Emil Vassilev Stanev

Turbulent Mixing due to Surface Waves Indicated by Remote Sensing of Suspended Particulate Matter and Its Implementation into Coupled Modeling of Waves, Turbulence, and Circulation

This paper studies the impact of the surface waves on the turbulent mixing. The satellite observations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) at the ocean surface as an indicator of turbulent quantities of the flow are used. In a water column, SPM builds a vertical profile depending on settling velocities of the particles and on vertical mixing processes; thus, SPM is a perfect marker to study the turbulent quantities of the flow. Satellite observations in the North Sea show that surface SPM concentrations, in locations of its deposition, grow rapidly and build plume-shaped, long (many kilometers) uninterrupted and consistent structures during a storm. Also, satellites reveal that SPM rapidly sinks to the seabed after the storm peak has passed and wave height decreases (i.e., in the absence of strong turbulence). The nonbreaking wave-induced turbulence has been discussed, parameterized, and implemented into an equation of evolution of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in the frame of mean-flow concept, which can be used in existing circulation models. The ratio between dissipated and total wave energy is used to describe the influence of wave damping on the mean flow. The numerical tests reproduce experiments in a wave tank very well and are supported by observations of SPM in the North Sea. Their results show that the motion of an individual nonbreaking wave includes turbulent fluctuations if the critical Reynolds number for wave motion is exceeded, independent of the presence of currents due to wind or tides. These fluctuations can produce high diffusivity and strongly influence mixing in the upper water layer of the ocean.

Local and remote response of the North Sea dynamics to morphodynamic changes in the Wadden Sea

The response of the tidal system in the southern North Sea to morphodynamic changes was investigated in a modelling study using fine resolution bathymetric observations available for 1982–2011. The Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydroscience Integrated System Model (SCHISM) was set up for the different sets of bathymetries. One set of bathymetry was compiled from a large number of bathymetric measurements over many years, while the other two reflected bathymetry state in the area of Wadden Sea during 2000 and 2011, respectively. The temporal and spatial evolution of bathymetry was dominated by migration of tidal channels. The M4 tide showed larger sensitivity to bathymetric change in the Wadden Sea than the M2 tide, whereas the structure of the latter remained rather robust. The largest change of the tidal wave due to the differences in bathymetries was located off the North Frisian Wadden Sea. Traces of changes were also found far away from the regions of their origin because the tidal waves in the North Sea propagate the local disturbances basin-wide. This illustrated an efficient physical mechanism of teleconnectivity, i.e. effecting the local responses to the larger-scale or remote change of ocean bottom caused by erosion and deposition. The tidal distortion resulting from the relatively small bathymetric changes was substantial, particularly in the coastal zone. This is a manifestation of the nonlinear tidal transformation in shallow oceans and is crucial for the sediment transport and the morphodynamic feedback, because of the altered tidal asymmetry.

Interactions between wind and tidally induced currents in coastal and shelf basins

This paper addresses the impact of atmospheric variability on ocean circulation in tidal and non-tidal basins. The data are generated by an unstructured-grid numerical model resolving the dynamics in the coastal area, as well as in the straits connecting the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The model response to atmospheric forcing in different frequency intervals is quantified. The results demonstrate that the effects of the two mechanical drivers, tides and wind, are not additive, yet non-linear interactions play an important role. There is a tendency for tidally and wind-driven circulations to be coupled, in particular in the coastal areas and straits. High-frequency atmospheric variability tends to amplify the mean circulation and modify the exchange between the North and the Baltic Sea. The ocean response to different frequency ranges in the wind forcing is area-selective depending on specific local dynamics. The work done by wind on the oceanic circulation depends strongly upon whether the regional circulation is tidally or predominantly wind-driven. It has been demonstrated that the atmospheric variability affects the spring-neap variability very strongly.

Numerical Modelling of Biogeochemical Regime Response to Decadal Atmospheric Variability During 1960–2000 in the Black Sea

Based on an analysis of observations and one-dimensional coupled hydrophysical biogeochemical model, long-term variability of the physical and biogeochemical structure of oxic and suboxic layers in the Black Sea is studied here. The correlation between large-scale atmospheric forcing [2 m air temperature, surface level pressure, surface wind and North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) index] and local responses is the main point. The comparison of model performance with respect to spatial and temporal distribution of biogeochemical variables against observed vertical distribution patterns is quite good. It is demonstrated that during 1960–2000, the long-term variability of winter-mean-simulated SST in the Black Sea is reasonably well correlated with the variability of 2 m air temperature. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the thermal state of the upper ocean impacts largely the variability of concentration of biogeochemical variables, such as oxygen and nitrate. The teleconnection between NAO and Black Sea biogeochemistry manifests differently for the periods 1960–2000. The corresponding regime shifts are also associated in a vital way with the large-scale forcing.