Numerical Modeling of the Black Sea Response to the Intrusion of Abnormally Cold Air in January 23–25, 2010

V. V. Efimov✉, D. A. Yarovaya

Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: vefim38@mail.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The work is aimed at studying the response of the Black Sea upper layer to the intrusion of cold air in January 23–25, 2010.

Methods and Results. The NOW coupled mesoscale sea – atmosphere model with the 1 km resolution was used to study the sea fields numerically. The change in sea surface temperature in January 23–25, 2010 resulted from the cold intrusion was reproduced. The basic factors which had influenced the change in the upper layer temperature, namely horizontal advection, cooling of the sea surface due to the sensible and latent heat fluxes and the impact of vertical turbulent mixing were considered and quantitatively assessed. The main changes that took place in the cold intermediate layer were investigated.

Conclusions. The change in vertical distribution of the monthly average temperature, salinity and density is considered based on the Copernicus reanalysis data for 2009–2010. The presence of a cold intermediate layer at the average depth 60 m in all the months except for the transitional winter-spring period is shown. The results of NOW modeling reveal the fact that decrease in the surface temperature over the most sea area occurred as a result of heat and mass exchange with the atmosphere. The influence of horizontal advection and mixing through the lower boundary of the cold intermediate layer was manifested only in certain small areas, in other words, it produced a local effect. Convective cooling spanned the upper mixed layer up to the depths about 40–45 m and amounted to ~ 1°С. Besides, it is shown that during the cold air intrusion, the depth of cold intermediate layer increased. The notion that the local cold waters in the shallow northwestern part of the sea are secondary as a source of formation of the cold intermediate layer has been confirmed. The density of colder, but less saline coastal water prevents its sinking to the upper boundary of cold intermediate layer.

Keywords

cooling, cold intermediate layer, mesoscale modeling, coupled model, sea surface temperature

Acknowledgements

The work was carried out within the framework of project FNNN-2024-0014 “Fundamental studies of interaction processes in the ocean-atmosphere system determining variability of physical state of marine environment at various spatiotemporal scales”.

Original russian text

Original Russian Text © V. V. Efimov, D. A. Yarovaya, 2024, published in MORSKOY GIDROFIZICHESKIY ZHURNAL, Vol. 40, Iss. 1, pp. 130–145 (2024)

For citation

Efimov, V.V. and Yarovaya, D.A., 2024. Numerical Modeling of the Black Sea Response to the Intrusion of Abnormally Cold Air in January 23–25, 2010. Physical Oceanography, 31(1), pp. 120-134.

References

  1. Korotaev, G.K., Knysh, V.V. and Kubryakov, A.I., 2014. Study of Formation Process of Cold Intermediate Layer Based on Reanalysis of Black Sea Hydrophysical Fields for 1971-1993. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 50(1), pp. 35-48. doi:10.1134/S0001433813060108
  2. Simonov, A.I., Ryabinina, A.I. and Gershanovich, D.E., eds., 1992. Hydrometeorology and Hydrochemistry of Seas in the USSR. Vol. IV. Black Sea. Issue 2. [Hydrochemical Conditions and Oceanographic Basis of Formation of Biological Productivity]. Saint-Petersburg: Gidrometoizdat, 219 p. (in Russian).
  3. Ivanov, V.A. and Belokopytov, V.N., 2013. Oceanography of the Black Sea. Sevastopol: ECOSI- Gidrofizika, 210 p.
  4. Kuklev, S.B., Zatsepin, A.G. and Podymov, O.I., 2019. Formation of the Cold Intermediate Layer in the Shelf-Slope Northeastern Part Zone of the Black Sea. Journal of Oceanological Research, 47(3), pp. 58-71. doi:10.29006/1564-2291.JOR-2019.47(3).5 (in Russian).
  5. Ovchinnikov, I.M. and Popov, Yu.I., 1987. Cold Intermediate Layer Formation in the Black Sea. Oceanology, 27(5), pp. 739-746 (in Russian).
  6. Piotukh, V.B., Zatsepin, A.G., Kazmin, A.S. and Yakubenko, V.G., 2011. Impact of the Winter Cooling on the Variability of the Thermohaline Characteristics of the Active Layer in the Black Sea. Oceanology, 51(2), pp. 221-230. doi:10.1134/S0001437011020123
  7. Titov, V.B., 2006. Zones of the Cold Intermediate Layer Formation and the Volume of Waters in the Black Sea Depending on Winter Severity. Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya, (6), pp. 62-68 (in Russian).
  8. Akpinar, A., Fach, B.A. and Oguz, T., 2017. Observing the Subsurface Thermal Signature of the Black Sea Cold Intermediate Layer with Argo Profiling Floats. Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 124, pp. 140-152. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2017.04.002
  9. Bruciaferri, D., Shapiro, G.I. and Wobus, F., 2018. A Multi-Envelope Vertical Coordinate System for Numerical Ocean Modelling. Ocean Dynamics, 68(10), pp. 1239-1258. doi:10.1007/s10236- 018-1189-x
  10. Bruciaferri, D., Shapiro, G., Stanichny, S., Zatsepin, A., Ezer, T., Wobus, F., Francis, X. and Hilton, D., 2020. The Development of a 3D Computational Mesh to Improve the Representation of Dynamic Processes: The Black Sea Test Case. Ocean Modelling, 146, 101534. doi:10.1016/j.ocemod.2019.101534
  11. Miladinova, S., Stips, A., Garcia-Gorriz, E. and Macias, M.D., 2018. Formation and Changes of the Black Sea Cold Intermediate Layer. Progress in Oceanography, 167, pp. 11-23. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2018.07.002
  12. Stanev, E.V., Peneva, E. and Chtirkova, B., 2019. Climate Change and Regional Ocean Water Mass Disappearance: Case of the Black Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124(7), pp. 4803-4819. doi:10.1029/2019JC015076
  13. Efimov, V.V., Komarovskaya, O.I. and Bayankina, T.M., 2019. Temporal Characteristics and Synoptic Conditions of Extreme Bora Formation in Novorossiysk. Physical Oceanography, 26(5), pp. 361-373. doi:10.22449/1573-160X-2019-5-361-373
  14. Efimov, V.V. and Yarovaya, D.A., 2014. Numerical Simulation of Air Convection in the Atmosphere during the Invasion of Cold Air over the Black Sea. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 50(6), pp. 610-620. doi:10.1134/S0001433814060073
  15. Iarovaia, D.A. and Efimov, V.V., 2018. Cloud Cells by Data of Satellite Measurements and Convective Energy Balance on Invasion of Cold Air into the Atmosphere over the Black Sea. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 54(9), pp. 1214-1222. doi:10.1134/S000143381809044X
  16. Samson, G., Masson, S., Lengaigne, M., Keerthi, M.G., Vialard, J., Pous, S., Madec, G., Jourdain, N.C., Jullien, S. [et al.], 2014. The NOW Regional Coupled Model: Application to the Tropical Indian Ocean Climate and Tropical Cyclone Activity. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 6(3), pp. 700-722. doi:10.1002/2014MS000324
  17. Iarovaia, D.A. and Efimov, V.V., 2021. Development of Cold Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in the Black Sea. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 57(4), pp. 413-424. doi:10.1134/S0001433821040228
  18. Efimov, V.V., Iarovaya, D.A. and Barabanov, V.S., 2023. Numerical Modelling of Upwelling near the South Coast of Crimea on 24–25 September 2013. Ecological Safety of Coastal and Shelf Zones of Sea, (1), pp. 6-19. doi:10.29039/2413-5577-2023-1-6-19

Download the article (PDF)