Calculation of the Average Specific Heat Flux in the Waters of the Gelendzhik Region of the Black Sea Due to Solar Radiation

The mean decadal specific heat flux induced by solar radiation into the seasonal thermocline layer, depending on the thickness of the upper mixed layer, was calculated for the waters of the Black Sea research site of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, from April to September. A regional spectral model was calibrated and validated using in situ measurements of the hydrooptical characteristics. The calculations were performed for clear sky conditions, while the influence of cloud cover was assessed through continuous measurements of surface irradiance. The results can be used to refine thermal stratification models for Black Sea coastal waters.