Hydrodynamics of Turkish Straits System
Summary
The Turkish Straits System, comprising the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles, forms the sole maritime corridor between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Its hydrodynamics are governed by a two-layer exchange flow: less saline surface water enters from the Mediterranean, while denser Black Sea water exits beneath. This bidirectional exchange creates sharp pycnoclines and strong stratification within the Marmara Sea, driving persistent jets and intense mixing zones. Wind forcing, freshwater input from rivers and seasonal heating modulate the depth and strength of the upper and lower layers, yielding variability from daily to interannual scales. Complex coastline geometry and constricted cross-sections focus energy into mesoscale eddies, which redistribute heat, salt and biogeochemical tracers. Numerical models with high-resolution unstructured meshes have elucidated the spatial patterns of eddy kinetic energy around headlands and islands, while synoptic and long-term simulations reveal the dominant role of wind stress in controlling exchange variability through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus. Understanding these processes is crucial for predicting regional climate impacts, managing marine ecosystems, assessing pollutant dispersal and ensuring safe navigation through one of the world’s busiest strategic waterways.
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Hydrodynamics of Turkish Straits System publication trend
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Technical terms
Exchange flow: Simultaneous surface inflow and subsurface outflow through a strait driven by density and sea-level gradients.
Pycnocline: A zone in the water column characterised by a rapid change in density with depth, separating distinct layers.
Stratification: The formation of discrete horizontal layers in a water body due to differences in density arising from temperature and salinity variations.
Eddy kinetic energy: The energy associated with turbulent circular currents or eddies, indicative of mixing intensity and flow variability.
Unstructured grid model: A numerical framework employing irregularly spaced mesh elements to represent complex geometries and capture fine-scale fluid dynamics.
References
- Circulation of the Turkish Straits System under interannual atmospheric forcing. Ocean Science (2018).
- Modeling of the Turkish Strait System Using a High Resolution Unstructured Grid Ocean Circulation Model. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (2021).
- Sensitivity Simulations of Wind-driven Water Circulation in İzmit Bay. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (2024).
- Water exchange in the Dardanelles: variations on synoptic to interannual time scales. Ocean Dynamics (2024).
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