Changing coastal oceanography of the Black Sea II: Mediterranean effluent

This article describes the hydrography of the Northwestern Shelf (NWS), of the Black Sea emphasizing the changes induced by water management in the Dniejer and Dniester river basins. The existing literature and previously unpublished data have been reviewed and synthesized to describe water property fields and transport mechanisms of the NWS and the Dnieper and Dniester estuaries before the early 1960s, or the so-called precontrol period, when the effect of artificial river flow control upon the coastal waters was insignificant.After the hydroenergy complexes and water withdrawal and disposal systems on rivers became fully operational in the early 1970s (the so-called postcontrol period), the annual river discharge from the Dnieper and Dniester had noticeably decreased and seasonal river flow patterns had been artificially modified. Instead of a powerful and short early spring flood, typical for the natural conditions in the Dnieper river, the hydrographs in the postcontrol period exhibit two smaller peaks of river discharge of much longer period. One of them (winter-early spring) is caused by intense hydroenergy generation and weir discharges through the cascade of storage reservoirs. Another is associated with spring flood, modified by intense water consumption and storage in this period. High average river discharge in late May—early June strengthened the summer pycnocline which inhibits vertical mixing in the estuaries and coastal waters. Owing to a slow summer circulation, the rate of natural purification of the entire coastal system has been reduced. This coupled with the increased nutrient, organic and pollutant transport, decreased the dissolved-oxygen concentration and led to anoxic events and mass mortalities of marine organisms in the previously productive regions. These effects have primarily plagued the benthic communities along the entire western coast of the NWS since 1973.Winter convective overturn in the Black Sea reaches its maximum depth at the southern boundary of the NWS. Thus, the NWS waters descend beneath the seasonal and main thermoclines in the open sea and are spread by the prevailing currents across the entire sea in the cold intermediate layer (CIL). By this dynamic mechanism the projected man-made modifications in the riverine-estuarine systems of the NWS will affect and change the large-scale thermohaline structure and marine life of the Black Sea.     

Simulations of Hydrophysical Fields with High Spatial Resolution over the Northwestern Shelf of the Black Sea

Two numerical experiments on reconstructing velocity fields, sea level, temperature, and salinity were conducted with account for real atmospheric forcing in autumn 2007 using the Marine Hydrophysical Institute (MHI) hydrodynamic model with an open boundary (northwestern shelf) adjusted to the coastal region of the Black Sea. A high spatial resolution of 500 m and 1.6 km was used, while the bottom topography had a resolution of ~1.6 km. The higher spatial resolution made it possible to reconstruct detailed mesoscale and submesoscale structures of the hydrophysical fields in the upper and deep layers over the northwestern shelf and to obtain quantitative and qualitative characteristics of eddies and jets that are more accurate compared to previous calculations. It was shown that improvement of the spatial resolution up to a few hundred meters makes it possible to take into account the detailed bottom topography and shape of the coastline in the numerical model, which in turn yields a more accurate quantitative and qualitative reconstruction of the mesoscale and submesoscale properties of coastal circulation.     

Internal Waves in the Shelf Zone and near the Shelf Edge in the Black Sea

The data accumulated by a measuring complex equipped with a gradient-distributed temperature sensor in the course of towing in the shelf zone near the South Coast of the Crimea and in the region where the flow of the Rim Current crosses the shelf edge are used to analyze the energy and space characteristics of internal waves formed when the flow runs through the shelf edge and to study the process of their propagation both to the coast and to the open part of the sea.     

Experiment of Wind Wave Parameter Research on the Black Sea Shelf

The article presents information on the current experiment of research on wind wave parameters in the Black Sea coastal zone. Two wave-meter devices are the part of the measuring equipment of the Black Sea testing site Gelendzhik of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (IO RAS). The integral characteristics of wind waves accumulated and obtained in real time may be in demand by experts in operational and satellite oceanography.

