Thermal evolution of the lithosphere of buried structures of the deep-water basin of the Black Sea

The GALO system for basin modeling is applied for numerical reconstruction of the thermal history of the lithosphere of the Western Basin and the Shatsky and Andrusov rises in the Black Sea. The modeling showed that the variant of the thermal evolution of the lithosphere of the region that was used by us for the Eastern Basin in our previous study is also applicable to the thermal evolution of the lithosphere of various tectonically different structures of the deep-water part of the Black Sea. These structures include both the Western and Eastern basins of the sea characterized by a granite-free crust formed in the course of the back-arc spreading and the Shatsky and Andrusov rises with the continental type of crust. The proposed version of the lithosphere evolution in the deep-water part of the Black Sea implies the initial stage of quasi-rift heating in the Upper Cretaceous and the three-staged thermal activation of the plate in the Cenozoic accompanied by three successive stages of crustal thinning. The latter resulted in the gradual deepening of the sea down to the present-day depth of 2.2 km.     

Evolution of the slope of the buried depression of the Black Sea

The first data on the temporal evolution of the slope of the buried depression of the Black Sea are obtained. The sharp change in the rate of the decrease in the slope steepness that occurred in the Late Miocene-Pliocene time reflects a reorientation of the vector of mutual movement and a related intensification of the collision between the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheric plates.     

中国东部海区及邻域区域构造图的编制方法及地质构造单元划分

我国东部海区及邻域1:1 000 000地质地球物理系列图将于2008年底出版,区域构造图是其中的主要专业图件之一。讨论了该专业图件的编图方法、地质构造单元的划分方法和主要地质构造单元。首次对黄海东海区进行了全面剥皮编图,剥去了Q+N₂地层。对于沉积盆地用等厚度线表示出了新生界的厚度。地质构造单元划分方法是以板块构造理论为指导并以现今的构造特征为主要划分依据。板块内构造单元的划分是在总结国内外多种构造单元划分方法的基础上进行了修改完善,完成了对我国东部海区及邻域的地质构造单元的划分。区内一级构造单元为板块(太平洋板块、欧亚板块和菲律宾海板块),二级构造单元为构造域(东亚大陆构造域、东亚大陆边缘构造域和西太平洋构造域)。西太平洋构造域主要包括太平洋板块的西部及菲律宾海板块。欧亚板块在该区的部分可分为东亚大陆边缘构造域和东亚大陆构造域。东亚大陆边缘构造域由日本琉球岛弧、冲绳海槽弧后盆地、日本海弧后盆地等次级构造单元构成。东亚大陆构造域在该区内由中朝地块、扬子地块、华南地块等次级构造单元构成。各地块又可划分出盆地、隆褶带、隆起区等多个次一级地质构造单元。最低一级的地质构造单元为凸起和凹陷。     

Parameters of the sediments of the deep-water basin of the Black Sea

The methodology and the first results of the computations of the volumes, masses, and growth rates of the sedimentary body of the buried Black Sea basin are presented. Their temporal evolution reflects the regional paleogeodynamics, in particular, the reorientation of the vector of the relative movement of the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheric plates and the related intensification of their collision in the late Miocene-Pliocene.     

On the long-term variability of normalized radiance of the Black Sea

Basin-wide distributions of normalized spectral radiances averaged over different time periods were plotted based on the estimates of the average radiance for 20 × 20 km squares in 482 digital images of the Black Sea obtained with a SeaWiFS color scanner in 1998–2004. Significant distinctions of the annual average distributions in the amplitude, localization, and configuration of basin-scale inhomogeneities allowed us to consider these distributions as yearly spectral-radiance portraits of the Black Sea that reflect specific features of the annual behavior of the hydrometeorological conditions over the Black Sea region. Seasonal features of the radiance distributions related to the wind field were discovered. Substantial interannual variability in the errors of the standard atmospheric correction algorithm resulting in an underestimation of the shortwave radiances were revealed. It is shown that the river discharge and the stratification of the layer sensed substantially influence the yearly spectral-radiance portraits of the Black Sea.     

The performance of the Black Sea Commission as a collaborative governance regime

It is often claimed that the Black Sea is one of the most degraded seas in the world. Management to rehabilitate the Black Sea requires cooperation between the coastal countries to be successful. However, regional cooperation in the Black Sea is poorly coordinated and lack concrete outcomes. This article analyses the performance of the Black Sea Commission in terms of enabling and fostering effective regional collaboration between the Black Sea coastal countries. The results indicate that the measures undertaken by the Black Sea Commission are effective in terms of enabling scientific and project based cooperation between the Black Sea countries. The cooperation around regional and national institutional reforms to tackle the Black Sea environmental problems is found to be weak. Despite the existing mechanisms and willingness of countries to cooperate, the implementation of the established strategic action plan for the environmental protection and rehabilitation of the Black Sea is limited. Most of the limitations of the Black Sea Commission's regime are found in its institutional and legal frameworks, which constrain the effectiveness of collaborative efforts of the Black Sea countries. To be fully functional, the collaborative governance regime of the Black Sea Commission has to be improved. Recommendations as to how these may be addressed to enhance the regime's capacity to ensure effective marine collaborative governance in the region are presented in this article.     

