The Sea of Azov is radically different from other seas on the planet. Not only does it not have a direct connection with the ocean, but it is also separated from it by two intermediate bodies of water - the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Communication with the salty waters of the planet is carried out through a narrow Kerch Strait. Its width is only 4 km (at the Taman Bay 15 km). The length reaches 45 km, and maximum depth barely reaches 18 meters. Only through this narrow place can you get to the Black Sea expanses, and only then to the vast expanse of the Mediterranean.
The tides are very small. The salinity of the Baltic Sea is very low compared to the salts of other seas or oceans; it can be considered intermediate between fresh and salt water. This is due to the high latitude, combined with a large reserve fresh water of many rivers, due to the aforementioned narrowness of its connection with the ocean, it is very difficult to evacuate and renew with salt water.
This low salinity has strong biological consequences, with many various types from their counterparts in other seas. The Celtic Sea is an area of the Atlantic Ocean located on south coast Ireland. Located to the east of the St George's Canal, the Bristol Channel and the English Channel, as well as the surrounding parts of the country of Wales, Cornwall, Devon and Brittany. Today the name is commonly used by workers in the oil and gas industry. fishing industry. The southern and western limits are less well defined.
The length of the reservoir reaches 360 km, and the maximum width is 180 km. The area of the water surface is 39 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water reaches 290 cubic meters. km. And the depth for the sea is small. The deepest places reach only 14 meters, and the average depth is 7.5 meters. The length of the coastline is 2686 km. That is, the reservoir is very small and shallow. The bottom is flat, the banks are low, and only on the southern coast are there hills. From the shore the depth increases gradually. In winter, the sea is covered with a crust of ice. This usually happens in January, rarely in December.
The North Sea is an open sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark to the east, with the British Isles to the west, and Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France to the south. The Skagerrak is a kind of bay to the east of the sea, which connects it with the Baltic through the Kattegat; It is also connected to the Baltic Sea via the Kiel Canal. The Canal Channel connects it to the rest of the Atlantic to the south, while to the north it connects via Norway, the name that the sea north of Shetland takes.
Coast Sea of Azov
Climate
Taking into account the fact that the reservoir is small and surrounded on all sides by land, its climate is continuous with cold winters and hot, dry summers. In autumn and winter, the weather is affected by strong influence Siberian anticyclone. It brings with it dry and cold air from Siberia. At the same time, the wind speed reaches 4-7 m/s with gusts up to 15 m/s. Such a guest can reduce the usual winter temperature of minus 1-5°C to minus 30°C. The average summer temperature is 23-25°C, and the maximum can reach 40°C. Precipitation in summer is 1.5 times more than in winter.
The tides are quite irregular as one flows from the north and another from the south. There is a lot of rain and fog throughout the year, and there are violent storms from the northwest that make navigation dangerous. It is a very shallow sea with an average depth of 95 meters: the fact that on the shore of Dogger, in the middle of the sea and at a depth of about 25 meters, the remains of mammoths were found to prove that during last glaciation or It was covered with ice or floated up well. With the thaw, the bank became a kind of last island redoubt.
IN Ancient century this sea was known as Oceanus or Mare Germanicum. It is believed that the current name originated from the point of view of the Frisian Islands, from where it was entirely to the north and in contrast South Sea. Ultimately, the current name was imposed, so that it already prevailed in the modern era. According to official languages surrounding states, it is called Mer du Nord on French, Noordsee in Dutch, Noordsee in German, Nordsjön on Swedish Nordsjön on Danish, Nordsjøen in the Norwegian and North Sea in English.
As for the water temperature, in winter months it stays at 0-1°C and 2-3°C in the Kerch Strait. In summer water surface warms up to 24-25°C with a maximum of 28°C in the open sea and 30°C offshore. IN summer period the surface of the sea is warmer than the air. Since the Sea of Azov is shallow, the temperature decreases by only 1°C with depth. In cold winters the difference reaches 5-7°C.
Water transparency in the Sea of Azov
In Frisian it is said Nardsee, and in Scottish Gaelic it is Mhuir en Tuath. When the conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine, in the south, it was at the level of Shyrokin, a city wedged between Azov and Donetsk cities that the front line began to waver. Finally, after a period of uncertainty and fighting, Shirokin came to the fore, probably for a moment.
We were a dozen journalists who requested access to the area. Kyiv appointed a press officer to escort us to the area. We waited almost two hours at a checkpoint before heading to the Ukrainian positions, a painful climb up the region's hills to Lada. We then reached a new position, still under construction, just before the city was taken by the Ukrainians. Excavators dug trenches and army trucks brought in tree trunks, then cut them and placed them on containers buried several meters underground.