     

Variability of Particulate Organic Phosphorus in the Northwestern Part of the Black Sea

Based on long-term (1985–1995) monitoring data, the paper considers the peculiarities of seasonal variability in the spatial and vertical distribution of particulate organic phosphorus (Р_POM) in the surface layer and in the photosynthetic zone in the northwestern Black Sea. Regression equations, experimental data, and satellite observations for the chlorophyll a concentration allowed us to evaluate the seasonal longterm (1979–1995) variability in Р_POM in the surface layer and photosynthesis zone. The ratios of the concentrations of particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll a are calculated and statistical estimates of seasonal changes in the Р_POM in the areas with different degrees of influence of river runoff and water of open seas are obtained. The consistency of intra-annual changes in the concentrations of Р_POM, chlorophyll a, and phytoplankton biomass is shown, which indicates the role of phytoplankton in the formation of Р_POM and in its intra- and interannual variability in the northwestern part of the sea. It is shown that long-term seasonal variations in Р_POM and related changes in the concentration of chlorophyll a depend on the variability of bulk river runoff, the extent of its abundance in the northwestern shelf, and regional hydrometeorological conditions.     

Intensive Internal Waves with Anomalous Heights in the Black Sea Shelf Area

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - A train of internal waves ~16 m in height and 101–131 m in length, abnormally large for the Black Sea, is studied. The measurements have been...     

东海陆架西北部地貌分类及沉积环境演变研究

根据多次海洋调查的多波束、表层沉积物资料及中法合作海洋地质调查的浅地层剖面资料,对东海陆架西北部的地貌进行详细分类,探讨该区环境演化规律。分析结果表明,该区存在潮流沙脊,潮流冲刷槽、暗礁等多种地貌形态;该区发育多期潮流沙脊,反映了本区晚更新世以来经历了多次海进和海退过程。     

Assessing Trends in Nutrient Concentrations in Coastal Shelf Seas: a Case Study in the Irish Sea

Single point time-series data collected in the Irish Sea since 1954 by Allen et al. (1998) have been re-evaluated using more recent data and areal winter surveys of the Celtic and Irish Seas. Survey data illustrate the heterogeneity of nutrient distributions with N (≈28 μM) and P (2·0 μM) enrichment of the eastern Irish Sea relative to the western Irish Sea (7–8 μM N and 0·7 μM P). Salinity nutrient relationships demonstrate distinct regional differences throughout the two seas. Trends in the Isle of Man time-series are unlikely to have resulted from changes in analytical procedures and personnel. Concerns over data quality cannot be resolved and there are no independent data to validate the time-series. Including more recent data shows P has declined since the late 1980s and N concentrations have remained stable since the mid 1970s. The absence of a Si trend is consistent with limited anthropogenic influence on riverine Si concentrations. Trends in N and P are consistent with changes in riverine concentrations of these two nutrients and the biogeochemical processes controlling their cycling in shelf waters. Denitrification is the most likely reason for offshore Irish Sea concentrations of N being lower than expected.     

Coastal upwelling in the Gelendzhik area of the Black Sea: Effect of wind and dynamics

Long series data of a thermistor chain in the Black Sea coastal zone near Gelendzhik were analyzed. A thermistor chain installed 1 km offshore and at a depth of 22 m. There are full and incomplete upwelling events observed. The study of upwelling genesis based on: wind speed data from the NCEP/CFSR reanalysis and Gelendzhik weather station, velocity and direction of coastal currents measured by ADCP profiler moored on the bottom near the thermistor chain. Over the whole observation period (warm seasons of 2013–2015), more than 40 events of upwelling were registered four of them were full upwellings, when presence of under-thermocline water was observed near the sea surface. For every upwelling event, conditions prior to the changes in thermic structure, were analyzed. It is found that full upwelling generally occur under synergistic wind and current forcing. Fairly strong forcing of one of these factors is sufficient for partial upwelling to occur.     

