Influence of Long-Term Changes in the Large-Scale Sea Level Pressure Field on the Wind Regime and the Wind Stress Curl in the Black Sea

I. G. Shokurova✉, A. A. Kubryakov, M. V. Shokurov

Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: igshokurova@mail.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The paper is aimed at studying the relationship between the wind regime and the wind stress curl in the Black Sea and the long-term changes in the large-scale sea level pressure field in winter months.

Methods and Results. The data on wind speed and sea level pressure in January – February from the NCEP/NСAR reanalysis for 1948–2018 are used. Based on the 6-hour data, the synoptic conditions accompanied by high and low values of the wind stress curl in the sea were determined. The synoptic situations in which a vast anticyclone is located north and northeast of the sea, and the area of low pressure – to the southwest of the sea in the Mediterranean region, are accompanied by the northeast and east winds, and by the cyclonic curl predominance. On the contrary, passing of the cyclones to the north of the sea and increase of pressure to the southwest are followed by the westerly and southwesterly winds, and by the anticyclonic curl predominance. Extremely high monthly mean values of the cyclonic curl were observed in those years, when the area occupied by the Siberian anticyclone increased and expanded westward, so that the Black Sea was on the southwestern periphery of its spur. Extremely low values of the anticyclonic curl were noted when the Azores anticyclone area expanded to the Mediterranean region. The wind stress curl changes on the multidecadal scales have shown its relation to the global changes in the field of the sea level pressure and the sign of the pressure anomalies at the low latitudes.

Conclusions. The opposite sign of the surface pressure anomalies to the northeast and southwest of the sea is accompanied by the highest values of the wind stress curl.

Keywords

Black Sea, sea level pressure, wind direction, wind stress curl, long-term variability

Acknowledgements

The investigation was carried out within the framework of the state tasks No. 0827-2019-0001 “Fundamental studies of processes of interaction in the ocean – atmosphere system which determine the regional spatial-temporal variability of the natural environment and climate” and No. 0555-2021-0006 “Development of innovative methods and software, data processing and technical means of research of hydrophysical, biogeochemical, optical characteristics of the marine environment, including remote sensing methods”.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © I. G. Shokurova, A. A. Kubryakov, M. V. Shokurov, 2021, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 37, Iss. 2, pp. 179-194 (2021)

For citation

Shokurova, I.G, Kubryakov, A.A. and Shokurov, M.V., 2021. Influence of Long-Term Changes in the Large-Scale Sea Level Pressure Field on the Wind Regime and the Wind Stress Curl in the Black Sea. Physical Oceanography, 28(2), pp. 165-179. doi:10.22449/1573-160X-2021-2-165-179

DOI

10.22449/1573-160X-2021-2-165-179

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