Winds cause storms. In this case, the waves reach high altitude. For example, in the Taganrog Bay they can be up to 6 meters in height. On the southern coast, the wave usually does not exceed 2-4 meters, and in the Kerch Strait it reaches only 1 meter. In the open sea, waves 1-2 meters high, sometimes 3 meters, are common.
The reservoir is characterized by frequent seiches. These are standing waves observed in enclosed bodies of water. They are the result resonant phenomena. That is, the waves are reflected from the shore, superimposed on each other (interference) and amplified if their oscillation amplitude coincides. The lifespan of such a wave reaches several hours. Visually, this looks like the absence of a wave moving from one place in the water basin to another. Instead, there is a gentle wave that rises and falls in the same place. In this case, the top of the wave constantly alternates with its base.
Sea of Azov. Minerals
Containers offered by Mariupol dockers. Everything was supposed to protect the soldiers from artillery fire. The Separatist positions were down the plain towards the sea and fired a few bullets from time to time. But at that time, Shirokin was a separatist by day, a Ukrainian by night, and vice versa. The snipers made the law, residents were evacuated from the center. Half an hour later, a man agreed to take us near the city, one kilometer from the entrance to the city. The car frame sat down next to the sign “Shyrokine, 1 km”, approaching the bush, we ran, despite the fact that three Ukrainian snipers surprised us at work.
In addition to seiches, there are water vortices. In this case, the water flow prevails counterclockwise due to the western and southwestern winds. The speed of such water movements usually does not exceed 10 cm/s, but if the wind is strong, it can reach up to 60-70 cm/s. In bays, such flows are usually controlled by river flows and directed away from the shore. In the Kerch Strait, the flow is directed towards the Black Sea, since northern winds prevail in these places. Its speed reaches 10-20 cm/s. IN bottlenecks reaches 30-40 cm/s.
They had the fear of their lives, the soldier who accompanied us was entitled to a blower worthy of the name. A year later, with my friend photographer Olya, we asked for access to the officer in charge of the press. 
Sachi had great career in the army. Late in his career, a few weeks ago, he asked the staff if he could be in charge of the press. Several checkpoints now protect the entrance, and the entire area is protected by concrete block walls. Sasha found us our car, an old car of some Soviet brand whose driver had been driving for a long time.
Low salinity of water contributes to its freezing in winter. The ice crust in the north can reach up to 7 km, and in the south up to 1.5 km. Ice can cover the water any time from December to mid-March. But these days, this has become a rarity due to the general warming of the planet. But in the XVIII and 19th centuries this was the norm. Back in the 70s of the 20th century, the reservoir froze every year in early February. The thickness of the ice reached 30-40 cm, and in the area of the Taganrog Bay it reached 60-80 cm. The ice cover has always been characterized by instability. But be that as it may, navigation always stopped during the winter months.
We cross Mariupol from west to east to reach a closed area, a few kilometers from the outskirts of the city. The child answers. Annoyed, our officer calls and asks the soldier to join us. Olya is trying to negotiate with a young soldier. “We have a base concert this afternoon, so no one is going to the base,” he replies. The soldiers are simply ashamed to appear before the concert.
Sea of Azov. Description and characteristics
An old green van arrives at full speed and goes through the checkpoint. They are volunteers who come to the concert. The soldiers are assembled in an old villa overlooking the sea, now partially destroyed. The glass living room is blown, two tanks are stored in next room, which is now alone with a garage. The surroundings are destroyed, the floor is littered with glass and pieces of concrete, the sea is a hundred meters away. In the garage, a blonde woman with bars plays a guitar in front of a dozen soldiers. Some are filming a small concert with their phones, others are busy cleaning their weapons.
Sea of Azov on the map
Economy
In the north and west, the reservoir borders on Ukraine, and the eastern coast and part of the southern coast belong to Russia. For centuries, the Sea of Azov has been an important waterway for the transport of goods and passengers. Ore was mined on the Kerch Peninsula, and in Mariupol there was a plant for its processing (Azovstal, named after Zhdanov). IN Tsarist Russia a metallurgical plant was also built in Yuzovka (Donetsk since 1923). Nowadays, there is Azovstal, but there are no mines. They were closed in 1990.
The man is sitting, his sniper in pieces in his hands. All polished and assembled, he checks that the frame of his working instrument is well adjusted, aiming for a singer not destabilized on a dime. End of the song, we leave the stage with the soldier responsible for visiting Shirokine arriving in the meantime.