Spatial patterns of biodiversity in the Black Sea: An assessment using benthic polychaetes

The current study broadens the biodiversity information available for the Black Sea and neighbouring regions and improves our knowledge about the polychaete biogeographic patterns to be discerned in them. There appears to be a well-defined zoogeocline from the Marmara Sea and Bosphorus Strait to the inner parts of the region (Azov Sea), depicted both as a multivariate pattern and in terms of species (or taxa) numbers. The emergent multivariate pattern complies, to a certain extent, with Jakubova’s (1935) views: three main sectors can be defined in the basin: (a) Prebosphoric, (b) the Black Sea and, (c) the Azov Sea, whereas the Bosphorus Strait and Marmara Sea show less faunal affinities with the afore-mentioned sectors. Patterns derived both from the cosmopolitan and Atlanto-Mediterranean species closely follow the one coming from the polychaete species and genera inventories. As a general trend, species numbers decrease along with the decrease in salinity towards the inner parts of the region. The trend is homologous to that seen in the benthic invertebrate inventories of all the major European semi-enclosed regional seas. Salinity and food availability appear to be the dominant abiotic factors correlated, though weakly, with the various patterns deriving from the taxonomic/zoogeographic categories. With the exception of the Anatolia, polychaete inventories from all sectors appear to be random samples of the total inventory of the region, in terms of taxonomic distinctness values. Therefore, these sectoral inventories can be used for future biodiversity/environmental impact assessment studies. A massive invasion of Mediterranean species after the opening of the Black Sea, in the lower Quaternary period, appears to be the likely biogeographic mechanism through which the old Sarmatic fauna was almost completely replaced by species of marine origin.     

Peculiarities of the Black Sea rim current near the Crimean coast

This paper discusses the quasi-stationary Black Sea rim current velocity field observed at seven points of the shelf area and continental slope in the vicinity of South Crimea from 6 June to 15 July, 1991. Current velocity fluctuations conditioned by the difference in atmospheric pressures over the eastern part of the sea and the western one, with the wind speed being 5 cm s⁻¹, have been studied. Inertial and seiche flows are described numerically. The peculiarities of the kinematics of the Black Sea rim current’s regular component have been scrutinized. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Oil seeps in the southeastern Black Sea studied using satellite synthetic aperture radar images

One of the tasks being completed while oil pollution monitoring in the Black Sea, was a study of natural seepage. Two known oil seeps are located in the southeastern section, the Georgian sector, from which crude oil enters the marine environment. The archives of European Space Agency and ScanEx Research and Development Center have a considerable quantity of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired in 1993–2011 by the ERS-1/2, Envisat, and Radarsat-1 satellites, on which seep oil slicks are clearly visible in this region. Processing of the collected SAR images with detected slicks in combination with the geoinformation approach has revealed a link of these slicks with the bottom sources on the local sedimentary structure in the Southeast Black Sea; their analysis provides both new insight into this phenomenon and new information to help understand nature of these oil seeps. On the basis of an analysis of collected SAR images and detailed bathymetric data, information on the source positions on the bottom and estimates of oil volumes entering the sea surface are obtained.     

Element composition of ferromanganese concretions in the Black Sea

The ferromanganese concretions spread at the bottom of the shallow northwestern part of the Black Sea are mainly represented by Fe and Mn hydrate nodules on shells and substituted worm tubes. The element composition of these formations was found by the methods of chemical, atomic-absorbtion, neutron activation, and plasmic (ICP-MS) analyses. It is established that the content and the ratio of Fe and Mn in the concretions ranges within considerable limits, which controls the occurrence of several associated iron-free metals and microelements, some which have not been previously studied in the Black Sea concretions.     

Short-range forecast of hydrophysical fields in the eastern part of the Black Sea

On the basis of an analysis of the results of modeling and a forecast of the basic hydrophysical fields in the easternmost part of the Black Sea for 2010–2012, the features of annual variability of regional circulating processes in this part of the sea basin are investigated. A forecast of a hydrological mode is made on the basis of the regional forecasting system developed at the Institute of Geophysics at Javakhishvili State University in cooperation with the oceanographic centers of the Black Sea riparian countries within the frame-work of the ARENA and ECOOP EU international scientific and technical projects. The regional system is one of the components of the Black Sea basin-scale Nowcasting/Forecasting System. The analysis of the material cumulated for the registered period shows that the easternmost water area of the Black Sea is a dynamically active zone where there is a continuous formation of different circulating processes considerably distinguished from each other.     

