The Influence of Atmospheric Fronts on Free and Forced Oscillations of the Water Level in the Sea of Azov

Abstract

The influence of inhomogeneous moving atmospheric pressure fields on currents and free and forced oscillations of the level of the Sea of Azov, induced by constant wind, is studied by the method of mathematical modeling. The hypothesis about the role played by a resonant mechanism in the occurrence of extremely high amplitudes of surge and seiche oscillations, generated by the baric field moving at a speed equal to that of a free long wave, is tested. It is found that, under the same wind, baric disturbances moving over the Sea of Azov induce forced oscillations, and after the disturbances stop, they induce free ones with amplitudes that are higher by 14% than those obtained at constant atmospheric pressure. It is shown that the baric front movement (speed and time of its movement are selected under the assumption that waves with maximum amplitudes are generated) plays an important role in the formation of the current structure and level oscillations in the Sea of Azov.