We present a large-scale laboratory model of the Strait of Gibraltar that reproduces realistic topography, tidal forcing, stratification, and rotation, enabling controlled investigation of key exchange processes linking the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Velocity and density measurements confirm dynamic similarity with ocean observations. Analysis of the flow near Camarinal Sill shows that bottom boundary layers are the...

The North Ionian Gyre (NIG) displays prominent inversions on decadal scales. We investigate the role of internal forcing induced by changes in the horizontal pressure gradient due to the varying density of Adriatic Deep Water (AdDW), which spreads into the deep layers of the northern Ionian Sea. In turn, the AdDW density fluctuates according to the circulation of the NIG through a feedback mechanism known as the bimodal oscill...