But this time he will focus on mines and shooting. We reach the top of the plain, there is no soul, but the driver is written suddenly. Time to find a good heartbeat and we reach a concrete wall in the middle of the road. One solution, go around it across the field. Phone call passed, the car rose onto the field and fell again, forcibly tapping the bumper on the concrete. “Now, let's be careful, the whole area is undermined,” our companion adds, cutting between the officer and the driver of the car hunting and fishing.
Navigation on the reservoir increased significantly after the construction of the Volga-Don Canal in 1952. It connected the Volga with the Sea of Azov. Currently, the main ports are located in Taganrog, Mariupol, Yeysk, Berdyansk. At the same time, salt waters become polluted, which can lead to an environmental disaster in the near future.
There are real tragedies at sea. On November 11, 2007, a strong storm caused the death of 4 ships in the Kerch Strait. Three dry cargo ships belonged to Russia. One ship sailed under the Georgian flag with a Turkish crew on board. The storm also tore 6 other ships from their anchors. All of them were thrown aground, while 2 tankers were damaged. 1,300 tons of fuel oil and about 6,800 tons of sulfur spilled into the water.
We go down the road for 300 meters, then we reach the entrance to Shirokine. Let's continue walking. Taxi, you here, be ready to take off if he ever shoots, and pay attention to the mines, the soldier orders. One of the two houses was destroyed; they serve as bases and positions for the separatists, then for the Ukrainians. In the middle civilians, who have now all left the corner. Few journalists had the opportunity to walk the streets of Shirokine for so long, because fighting were cruel. Every thirty meters, mines are planted in the concrete, sometimes in the middle of the road, often on the sides.
Fishing plays a large role in the region's economy. In the USSR, the catch was 300 thousand tons of fish per year. More fish were caught per unit area of the reservoir than in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. This century, these figures have dropped significantly. Now the plant has been set up for breeding fish, especially sturgeon.
Rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov
The largest river flowing into the Sea of Azov is the Don River. Its length is 1870 km. Below Rostov-on-Don, the river forms a delta with an area of 540 square meters. km. These are numerous branches and channels that end their path in the Taganrog Bay.
Temperature regime of the Azov Sea
In some destroyed gardens, the previous separatist positions did not move. Cases of ammunition in the colors "Novorossiysk" or " People's Republic Donetsk", bags with the stamp "rationing", the Russian army and a floor covered with all sorts of sockets. “The separatists had to quickly leave the corner, there are even their cans and clothes,” explains the soldier. Everywhere along the aisle, shoes and coats were torn and torn. In the bend, a completely burnt-out army truck neighed for several months. “This is one of us, the truck was transporting men, it was attacked earlier this year, a dozen Ukrainians died there,” says the soldier.
In the southeast, the Kuban River flows into the sea, originating on Elbrus. Its length is 870 km. At the confluence with salty pond forms the Kuban delta with an area of 4300 square meters. km.
The Kalmius River flows its waters from the Donetsk Ridge. It reaches 209 km in length. The water flows through Donetsk, and the mouth is located within Mariupol. Maly Utlyuk, Berda, Eya, Protoka and other medium-sized rivers also flow into the sea.
Then we get to the Shirokine school. She is also completely broke. There is not a single window in one place; some floors have collapsed. Look at this little one black and white ball, throwing a soldier at us. This is an unexploded grenade. It is very sensitive to temperature changes and, of course, to shocks. We enter the building in zigzags, we also have to pay attention to the openings. From math class there is a stunning view of the Sea of Azov on the first floor. In the distance, on the coast, there is some automatic gunfire and occasional artillery fire.
Children on the shore of the Azov Sea
Water exchange
The salty reservoir is fed not only by rivers, but also by precipitation. The annual influx of river water averages 38.6 cubic meters. km. And precipitation gives 15.5 cubic meters. km. Evaporation is 34.6 cubic meters. km. 36-38 cubic meters come annually from the Black Sea. km of water, and 53-55 cubic meters goes back. km. Thus, the Sea of Azov annually gives away 17 cubic meters to its southern neighbor. km of water.
It is an irony of war that these educational paintings now in the midst of war are now being used to mark the territory of various battalions. On the ground floor, the dining room appears to have been quickly abandoned. Everything is ruined, but, strangely enough, the elusive pile of glasses is still miraculously sitting in the middle of the room. The next room was a museum, the figurines are now crumbling. The famous Donbass boomer Sergei Bubka is omnipresent in this school, in photos, in figurines. He largely financed the renovation of this institution, one of his statues still stands outside the school, next to a naked woman standing at the same time.
