Mesoscale Cyclonic Eddies in the Black Sea Region

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution regional climate modeling and a specific detection method to identify and analyze various mesoscale cyclonic eddies in the Black Sea region over a 30-year period.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of the Ocubo-Weiss criterion for detecting and tracking mesoscale cyclonic eddies in the Black Sea region.

Findings

Identification of multiple types of cyclonic eddies

Statistics on eddy lifetime and intensity

Seasonal and diurnal cycle patterns

Abstract

Results of regional climate modeling PRECIS with high spatial resolution (25 km) were used to investigate mesoscale features of atmospheric circulation in the Black Sea Region for 30-yr period. Method based on Ocubo-Weiss criterion was used to detect and track subsynoptic eddies. Several types of cyclonic eddy were discovered and studied: winter Caucasian coastal, summer Caucasian off-shore, ambient cyclonic eddies, and rare quasitropical cyclones. For Caucasian eddies statistics of their life-time and intensity, as well as histograms of diurnal and seasonal cycles, are presented.