Shul’ga T.Y., Suslin V.V., Shukalo D.M., Ingerov A.V.
This paper proposes a method to retrieve water temperature and salinity in the Azov Sea using the results of hydrodynamic modeling, in situ data, and satellite images of the visible spectrum range. The results of simulations performed with the three-dimensional hydrodynamic model Princeton Ocean Model by atmospheric reanalysis SKIRON are presented. Long-term monthly average in situ measurements of temperature and salinity for the period 1913–2012 were used in the simulation as initial conditions. In situ data are used in the hydrodynamic model as initial temperature and salinity fields. The assimilation of these data into the model is based on long-term average values averaged for each month of measurements and grouped into arrays related to the surface, mid-sea and bottom layers of the sea. Preliminary in situ data analysis was performed, including a description of long-term seasonal variability of temperature and salinity in the Sea of Azov. The procedure for assimilation of satellite data from MODIS L2 into the hydrodynamic model based on the established relationship between the sea salinity and bio-optical features is suggested. The research shows the advantages of the proposed joint use of satellite data and the results of assimilation modeling to obtain continuous information on the thermohaline structure of water in the Sea of Azov.
