The Sea of Azov’s Hydrodynamic Response to Different Atmospheric Forcing Resolutions

This article is devoted to the analysis of the simulated meteorological and hydrodynamic characteristics of the Sea of Azov using the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model and INMOM (Institute of Numerical Mathematics Ocean Model). The goal is to investigate the sea’s response to atmospheric forcing using two different horizontal resolutions. A comparison of the atmospheric simulation results with available meteorological in situ data from the land-based hydrometeorological stations (HMSs) did not reveal any significant differences between the simulations with different atmospheric forcing resolutions. A spatiotemporal analysis of the WRF model and INMOM results showed the most prominent differences along the entire coastal zone, especially in Taganrog Bay, along the spits in the north part of the sea, and in the Kerch Strait. Here, the wind speed obtained at a high spatial resolution (3.3 km) was ~10–15% higher than that obtained at a coarse resolution (10 km), and the surface and bottom currents were up to ~40% and ~15% higher. In marine coastal zones, the greatest differences were noted in a band of ~5 km, and differences in the rest of the Sea of Azov were negligible. An analysis of the bottom current speed revealed the presence of a counter-current flowing into Taganrog Bay. This shows the necessity of using three-dimensional marine circulation models to study the Sea of Azov’s dynamics.