Cross-sectional areas of mid-ocean ridge axes bounding the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates

We have calculated cross-sectional areas for the ridges bounding the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates, 22°–28°S and 31°–35°S, obtaining accurate results where complete bathymetric data exist and estimates in other regions with partial bathymetric coverage and predicted bathymetry. We consider the reliability and usefulness of global predicted bathymetry in these calculations and the possible application of this dataset in other localities. The spreading rates on ridges bounding these microplates span the range from slow to superfast, allowing an investigation of ridge axis inflation over most of the rates active on Earth today. The across-axis areas of the Easter microplate ridge axes range from –29 km² to 7 km², while the Juan Fernandez ridge axis areas range from –27 km² to 8 km². Positive values correlate with regions usually interpreted as magmatically robust. Negative values arise from calculations in areas of propagating rift tips and deep grabens, such as Pito and Endeavor Deeps. Geochemical trends of Easter microplate axial basalts show decreasing MgO toward propagating rift tips and slight positive correlations between variables such as MgO vs. cross-sectional area, Na_8.0 vs. axial depth, and Na_8.0 vs. cross-sectional area. We document the decrease in the axial area approaching segment ends and propagating rift tips along both the West and East ridges of the microplates. On the Easter microplate both East and West ridge systems undergo large variations in spreading rate from >130 km Myr^–1 to <50 km Myr^–1. Inflation on these ridge segments is highly variable and only weakly correlated with spreading rate. On the Juan Fernandez microplate, West ridge spreading rates vary only between 115–140 km Myr^–1 and are systematically faster than on the East ridge, where rates vary between 10–35 km Myr^–1. Cross axis areas are systematically greater and significantly less variable on the faster spreading West ridge. Overall, compared to oceanic spreading centers bounding major plates with similar spreading rates, the axial areas are smaller on the microplate ridge systems, possibly because their rapidly changing configurations create a lag in the mantle response to the rigid plate boundary.     

Spatial and temporal variability and monitoring of hydrophysical fields of the Black Sea

As part of the Russian-Ukrainian program “The Black Sea as a Simulation Model of the Ocean,” the monitoring of the marine environment is considered using modern measuring systems. On the basis of historical and contemporary observation data, we estimate the spatial and temporal scales of dominant processes in the Black Sea. We describe the main measuring systems used to monitor the structure and variability of the hydrophysical fields. Examples characterizing the specific features of the Black Sea processes are presented.     

Modeling of Long-Term Evolution of Hydrophysical Fields of the Black Sea

The long-term evolution of the Black Sea dynamics (1980–2020) is reconstructed by numerical simulation. The model of the Black Sea circulation has 4.8 km horizontal spatial resolution and 40 levels in z-coordinates. The mixing processes in the upper layer are parameterized by Mellor-Yamada turbulent model. For the sea surface boundary conditions, atmospheric forcing functions were used, provided for the Black Sea region by the Euro mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) from the COSMO-CLM regional climate model. These data have a spatial resolution of 14 km and a daily temporal resolution. To evaluate the quality of the hydrodynamic fields derived from the simulation, they were compared with in-situ hydrological measurements and similar results from physical reanalysis of the Black Sea.     

Study of long-term variability of Black Sea dynamics on the basis of circulation model assimilation of remote measurements

The Black Sea dynamics for two decades (1993–2012) is analyzed. The study is carried out in numerical simulation with the use of a circulation model and assimilation of satellite measurements of free surface elevations and sea-surface temperatures (SSTs). The Black Sea circulation model has a spatial resolution of 4.8 km and 35 vertical levels, which thicken toward the surface. Arrays of ERA-Interim data are used for simulating the atmospheric forcing. A set of 3D arrays of the Black Sea hydrophysical fields is calculated on a regular grid with a time resolution of 24 h. The results are analyzed and compared with available contact measurements of temperature and salinity. This comparison shows a quite good quality of the resulted hydrophysical fields of the Black Sea.     

