Tyrrhenian Sea

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Tyrrhenian Sea.

The Tyrrhenian Sea (Italian: Mar Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.

It is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia (west), Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria (east), and Sicily (south).

The maximum depth of the sea is 3,785 metres (12,420 ft).

The Tyrrhenian Sea is situated near the African-European Fault; therefore mountain chains and active volcanoes such as Mount Marsili are found in its depths. The eight Aeolian Islands are located in the southern part of the sea, north of Sicily. Winds are Mistral from the Rhône valley, Libeccio from the south-west, Scirocco and Ostro from the south.

There are five exits from the Tyrrhenian Sea (north to south):

• The Corsica Channel between Tuscany and Corsica, about 80 km wide.
• The Strait of Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia, 11 km wide.
• The Sardinian Channel between Sardinia and Tunisia, about 200 km wide.
• The Strait of Sicily between Tunisia and Sicily, about 160 km wide.
• The Strait of Messina between Sicily and Calabria on the toe of Italy, 3 km wide.

The Tyrrhenian Sea is divided into two basins (or plains), the Vavilov plain and the Marsili plain. They are separated by the undersea ridge known as the Issel Bridge, after Arturo Issel.^[1]

In Greek mythology, it is believed that the cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea housed the four winds kept by Aeolus.

The name for this part of the Mediterranean Sea derives from the Greek name for the Etruscans, who were said to be emigrants from Lydia and led by the prince Tyrrhenus.^[2] The Etruscans settled along the coast of modern Tuscany and referred to the water as the "Sea of the Etruscans".

Notes

Coordinates: 39°31′22″N 13°21′12″E / 39.52278°N 13.35333°E / 39.52278; 13.35333