The reservoir level is slowly but steadily decreasing. Experts blame the numerous hydroelectric power stations on the rivers for this. Just 30 years ago, a depth of 16 meters was not unusual. Nowadays there are no places deeper than 13.5-14 meters. During the year, the water level fluctuates by an average of 20 cm due to the melting of snow in the spring.
Origin of the name
The Greeks called this shallow salty body of water the Meotian Lake. On its banks there was Bosporan Kingdom, who conquered the Meotian tribes who lived on these lands. The Scythians gave the salty reservoir the name Kargaluk. And the Turks, looking at the Azov water surface, said: “Bakhry Assak.” Mongol conquerors, having besieged their horses at the coast foaming with waves, they said: “Balyk dengiz.” What does "fish sea" mean? But all these names are in no way similar to modern ones.
We join an army position located in a low-lying area, initially consisting only of holiday houses overlooking the sea. Currently the entire area is occupied by the army, it extends several hundred meters between the sea and the hill, towards Mariupol. It consists of a large street from which there are about fifteen perpendicular streets. The haze of the street is no longer visible as there is debris there. The garages are open, allowing a glimpse into the life that was once found there. On the garage door, a tag announces: We shoot at “magazines” from 6 to 18 o’clock, the tag may come from the “separatist period,” but the Ukrainians tried not to wash it.
More likely, it has Turkic roots, that is, it came from the Altai lands along with nomadic tribes. In this language, a small river flowing into the Don was named. Azovka - that’s what they called it local residents. Subsequently, the city of Azov was founded in these places. Well, I got it from him appropriate name and the sea. But the combination of words familiar to everyone became official only in the second half of the 18th century. Since then, it has remained unchanged and appears in all geographical reference books and maps of the world.
Yuri Syromyatnikov
Sea of Azov.
Introduction
The Sea of Azov is an inland body of water washing the eastern shores of Crimea, the coast of Zaporozhye, Donetsk, Rostov regions and part of the western borders Krasnodar region. It is connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait.
Yours modern name the sea probably reached the city of Azov. The ancient Greeks called the Sea of Azov Mayotis Estuary - "Meotian Lake", and the Romans - "Meotian Swamp" for its shallow waters and low-lying marshy eastern shores. Meotian - named after the Meotian people who lived on its southern and eastern shores. In the Middle Ages, the Russians called this sea Surozh (after the Crimean city of Surozh, modern Sudak).
The Sea of Azov is the smallest of the seas Soviet Union. Its area is about 37,800 square meters. km. However, the economic importance of this water basin is extremely great. To Patriotic Wars The Sea of Azov provided 18% of all fish production in our country. Of great importance is the shallow bay of the Sivash Sea, where table salt and other salts widely used in the chemical industry are mined.
The Sea of Azov plays a great role in transport and economic relations in the south of the European part of the USSR. Various cargoes are transported by sea, but the delivery of Kerch iron ore for the giant of ferrous metallurgy - the Azovstal plant in the city of Zhdanov is of particular importance.
Shipping on the Sea of Azov increased greatly after the construction of the Volga-Don Shipping Canal named after V.I. Lenin. Currently, ships are voyaging from Moscow, Gorky, Volgograd, Astrakhan to the ports of the Azov Sea. Volga-Don Shipping Canal named after V.I.
Lenin made it possible to create a unified water system transport system, connecting five seas - Baltic, White, Caspian, Azov and Black.
The reconstruction of the Don, Kuban and other rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov has an impact on its natural features And economic use. All this is attracting a lot of attention to him at the present time.
This book, which does not claim to be an exhaustive description, gives a popular description natural conditions and economic importance of the Sea of Azov, its shores and port cities.
About the geological past of the sea
The Sea of Azov, from the point of view of its geological age, is a young basin. It acquired outlines close to modern ones in the Quaternary period. Many millions of years ago, the Sea of Azov was part of an ocean that geologists call Tethys. Its immense expanse stretched from Central America through Atlantic Ocean, southern part Europe, Mediterranean, Black, Caspian and Aral Sea and further east through India to the Pacific Ocean.
The history of the emergence of the Sea of Azov is closely connected with the geological past of the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Black and Caspian Seas. Under the influence internal forces earth's crust then fell, then rose in the form mountain ranges, which are then cut off by work flowing waters and by weathering they turned into plains. As a result of these processes, the waters of the World Ocean either flooded individual areas of land or exposed them, or, as geologists say, transgressions (advance) and regressions (retreat) of the seas were observed.
