Decadal ocean observations in the Northwestern Mediterranean: insights from the MOOSE-GE cruises
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: . The annual MOOSE-GE cruise series is the backbone of the MOOSE regional ocean observing system providing a unique dataset to observe and understand large-scale physical, biogeochemical and biological processes in the northwestern Mediterranean basin, a key region that is responding to climate change faster than many other parts of the world. These cruises address major scientific challenges, such as monitoring the variability and impact of deep and intermediate convection, which plays a crucial role in deep-water ventilation, coastal–open ocean exchanges, and the evolution of phytoplankton production in this highly dynamic system. They also allow the assessment of climate change effects on ocean physics, marine biodiversity, biological resources, and seawater chemistry, including oxygen, nutrients, and dissolved carbon. Sustained observations are required to track rapid trends such as increasing temperature and salinity in intermediate and deep waters, declining oxygen concentrations, nutrients and carbonate system inter-annual variabilities, expected increased stratification of the water column and variations in heat and salt contents. These long-term datasets are indispensable both for climate model validation and process studies, as well as for assessing the environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea. The data can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.18142/235 (Testor et al., 2010), https://doi.org/10.17882/99825 (Bosse et al., 2024), https://doi.org/10.17882/44411 (Bosse et al., 2025), https://doi.org/10.17882/45980 (Durrieu de Madron et al., 2024), https://doi.org/10.17882/43749 (Coppola et al., 2025), https://doi.org/10.17882/99865 (Dimier et al., 2024).
Source: Earth system science data
Authors: Laurent Coppola, Anthony Bosse, Thibaut Wagener, Dominique Lefevre, Magali Lescot, François Carlotti, Fabien Lombard, Lionel Guidi, Fabrice Not, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Pascal Conan, Mireille Pujo-Pay, Caroline Ulses, Samuel Somot, Claude Estournel, Emilie Diamond Riquier, Céline Laus, Nathalie Leblond, Matthieu Labaste, Patrice Bretel, Melek Golbol, Stephane Kunesch, Jennifer Sola, Laure Chirurgien, Sandra Nunige, Sarah Romac, Pierre Testor
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Aix-Marseille Université, Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Université de Perpignan, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, Laboratoire d’Études en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Météo-France, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche, Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques, Structure et Instabilité des Génomes
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,509
OpenAlex ID: W7170031820