussing on the different phases of the process of formation of the Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW). This paper presents the results obtain ed pertaining to the water exchange between the Aegean and Levantine basins through the eastern straits of the Cretan Are, where transport rates are a lso been calculated. In addition, modifications in the thermohaline propert ies of the deep waters related to the climatic changes in the characteristi cs of the open upper and closed deep thermohaline cells of the Eastern Medi terranean that began during late '80s, are evidenced.