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Modelling the impact of Black Sea water inflow on the North Aegean Sea hydrodynamics

Modelling the impact of Black Sea water inflow on the North Aegean Sea hydrodynamics
Modelling the impact of Black Sea water inflow on the North Aegean Sea hydrodynamics
The impact of the Black Sea Water (BSW) inflow on the circulation and the water mass characteristics of the North Aegean Sea is investigated using a high-resolution 3D numerical model. Four climatological numerical experiments are performed exploring the effects of the exchange amplitude at the Dardanelles Straits in terms of the mean annual volume exchanged and the amplitude of its seasonal cycle. Larger inflow of low salinity BSW influences the water characteristics of the whole basin. The largest salinity reduction is encountered in the upper layers of the water column, and the most affected region is the northeastern part of the basin. The winter insulation character of the BSW layer (low-salinity layer) is reduced by the seasonal cycle of the inflow (minimum during winter). The maximum atmospheric cooling coincides with the minimum BSW inflow rate, weakening the vertical density gradients close to the surface and thus facilitating the vertical mixing. The inflow rate of BSW into the North Aegean Sea constitutes an essential factor for the circulation in the basin. Increased inflow rate results into considerably higher kinetic energy, stronger circulation and reinforcement of the mesoscale circulation features. Although the position of the front between BSW and waters of Levantine origin does not vary significantly with the intensity of the BSW inflow rate, the flow along the front becomes stronger and more unstable as the inflow rate increases, forming meanders and rings. The changes in the intensity of BSW inflow rate overpower the wind and thermohaline forcing and largely determine the general circulation of the North Aegean Sea.
North Aegean, Black Sea water, Ocean circulation, Numerical modelling
1616-7341
585-596
Tzali, Margarita
44cc563b-e85a-4741-9a5e-fb90a8ac1a9b
Sofianos, Sarantis
98a6d68e-2ecf-4b57-b67b-28278f94e4d8
Mantziafou, Anneta
e5be959f-e6a4-4545-b7f8-12553564f10f
Skliris, Nikolaos
07af7484-2e14-49aa-9cd3-1979ea9b064e
Tzali, Margarita
44cc563b-e85a-4741-9a5e-fb90a8ac1a9b
Sofianos, Sarantis
98a6d68e-2ecf-4b57-b67b-28278f94e4d8
Mantziafou, Anneta
e5be959f-e6a4-4545-b7f8-12553564f10f
Skliris, Nikolaos
07af7484-2e14-49aa-9cd3-1979ea9b064e

Tzali, Margarita, Sofianos, Sarantis, Mantziafou, Anneta and Skliris, Nikolaos (2010) Modelling the impact of Black Sea water inflow on the North Aegean Sea hydrodynamics. Ocean Dynamics, 60 (3), 585-596. (doi:10.1007/s10236-010-0277-3).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The impact of the Black Sea Water (BSW) inflow on the circulation and the water mass characteristics of the North Aegean Sea is investigated using a high-resolution 3D numerical model. Four climatological numerical experiments are performed exploring the effects of the exchange amplitude at the Dardanelles Straits in terms of the mean annual volume exchanged and the amplitude of its seasonal cycle. Larger inflow of low salinity BSW influences the water characteristics of the whole basin. The largest salinity reduction is encountered in the upper layers of the water column, and the most affected region is the northeastern part of the basin. The winter insulation character of the BSW layer (low-salinity layer) is reduced by the seasonal cycle of the inflow (minimum during winter). The maximum atmospheric cooling coincides with the minimum BSW inflow rate, weakening the vertical density gradients close to the surface and thus facilitating the vertical mixing. The inflow rate of BSW into the North Aegean Sea constitutes an essential factor for the circulation in the basin. Increased inflow rate results into considerably higher kinetic energy, stronger circulation and reinforcement of the mesoscale circulation features. Although the position of the front between BSW and waters of Levantine origin does not vary significantly with the intensity of the BSW inflow rate, the flow along the front becomes stronger and more unstable as the inflow rate increases, forming meanders and rings. The changes in the intensity of BSW inflow rate overpower the wind and thermohaline forcing and largely determine the general circulation of the North Aegean Sea.

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More information

Published date: June 2010
Keywords: North Aegean, Black Sea water, Ocean circulation, Numerical modelling
Organisations: Physical Oceanography

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 365214
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/365214
ISSN: 1616-7341
PURE UUID: 16f57dfd-6b17-4da5-bd79-d88902b661f9
ORCID for Nikolaos Skliris: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2473-2586

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 28 May 2014 09:03
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:39

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Contributors

Author: Margarita Tzali
Author: Sarantis Sofianos
Author: Anneta Mantziafou

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