A Note of the Oceanographic Properties off the Eastern Sicily Coast (Summer 1972) (Nota Sulle Condizioni Oceanografiche et al Largo delle Coste Orientali Siciliane Nell-Estate del 1972),

Abstract : Investigations carried out during summer 1972 off the Eastern Sicily coast provide some useful considerations about the role played by biochemical and physical properties as controlling factors of the pollution conditions of the coastal environment. Correlations among the parameters such as oxygen saturation, total fluorescence and light penetration, put in evidence the existence of water masses of mixed thyrrenian origin along the coast and of ionian origin offshore. From the computation of the geostrophic currents, the ionian waters flow with a mean velocity of 40 to 45 cm/sec and contribute to form a close eddy just along the coast. Being this a possible reservoir for pollutants, the box model theory applied to the eddy and to its exchange with the surrounding waters predicts a dilution factor of 500 with respect to the total rate of discharge from the coast. (Modified author abstract)