Using a lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler for measuring current velocities in the Black Sea

The results obtained with the use of a lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler (LADCP) are presented. The use of the LADCP from a vessel was the first in the history of the study of the Black Sea. The measurements were carried out in the northeastern Black Sea under the auspices of the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Program (BSERP) in May 2004. The effect of the computation parameters on the quality and accuracy of the calculations of velocity profiles was studied. It was shown that the use of optimal parameters and reliable navigation data and setting the instrument as close to the bottom as possible could essentially enhance the accuracy of the measurements. The current velocity calculations from the LADCP data were compared with the data on the vessel drift under calm weather. The accuracy of the calculations reached 6–8 cm/s. Recommendations on the choice of the optimal parameters for processing the data on the current velocity are presented.