中法海洋卫星散射计近海岸海面风场反演研究

中法海洋卫星散射计(CSCAT)使用扇形波束旋转扫描体制,能够以多角度测量同一海面的雷达后向散射系数,并具有空间分辨率较高的特点。这为近海岸海面风场反演提供了新的机遇。本文介绍了CSCAT近海岸海面风场处理的主要流程和关键技术。特别地,在风场反演之前,利用一种矩形窗算术平均的方法将L1B级的高分辨率条带数据组合平均到相应的风矢量单元中,从而实现近海岸风场反演的快速预处理。通过对比CSCAT、欧洲先进散射计(ASCAT)以及美国QuikSCAT的近海岸风场,发现CSCAT风场的质量在离岸40 km以外区域具有良好的一致性,而在离岸40 km以内显著恶化。分析表明,CSCAT近海岸区域风场统计特征恶化的原因可能是由潜在的海冰污染引起的。总体而言,CSCAT的近海岸风场与模式背景风场和浮标风场都具有良好的一致性。     

Simulation of the Evolution of Wave Fields Induced by a Moving Cyclone over the Northwest Shelf of the Black Sea

The wave fields generated by cyclonic atmospheric disturbances in the region of the northwest shelf of the Black Sea are studied by using a σ-coordinate model. The problem is solved in the hydrostatic approximation with regard for nonlinearity and turbulent viscosity. To improve the space resolution of the model, we realize the procedure of embedded grids. It is shown that the action of a cyclone results in the formation of domains of pronounced surges whose shapes and location reflect the changes in the wind situation. The vertical structure of wave currents first depends only on the location of the atmospheric disturbance over the water area but, in the course time, begins to reflect specific features of the bottom topography.__________Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp. 42–54, January–February, 2005.     

Monitoring Anthropogenic Impact on Some Coastal Water Areas of the Black Sea Using Multispectral Satellite Imagery

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The results of comprehensive monitoring of anthropogenic impact on some coastal water areas of the Black Sea are presented. Multispectral satellite...     

东海大陆架区海胆分类研究

海胆是重要的大型海洋底栖生物类群之一，某些海胆既是人工养殖对象，又是捕捞对象。因此，对海胆进行分类研究，摸清其地理分布特点，对合理利用海胆资源以及生物多样性研究都可提供基本科学依据。 对我国海胆的分类学研究始于1948年，当时张凤瀛先生对青岛的6种海胆进行了描述(张凤瀛，1948)。1957年张凤瀛和吴宝铃先生对广东沿海的37种海胆进行了研究(张凤瀛等，1957)。张凤瀛先生等1964年在《中国动物图谱，棘皮动物门》中记录了30种我国常见海胆(张凤瀛等，1964)。廖玉麟先生在20世纪70年代对西沙群岛的棘皮动物进行了分类研究，其中包括26种海胆(廖玉麟，1978)。 中国科学院海洋研究所于1958-1982年在东海大陆架进行过多次的综合性海洋调查。调查范围:26°~33°45′N，122°~129°E。该海域的底栖生物种类繁多，多样性丰度高。本文对中国科学院海洋研究所历年采自东海大陆架的海胆进行了较系统的研究，共包括21种，隶属于7目、11科、17属。其中有11种在我国是首次记录。名录如下，有*者为新记录。     

Field Measurements of Sea Currents on the Mangistau Shelf of the Caspian Sea

Oceanology - The pilot Kazakhstan–Russia project provided the first systematic data in a long time on coastal currents in one of the least studied areas of the Caspian Sea, namely the...     

Trophic Characteristics of Mnemiopsis leidyi and Its Impact on the Plankton Community in Black Sea Coastal Waters

Oceanology - The quantitative development of Mnemiopsis leidyi, the species structure of mesoplankton, and the food spectrum of ctenophores were studied in the shelf zone off the Crimean coast of...     

Examples of Approaches to Studying the Temperature Variability of Black Sea Shelf Waters with a Cluster of Temperature Sensor Chains

Oceanology - The article describes a technique for studying the spatiotemporal variability of the temperature of the water medium in the Black Sea shelf zone using a cluster of anchored temperature...     

亚得里亚海Po陆架上的现代沉积

在地质年代中,陆缘海是主要的沉积环境,其活跃的沉积作用形成了大量地层保存于古沉积岩中。为了准确解释古地层形成过程与事件,对现代沉积过程（本文定义〈100a）的深刻理解至关重要,因此,对亚得里亚海沉积作用的研究是一次非常有益的探索。