Climatic Fluxes of Bottom Sediments in the Sea of Azov

B. V. Divinsky✉, R. D. Kosyan

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: divin@ocean.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The work is aimed at obtaining a general picture of sediment transport in the Sea of Azov over a climatic period.

Methods and Results. The research was carried out by the numerical modeling methods using modern hydrodynamic and wave models, as well as the sediment transport model that takes into account the combined effects of sea currents and wind waves. The Azov Sea hydrodynamic parameters for 42 years – from 1979 to 2020 – were calculated. The output database consists of the hourly spatial fields of the currents’ velocities and directions on five σ -horizons, integral characteristics of the wind waves (heights, periods and directions of propagation), sea levels and the bottom matter fluxes. The total length of the array makes it possible to analyze in detail the individual hydrodynamic situations and seasonal features, and also to make climatic generalizations. The carried out studies resulted in obtaining a qualitative idea of the bottom sediments global (sea-scale) transport in the Sea of Azov.

Conclusions. Climatic features of the bottom sediment transport in the Sea of Azov are the following: 1) the main flux is formed as an extensive cyclone that covers the central part of the sea and involves bottom sediments from the western and eastern parts of the sea coast; 2) on the northern coast, near the tip of the Obitochnaya Spit, there are two flows: the first one, predominant, is from the Berdyanskaya Spit, and the second one, less pronounced, is from the Fedotov Spit; the resulting flux forms extensive shoals to the south of the Obitochnaya Spit; 3) the strongest fluxes are formed at the Berdyanskaya and Obitochnaya spits, as well as in the area of the Dolgaya Spit.

Keywords

mathematical modeling, Sea of Azov, currents, wind waves, sediment flows, bottom sediments

Acknowledgements

The problem was stated within the framework of the Russian Science Foundation project No. 20-17-00060, mathematical modeling and computations were done with the support of the RFBR grant No. 20-05-00009. The results were analyzed in accordance with the theme of state assignment No. 0128-2021-0013.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © B. V. Divinsky, R. D. Kosyan, 2022, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 38, Iss. 3, pp. 312-323 (2022)

For citation

Divinsky, B.V. and Kosyan, R.D., 2022. Climatic Fluxes of Bottom Sediments in the Sea of Azov. Physical Oceanography, 29(3), pp. 291-302. doi:10.22449/1573-160X-2022-3-291-302

DOI

10.22449/1573-160X-2022-3-291-302

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