Spatial structure of the total suspended matter concentrations in the northern Black Sea in autumn 2018 according to contact observations

Abstract

The results of hydrological and hydro-optical researches carried out in the autumn of 2018 in the Black Sea northern part off the coast of the Crimea and the Caucasus are presented. The features of the spatial distribution of the total suspended matter and their relationship with hydrological parameters are revealed. It is shown that the minimum concentration of the total suspended matter was observed in the western part of the study area. An increase in the concentration of total suspended matter was noted off the coast of the Caucasus, which is associated with the alongshore transport of the Rim Current of turbid and freshened waters of numerous rivers (Rioni, Inguri, etc.). The highest concentrations of suspended matter were found in the coastal zone to the south of the Kerch Peninsula due to the agitation of the bottom and coastal suspensions under the influence of storm conditions. The vertical structure of the concentration of total suspended matter was characterized by a well-pronounced maximum, the depth of which was close to the depth of maximum vertical gradients of temperature and density. The greatest depths of maximum concentration of suspended matter and vertical temperature gradients (40–45 m) were observed to the west of the Heraclean Peninsula in the anticyclonic gyre, the minimum (up to 5–10 m) – in the open deep-sea survey part closer to the central parts of the large-scale Eastern cyclical gyre.