Examples of Approaches to Studying the Temperature Variability of Black Sea Shelf Waters with a Cluster of Temperature Sensor Chains

Abstract

The article describes a technique for studying the spatiotemporal variability of the temperature of the water medium in the Black Sea shelf zone using a cluster of anchored temperature sensor chains (thermoresister chains). The cluster consists of three spaced thermoresister chains situated on the inner shelf of the northeastern Black Sea and operating as a part of the Gelendzhik Site of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS). It is shown that the cluster makes it possible to effectively record the short-period spatiotemporal variability of the temperature field. The quantitative characteristics of this variability, as well as external factors determining it, are established. One of the factors is internal waves. The temperature variability can be used to determine the fluctuation amplitude, and recording these fluctuations at spaced thermoresistor chains makes it possible to find the velocity and propagation direction of internal waves. Some examples of recording trains of short-period internal waves are presented. Different methods are used to visualize the temporal variability of the vertical temperature distribution.