Абстракт
In this paper, we analyze seasonal and interannual variability of vertical turbulent diffusion coefficient (K-t). Our calculations are based on the time series from 2013 to 2016, obtained in the north-eastern Black
Sea within the depth range of 30-220 m by using an Aqualog profiler. The synchronized measurements included vertical profiles of sea temperature, conductivity, density, and current velocity. The calculations were
performed according to a well-known parameterization of vertical turbulent exchange coefficient based on the Richardson number, originally proposed by Munk and Anderson (1948). We found that strongest vertical mixing
occurred from October to March and was located above the isopycnals of 14.0-14.2, reaching the maximum of 8.8 x 10(-4) m(2)/s in December. In this period, K-t values exceeding 10(-4) m(2)/s were observed in the water
column down to the isopycnal of 15.0 and even below. Mixing intensity during the cold seasons of the year grew to 1.2 x 10(-4) m(2)/s in average, which was twice as high as that in the warm seasons. Analysis of temporal
variability of the mean surface kinetic energy (MKE), derived from altimetry data, showed a high correlation between the MKE and column-averaged K-t values on both seasonal and interannual time scales. The K-t variations
lagged those of MKE by about a month, probably owing to a gradual deepening of current jets and an increase of mixed layer depth from October to January.
Ключевые слова
VERTICAL TURBULENT EXCHANGE COEFFICIENT, TURBULENT MIXING, MEAN SURFACE KINETIC ENERGY, BLACK SEA