Analysis of the Black Sea sediments by evaluating DSDP Leg 42B drilling data for gas hydrate potential

Many gas seepages, temperature, pressure, salinity, anoxic environment and high source gas potential of the Black Sea indicates that the Black Sea might have huge potentials for biogenic and thermogenic gas hydrates. However, the last important parameter to consider gas hydrate as an energy source is the type of sediments. Coarse marine sands are considered as good hydrate reservoirs because of high porosity and high permeability. Only very limited data is available related to the types of lithology of the Black Sea sediments. Hence, in this study, the literature data (especially the drilling and coring data of DSDP Leg 42B program) about gas seepages, temperature gradient, pressure gradient, salinity, anoxic environment and high source gas potential, and the types of the sediments in the Black Sea were investigated and analyzed. Although gas seepages, temperature gradient, pressure gradient, salinity, anoxic environment and high source gas potential of the Black Sea are appropriate for producible gas hydrate reservoirs, the sediments of the Black Sea appear to be generally fine grained with high clay content. Sandy-silt and silty sand layers in turbidites of the Black Sea might be potential producible hydrate reservoirs but these sediments are fine. As well as turbidites, separate thin sand layers might be potential gas hydrate reservoirs as an energy source in the Black Sea.     

Upwelling in the Black Sea by the results of numerical experiments and satellite data

The paper analyses results of the numerical simulation of upwelling events in the north-western part of the Black Sea, mostly near the South Crimea. The calculations were performed using a numerical model based on primitive hydrodynamics equations. Emphasis is laid on the case when a salinity front simulating the Black Sea rim current is prescribed in the initial conditions. The interaction of the Black Sea rim current's stream with the coastline and bottom topography leads to the development of an upwelling near the Crimea's coast, even in the absence of wind forcing. The paper discusses the structure of the three-dimensional circulation of waters in the shelf area of the NW Black Sea. Numerical modelling results are matched up with the satellite data obtained by the HRPT receiving station. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Long-term tendencies in the variability of characteristics of the Black Sea pycnocline

The rise of the waters of the main pycnocline in the central part of the western cyclonic gyre at the end of the winter in the 1960s–1970s and their deepening in the eastern cyclonic gyre from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s were revealed on the basis of archival hydrologic data obtained on the standard sections of the Black Sea in 1957–1992. It is shown that, simultaneously, the waters of the pycnocline descended in the Sevastopol anticyclone and rose in the Yalta and Batumi anticyclones. These tendencies indicate that the water circulation intensified in the region of the western cyclonic gyre (off the southwestern coast of the Crimea) and weakened in the vicinity of the eastern cyclonic gyre at the end of the winter season in the 1960s–1970s and in the 1960s–1980s, respectively. It is shown on the basis of NCEP reanalysis data and archival hydrometeorological data that all major circulation factors, such as a decrease in the cyclonic vorticity in the wind field during the winter season, changes in its spatial structure, an increase in the river discharge, and a decrease in the turbulent heat fluxes at the Black Sea surface, affect the energy redistribution between the gyres. The role of each of these factors is analyzed.     

Numerical analysis of the propagation and amplification of tsunami waves on the northwest shelf of the Black Sea

We perform the numerical analysis of the process of propagation of long waves in the northwest part of the Black Sea and consider ten possible zones of the seismic generation of tsunamis. The numerical analysis is performed on a grid with steps of 500 m. It is shown that the location of the tsunami source significantly affects the distribution of the heights of waves along the coast. As a rule, the most intense waves are formed in the closest part of the coast. The earthquakes in the South-Coast seismic zone do not lead to the formation of tsunamis in the west part of the sea. Only strong earthquakes in the northwest part of the sea can be responsible for noticeable oscillations of the Black-Sea level. The period of tsunamis near Odessa is close to 1 h and depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. In the region of Sevastopol, this period is 2--3 times smaller. In the major part of the coastal points, the extreme elevations and lowerings of the sea level do not exceed (in modulus) the initial displacements of the sea surface at the source of tsunamis. An intensification of waves emitted from the zones of generation located in the deeper part of the investigated region was observed for some parts of the Romanian coast and the west coast of Crimea. As the magnitude of the earthquake increases, the intensification of waves near the coast becomes more pronounced.     

Morphometric characteristics and ruggedness of the bottom topography in the north part of the Black Sea

On the basis of the data array of detailed echosounding surveys carried out from the research vessels of the Marine Hydrophysical Institute of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences and other institutions and the corresponding cartographic materials, we perform the numerical analyses of the morphometric characteristics of the bottom topography of the northwest shelf of the Black Sea and the underwater margin of the Crimea. We reveal the specific features of the main types of morphological structures and analyze the values of the bottom slopes and the vertical and horizontal ruggednesses of the bottom. The ruggedness of the bottom has a low-frequency character reflecting a noticeable smoothness of the topography. The large regional structures of the surrounding land represented by the East-European platform and the Crimean-Caucasian orogen directly affect the formation of topography in the analyzed region. The agreement between the contemporary digital data arrays on the bottom topography and the data of echosounding surveys in the Black Sea is estimated.