Water exchanges through the Corsica Channel from altimetry and hydrography

The authors relate the seasonal and interannual variability observed in the water flow through the Corsica Channel to the sea level difference between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian seas. The authors find that the steric contribution to the sea level difference, computed from historical hydrological data, clearly explains the stable presence of the seasonal signal in the water exchanges. They also demonstrate the value of the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite altimetry in capturing the sea level difference anomaly between the two basins at seasonal and interannual scales, making these data particularly interesting for a long-term monitoring of the changes in the regional circulation.