Some aspects of the deep abyssal overflow between the middle and southern basins of the Caspian Sea

Abstract

The present study investigates the deep gravity current between the middle and southern Caspian Sea basins caused by the density difference of deep waters. Oceanographic data, a numerical model and a dynamic model are used to consider the structure of this Caspian Sea abyssal overflow. The CTD data are obtained from UNESCO, and the three-dimensional COHERENS ocean model results are used to study the abyssal currents in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea. The deep overflow is driven by the density difference, which is mainly owing to the temperature difference, between the middle and southern basins, especially in winter. Due to cold weather in the northern basin, water sinks at high latitudes and after filling the middle basin it overflows into the southern basin. As the current passes through the Absheron Strait (or sill), we use the analytic model of Falcini and Salusti (2015) for the overflow gravity current to estimate the changes in the vorticity and potential vorticity of the flow over the Absheron sill; the effects of entrainment and friction are also considered. Due to the importance of the overflow with respect to deep water ventilation, a simple dynamical model of the boundary currents based on the shape of the Absheron Strait is used to estimate typical mass transport and flushing time; the flushing time is found to be about 15 to 20 years for the southern basin of the Caspian Sea. This timescale is important for the region's ecosystem and with respect to the impacts of pollution due to oil exploration. In addition, by reviewing the drilled oil and gas wells in the Caspian Sea, the results show that the deep overflow moves over some of these wells. Thus, the deep flow could be an important factor influencing oil pollution in the deeper region of the southern Caspian Sea.