The effect of straits on mesoscale variability in the Azov–Black Sea basin

The effect of straits on mesoscale variability in the Azov–Black Sea basin | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The effect of straits on mesoscale variability in the Azov–Black Sea basin Korotaev Gennady, Mizyuk Artem This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7942442/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This paper describes a regional configuration of the NEMO modeling framework for the Azov-Black Sea basin with a regular horizontal grid and a resolution of approximately 1.2 km. The same resolution is applied to reproduce water exchange through the Kerch and Bosporus straits. The simulation for the narrow Bosporus Strait is carried out with the use of the “partially closed cell” technique. The regional configuration is used to simulate mesoscale variability in the Azov-Black Sea basin forced with the ERA5 reanalysis and spanning the period of 2008–2009. The proposed configuration allows the reproduction of major observed features of Black Sea stratification and current variability. Additionally, the model approach reasonably well reproduces currents structure and their variability in both the Bosporus Strait and the Kerch Strait. Furthermore, a comparison of the simulation results with the ADCP observations obtained from autumn 2008–winter 2009 in the different parts of the Bosporus Strait revealed good consistency in the intensities of upper and lower layer transport. Additionally, the model reproduces the observed events of upper and lower current blockings rather well. The simulation revealed that events involving intense inflow of more saline water to the Black Sea basin can result in the formation of lens-like structures similar to Meddies in the Atlantic Ocean. These structures are rather stable and can be traced over long periods of time. A comparison of the high spatial resolution simulation results with space imagery also reveals a realistic representation of the variability in water exchange through the Kerch Strait and related mesoscale features in the Black and Azov Seas. Thus, the application of the high-resolution Azov-Black Sea model together with the relatively simple representation of the Bosporus and Kerch strait dynamics is very efficient for the accurate description of basin mesoscale variability. Black Sea Bosporus NEMO Water exchange Azov Sea Kerch Strait Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 24 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 05 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 30 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 28 Oct, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 28 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 24 Oct, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7942442","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":542129766,"identity":"ed046444-816c-41d1-9492-5bef4ee4b786","order_by":0,"name":"Korotaev Gennady","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Korotaev","middleName":"","lastName":"Gennady","suffix":""},{"id":542129767,"identity":"3892f416-670e-4108-9cbb-c26b75a829e4","order_by":1,"name":"Mizyuk 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basin","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"ocean-dynamics","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"odyn","sideBox":"Learn more about [Ocean Dynamics](https://link.springer.com/journal/10236)","snPcode":"10236","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/10236/3","title":"Ocean Dynamics","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Black Sea, Bosporus, NEMO, Water exchange, Azov Sea, Kerch Strait","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7942442/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7942442/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis paper describes a regional configuration of the NEMO modeling framework for the Azov-Black Sea basin with a regular horizontal grid and a resolution of approximately 1.2 km. The same resolution is applied to reproduce water exchange through the Kerch and Bosporus straits. The simulation for the narrow Bosporus Strait is carried out with the use of the \u0026ldquo;partially closed cell\u0026rdquo; technique. The regional configuration is used to simulate mesoscale variability in the Azov-Black Sea basin forced with the ERA5 reanalysis and spanning the period of 2008\u0026ndash;2009.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe proposed configuration allows the reproduction of major observed features of Black Sea stratification and current variability. Additionally, the model approach reasonably well reproduces currents structure and their variability in both the Bosporus Strait and the Kerch Strait. Furthermore, a comparison of the simulation results with the ADCP observations obtained from autumn 2008\u0026ndash;winter 2009 in the different parts of the Bosporus Strait revealed good consistency in the intensities of upper and lower layer transport. Additionally, the model reproduces the observed events of upper and lower current blockings rather well.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe simulation revealed that events involving intense inflow of more saline water to the Black Sea basin can result in the formation of lens-like structures similar to Meddies in the Atlantic Ocean. These structures are rather stable and can be traced over long periods of time.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA comparison of the high spatial resolution simulation results with space imagery also reveals a realistic representation of the variability in water exchange through the Kerch Strait and related mesoscale features in the Black and Azov Seas.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThus, the application of the high-resolution Azov-Black Sea model together with the relatively simple representation of the Bosporus and Kerch strait dynamics is very efficient for the accurate description of basin mesoscale variability.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The effect of straits on mesoscale variability in the Azov–Black Sea basin","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-10 08:25:26","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7942442/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-16T09:06:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-05T17:12:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"73196516307064759414465670130785551731","date":"2025-11-24T10:35:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"45586110434716561708886431498300375315","date":"2025-11-05T06:17:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"76360604060413940574671223761587433809","date":"2025-10-30T10:36:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-30T09:00:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-28T04:31:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-28T04:29:37+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Ocean Dynamics","date":"2025-10-24T16:54:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"ocean-dynamics","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"odyn","sideBox":"Learn more about [Ocean Dynamics](https://link.springer.com/journal/10236)","snPcode":"10236","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/10236/3","title":"Ocean Dynamics","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c38b0eb2-f288-454e-bb93-395a4eeee9ee","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 10th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-19T08:26:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-10 08:25:26","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7942442","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7942442","identity":"rs-7942442","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}