Features of Currents on the Black Sea Northwestern Shelf Based on the Numerical Simulation Results

Abstract

Purpose. The work is aimed at studying the features of currents on the Black Sea northwestern shelf based of the reanalysis results, and at analyzing the reasons of these features. Methods and Results. To analyze the currents on the northwestern shelf, applied were the results of physical reanalysis of the Black Sea fields performed by the authors earlier, namely, the arrays of hydrodynamic fields on a regular grid with the 21-year duration (1992–2012). Surface currents on the northwestern shelf of the Black Sea are directed mainly to the southwest. Throughout the whole year (except for the summer months when the wind effect weakens), an intensive compensatory current directed to the south is formed along the western coast. The waters near the western coast are highly horizontally stratified that is caused by fresh water inflowing with the river runoffs. In winter seasons, the stratification is most pronounced, whereas in summer, the horizontal density gradient decreases. The horizontal density stratification leads to the following: starting from the depth ~ 20 m, the pressure gradient changes its sign and the along-coastal jet countercurrent directed to the north, occurs. Conclusions. The performed studies have shown that the water circulation on the Black Sea northwestern shelf is determined mainly by the following factors: the wind-induced water flows across the shelf boundary and strong horizontal water stratification near the western coast resulted from the river runoffs. As the currents on the sea surface are directed mainly to the southwest, the compensatory current directed to the south is formed near the western coast. Due to the strong horizontal stratification resulted from the river runoffs, a countercurrent directed to the north is formed in the subsurface layer near the western coast. In case the seawater flows to the shelf are extremely high, the countercurrent may be absent.