Extended Data Fig. 9: Summary of sensitivity test (Part 4) results.
From: Sill-controlled salinity contrasts followed post-Messinian flooding of the Mediterranean
a, Flow energy in the wMed and the eMed for a ~30% shallower (300 m) or deeper (560 m) than present Sicily sill. Thick and dotted lines correspond to energy evolution for shallow and deep sill depths, respectively. b, Sea-level and mixing depth evolution for the wMed and the eMed when the Sicily sill is shallower than present (300 m). c, Sea-level and mixing depth evolution for the wMed and the eMed when the Sicily sill is deeper than present (560 m). In b and c, red curves in each panel represent the rise of basin level. Green (for wMed) and orange (for eMed) curves indicate the mixing depth evolution with time, for different mixing efficiencies (ME). Dots in coloured background, 0.1 ME; coloured-only background, 0.2 ME; Dots in white background, 0.3 ME. For a, b and c, refer to the grey colour panels at the top of the figure for Zanclean flooding stages (ZFS 1–3) for shallower and deeper sill settings. d, Density profiles at the end of the flooding phase for shallow and deep sill settings. Vertical red-dotted line represents the present wMed surface density (Mediterranean Atlantic water density in the wMed29). Green shading, wMed mixed layer; orange shading, eMed mixed layer; AL, Atlantic level; SL, Sicily sill level.
