Summer climate variability of the İzmir Bay based on long term temperature and salinity records (1996-2013)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the temperature and salinity variability of the İzmir Bay based on available in-situ measurements between 1996 and 2013 in summer. The analyses were made for the whole Bay and also for the sub-basins of the İzmir Bay namely; inner and outer. The similarities and differences were tried to be revealed. The main finding of the study is that there is a strong increase of temperature during the last 10 years. After 2003, it is very interesting that the temperature increase almost 2°C in all two basins. This trend is greater than global warming which is almost 0.5°C. Although the salinity has decreasing trend in all the sub-basins, there is an anomaly in 2007. The salinity increases in this year. The impact of such warming and the anomaly in the salinity on the İzmir Bay needs more investigation.