Simulations of currents and pollution transport in the coastal waters of Big Sochi

We suggested a method for modelling the transport of pollutants over the Black Sea water basin adjacent to Big Sochi. The model is based on the application of the Institute of Numerical Mathematics Ocean Model (INMOM) over the entire basin of Big Sochi in two versions: M1 and M2. In the first version, we use uniform spatial resolution of the model with a step of ～4 km; in the M2 version, the resolution is not uniform. The step decreases to 50 m in the basin of Big Sochi. The M2 version is used only in the periods when pollution transport is simulated, for which the initial hydrothermodynamic state is specified from the M1 version. Both versions reflect a complex character of Black Sea circulation; however, the M2 version more adequately reproduces the eddy circulation in its eastern part, where the horizontal resolution of the M2 version is higher. A conclusion is made on this basis that, in order to reproduce the eddy structure of the Black Sea circulation, the resolution of the model should be on the order of 1.5 km and the main factor of the formation of the quasi-stationary Batumi anticyclonic eddy is the topographic peculiarities in this part of the sea. The pollution spreading from the Sochi, Khosta, and Mzymta rivers and from 18 pipes of deep-water sewage was simulated for the flood periods from April 1, 2007, to April 30, 2007. It was shown that mesoscale eddy formations that form a complex three-dimensional structure of pollution spreading make the greatest contribution to the spread of pollution.