Numerical Study of Storm Surge Processes and Currents of the Sea of Azov During a Period of Extreme Winds

L. V. Cherkesov1, T. Ya. Shul’ga1, ✉, N. N. Dyakov2, R. R. Stanichnaya1

1 Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

2 Sevastopol Branch of the N.N. Zubov State Oceanographic Institute, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: shulgaty@mail.ru

Abstract

Magnitudes of storm surge fluctuations of the Azov Sea level occurring in this region during extreme winds and called "chernomorka" (reverse surface wind) are studied. These phenomena constitute a reason of floods in the coastal regions of the sea and the Taganrog Bay. Having been analyzed, the simulation results and the observation data of the sea level regime show their good compliance for the periods of strong storm cyclones moving from the northeast of the Black Sea. Interrelation between the parameters of the eastern and western storm winds observed in the Sea of Azov during the strong storms in 2013–2014 and the amplitudes both of the current velocities and the sea level fluctuations are defined. Hydrodynamic simulation is performed using the three-dimensional nonlinear Princeton Ocean Model (POM); at that real atmospheric forcing SKIRON corresponding to extreme storms is preset. Study of the storm surge frequency in different regions of the Azov Sea reveals the fact that the regions both of the sea eastern coast and the Taganrog Bay are exposed to catastrophic surges. Analysis of the currents induced by the storm winds demonstrates that in the sea surface layer the currents’ maximum velocity exceeds 2 m/s (2.12 m/s in March, 2013 and 2.45 m/s in September, 2014). At the same time, the current velocities in the sea bottom layer achieving 0.59 and 0.44 m/s can cause intense lithodynamic processes in the coastal zone. The Taganrog Bay is subjected to the most intense forcing of the surge processes at the extreme winds over the Sea of Azov; at that the maximum sea level deviations here mount to 1.8 m.

Keywords

the Sea of Azov, the Taganrog Bay, sea level, extreme winds over the Sea of Azov, currents, surge phenomena processes, numerical simulation, storm cyclones

For citation

Cherkesov, L.V., Shul’ga, T.Ya., Dyakov, N.N. and Stanichnaya, R.R., 2017. Numerical Study of Storm Surge Processes and Currents of the Sea of Azov During a Period of Extreme Winds. Physical Oceanography, (5), pp. 3-18. doi:10.22449/1573-160X-2017-5-3-18

DOI

10.22449/1573-160X-2017-5-3-18

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