Currents of the Sea of Azov Based on Measurements and Spectral Analysis

Three states of water circulation in the Azov Sea based on previous studies and the results of studies in 2023–2024 are described. Pronounced diurnal radiational tides are typical for warm, windless times of the year, when breeze winds develop. Seiche currents often mix with tidal currents; therefore, it is difficult to observe the tidal structure in its pure form using current profiling. With fluctuations in wind parameters, the seiches of the Sea of Azov change rapidly both depending on the observation area and on the mode structure according to the cascade of scales. The strongest positive and negative water setups are inextricably bound up with the single-node mode, the currents of which are able to change the shapes of coastal accumulative bodies, such as beaches and spits, during one cycle. The features of such a system of currents are still unclear. The third state is transitional, which is observed when the wind intensifies.