Features of the Oxygen and Sulfide Vertical Distribution in the Black Sea Based on the Expedition Data Obtained by Marine Hydrophysical Institute in 1995–2015

S. I. Kondratev✉, A. V. Vidnichuk

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

✉ e-mail: skondratt@mail.ru

Abstract

Discussed are the features of the oxygen and sulfide vertical distribution resulted from the expedition data obtained by Marine Hydrophysical Institute in the northern part of the Black Sea (within the economic zone of Russia) in 1995–2015. In course of the last 20 years, the upper boundary of the sulfide zone in this area, defined by the sulfide isoline 3 μM, did not change its position in the scale of relative density and is located on σt = 16.10–16.15 kg/m3. Closer to the northwest shelf (in the area of the Sevastopol anticyclone), the hydrogen sulfide isoline 3 μM is slightly lifted to σt = 15.9–16.0 kg/m3; there is a single case when its position was recorded at σt = 15.85 kg/m3. Position of the suboxic zone upper boundary (the threshold oxygen isoline 10 μM) is characterized by spatial and temporal variability. During four expeditions in 2009–2013, in the region of the northwestern shelf the suboxic zone upper boundary was located, regardless of the season, within σt = 15.6–15.7 kg/m3. In November, 2013 in the deep sea part, the threshold oxygen isoline 10 μM was located on σt = 15.7 kg/m3, whereas in November, 2015 it was considerably higher: on σt = 15.35 kg/m3. The change of location of the threshold oxygen isoline 10 μM observed in 1995–2015 provides no possibility to assess unambiguously alteration of the suboxic zone thickness in the central part of the sea. Thus within the depths 1750–2000 m in the Black Sea, no significant increase of the sulfide content in 1995–2015 has been recorded.

Keywords

oxygen, sulfide, suboxic zone, hydrogen sulfide zone, Black Sea

Acknowledgements

The investigation is carried out within the framework of the state task on the theme № 0827-2018-0003 “Fundamental studies of the oceanologic processes conditioning the marine environment state and evolution under the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors based on the methods of observations and modeling (code “Oceanological processes”) and the theme № 0828-2018-0009 “Physical mechanisms of formation of spatial-temporal structural features of hydrochemical characteristics in different areas of the Black Sea active layer” (in the joint project “Interaction of physical, chemical and biological processes in the World Ocean”) state registration № AAAA-A18-118013190197-7 according to the state task № 007-00080-18-00 on 2018 and on the planning period on 2019 and 2020 according to the research plan of FSBSI “A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Marine Biological Researches, RAS” on 2018 – 2020.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © S. I. Kondratev, A. V. Vidnichuk, 2018, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 34, Iss. 5, pp. 422–433 (2018)

For citation

Kondratev, S.I. and Vidnichuk, A.V., 2018. Features of the Oxygen and Hydrogen Sulfide Vertical Distribution in the Black Sea Based on the Expedition Data Obtained by Marine Hydrophysical Institute in 1995–2015. Physical Oceanography, 25(5), pp. 390-400. doi:10.22449/0233-7584-2018-5-390-400

DOI

10.22449/0233-7584-2018-5-390-400

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