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BLACK SEA THERMOHALIN STRATIFICATION: PARTICULARITY AND RECENT CHANGES
Abstract
The Black Sea hydrological regime is impacted by external factors, which exerts effect on the sea surface in the process of interaction with the atmosphere and those confined to the lateral borders. The most pronounced features of the Black Sea thermohaline structure are large vertical contrasts in salinity (5 psu), temperature (20-C) and density (7 kg m-3); well-defined vertical asymmetry; existence of a cold intermediate layer during the warm half of the year with an absolute vertical temperature minimum, below which temperature inversion takes place; major contribution of salinity to density stratification. In view of the accelerated climate change, it is particularly important to consider the state and modification of the thermohaline balance, because it gives indications about the phase of basin evolution and climate change impact on the stability of stratification and associated risks. Therefore, the goal of the present study is to summarize the contemporary knowledge of the thermohaline structure and to illustrate the changes that have occurred during the period 1993-2022.
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