Sea response to atmospheric variability. Model study for the Black Sea

A general circulation model for the Black Sea, based on the Bryan and Cox primitive equation model, is used to study the seaʹs response to atmospheric variability. The forcing is based on well-known bulk-formulas, model simulated sea surface temperatures and on atmospheric analysis data for temperature, relative humidity and winds. The climatology of the forcing and the model response are analyzed in different frequency ranges. Model data give strong indications that interannual variability can be easily traced in the behavior of the modelled averaged characteristics, particularly in the core of the intermediate layer, which is extremely sensitive to convection. Experiments with smoothed and non-smoothed atmospheric data show that short-period atmospheric variability, related to the atmospheric cyclones, is of paramount significance not only for the ocean convection, which has relatively short time scales, but also for some permanent and very important climatic characteristics, such as the water masses.