Statistical description of the Black Sea near-surface circulation using drifters in 1999–2003

Geostrophic currents and kinetic energies in the Black Sea estimated from merged drifter and satellite altimetry data

“…1c) depict the well known characteristics of the mean circulation in the upper layer of the BS suggested by several authors in the past (e.g. Korotaev et al, 2001;Poulain et al, 2005), including the RC, BE and SE. However they add new information about the seasonal and interannual characteristics of the surface circulation in the BS.…”

“…The interannual variability has 156 M. Menna and P.-M. Poulain: Geostrophic currents and kinetic energies in the Black Sea the strongest signature in the southeastern BS (Stanev et al, 2000). Globally, the kinetic energy levels were found higher in winter-spring and lower in summer-fall periods (Poulain et al, 2005).…”

“…The most exhaustive descriptions of the interannual, seasonal and mesoscale variability in the BS were obtained with satellite altimetry products (Stanev et al, 2000;Korotaev et al, 2001Korotaev et al, , 2003 and Lagrangian observations (Poulain et al, 2005). The BS surface circulation has a strong seasonal variability, with intensification of the cyclonic alongslope Rim Current (RC) in winter and attenuation in summer and fall (Stanev et al, 2000;Korotaev et al, 2001;Poulain et al, 2005).…”

“…The BS surface circulation has a strong seasonal variability, with intensification of the cyclonic alongslope Rim Current (RC) in winter and attenuation in summer and fall (Stanev et al, 2000;Korotaev et al, 2001;Poulain et al, 2005). The organised winter circulation gradually disintegrates into a series of interconnecting eddies in summer and fall, when the RC exhibits more pronounced and complex mesoscale activity (Korotaev et al, 2003).…”

“…Mesoscale eddies induce the process of exchange between shelf and open sea waters (Shapiro et al, 2010). The BE has a seasonal modulation with intense cyclonic circulation in winter and weaker (sometimes anticyclonic) rotation in the summer-fall period (Stanev et al, 2000;Poulain et al, 2005). The SE is characterised by low seasonal variability and has large sea level oscillations at the inter-and intraannual scales.…”