Energy Flows between the Mean Currents and the Mesoscale Eddies in the Eastern and Western Parts of the Black Sea

А. A. Pavlushin

Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

e-mail: pavlushin@mhi-ras.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The study consists in analyzing the energy flows between the currents of different scales in the eastern and western parts of the Black Sea.

Methods and Results. The energy balance components were determined based on the results of numerical calculation of current fields in the Black Sea performed using a two-layer eddy-resolving model subjected to a forcing of a wind with cyclonic vorticity. A complete non-stationary large-scale sea circulation was represented conventionally as a sum of mean currents and mesoscale eddies. Conversions between the kinetic and available potential energy, as well as the energy flows between the mean currents and the mesoscale eddies were calculated separately for the eastern and western parts of the Black Sea. Besides, the advective energy flows across the meridional boundary between two parts of the sea were also calculated.

Conclusions. The main contribution to the potential energy advective transfer from the eastern part of the Black Sea to its western part is made by the mesoscale eddies. This advective energy transfer results in arising of differences in the energy flow directions in the currents of different scales in the eastern and western parts of the sea. In the Black Sea eastern part, energy is transferred from the mean currents to the mesoscale eddies, whereas in its western part, a reverse energy flow is observed. It is shown that the kinetic energy exchange between the movements of different scales is provided by the Coriolis force work, which for the initial currents is equal to zero, but turns out to be non-zero separately for the mean flows and the mesoscale eddies.

Keywords

Black Sea, large-scale circulation, mean currents, mesoscale eddies, energy balance, energy flow, β-effect, Rossby waves

Acknowledgements

The study was carried out within the framework of state assignment FNNN- 2022-0003 “Development of operational oceanology methods based on interdisciplinary research of the processes of marine environment formation and evolution, and mathematical modelling using the data of remote and contact measurements”.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © А. A. Pavlushin, 2024, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 40, Iss. 1, pp. 108–129 (2024)

For citation

Pavlushin, А.A., 2024. Energy Flows between the Mean Currents and the Mesoscale Eddies in the Eastern and Western Parts of the Black Sea. Physical Oceanography, 31(1), pp. 99-119.

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