At the same time, naturally, the outlines of the continents and seas changed. At the same time, changes in climate, flora and fauna occurred both on land and in the sea.
Only in the Cenozoic era (the era of new life) did the outlines of the continents and individual seas, including the Sea of Azov, become the way we see them on modern maps.
The Cenozoic era, as is known, consists of two periods - Tertiary and Quaternary, or Anthropocene.
In the latter a man already appears. In the Anthropocene, the formation of the Sea of Azov ended, and therefore its modern look was created literally before the eyes of prehistoric man.
Throughout the Anthropocene, the sea basin, which included the Black, Azov and Caspian seas, repeatedly changed its outline, area, depth, was split into parts and restored again.
Different phases of development of this basin in the Anthropocene received conventional names: Chaudinsky, Ancient Euxinian, Uzunlarsky, Karangatsky, New Euxinian seas.
The Chaudin lake-sea existed at the beginning of the great glaciation era - more than 500,000 years ago. Sediments of this sea were found at Cape Chauda on the Kerch Peninsula (hence the name of the sea); they are also found on the coast of the Taman Peninsula. Fauna ( fauna) of the highly desalinated Chaudin Sea was very close to the fauna of the Baku Sea, which at that time was part of the Caspian sea basin. This circumstance led scientists to the conclusion that the Chaudin and Baku basins were connected to each other along the Manych River valley.
Having existed for a relatively short time, the Chaudin Sea gave way to the Ancient Euxinian Sea. It was a highly desalinated lake-sea. It dates back to the first half of the Quaternary period. Deposits of the Ancient Euxine Sea are known on the Kerch Peninsula, in the Taganrog region, on the Caucasian coast, on the Manych River. The great similarity of the fauna indicates that the sea was connected to the Ancient Caspian and Baku basins.
In ancient Euxinian times, the Black Sea connected with the Mediterranean through the Dardanelles Strait. The Ancient Euxine Sea was replaced by the so-called Uzunlar Sea. Thanks to the penetration of waters Mediterranean Sea There is a gradual salinization of the Uzunlar Sea and a rise in its level. The latter led to flooding of low-lying parts of the coast and river mouths. The formation of the estuaries of the Dnieper, Don and other rivers of the Azov-Black Sea basin mainly dates back to this time. The Manych Strait, which previously connected the Ancient Euxinian and Ancient Caspian seas, ceases to exist at this time.
The Uzunlar Sea was replaced by the salty Karangat Sea, the formation of which was accompanied by large subsidence in the area of the Azov Sea and Crimea.
These subsidences caused transgression of salt waters and the penetration of marine fauna into the Karangata basin, richer in species than the modern Black Sea.
During the last glaciation, the Karangat Sea was replaced by the semi-fresh New Euxinian lake-sea. At that time, in the neighboring Caspian region, the Khvalynsk Sea extended, which, judging by the similarity of the faunas of both seas, was connected with the New Euxinian Sea. The New Euxinian regressive stage of the development of the sea was replaced by the Old Black Sea and New Black Sea stages of its expansion.
The last, New Black Sea, stage of development of the Sea of Azov is divided by scientists into several independent stages, namely: the stage maximum development the New Black Sea transgression, when the sea level was 2.5-3 m higher than the modern one, the Meotic stage, which took place already at the beginning of historical time, and the Nymphaean stage. In the Meotic stage, the Sea of Azov, according to the description of the ancient Greeks, was a freshwater and swampy lake. During the Nymphaean stage, the formation of the modern outlines of the coastline took place, and in particular the formation of most of the spits of the Azov Sea.
SHORE OF THE SEA OF AZOV AND RIVER DELTA
The coast of the Azov Sea is less picturesque and diverse than the Black Sea. But it also has its own, unique beauty. The steppes come close to the sea, and in some places there are floodplains overgrown with reeds. The shores are treeless, sometimes low and flat, with a sandy and shell beach, sometimes low but steep, composed of yellow loess-like loams. The coastline of the sea forms fairly smooth curves, and only long sand spits give it some ruggedness. A large number of braids is one of characteristic features shores of the Azov Sea.
West coast.
The western coast of the Sea of Azov is represented by a long spit - the Arabat Spit. It stretches along the sea coast for 112 km, separating the shallow Sivash Bay from it. The width of this flat sand-shell spit ranges from 270 m in its southern and middle parts to 7 km in the northern, where there are several small hills. The Arabat Spit is a huge natural beach. A series of long shallows stretched parallel to it. They are clearly visible from the walls of the old Genoese fortress, located near the village of Arabat, or directly from the elevated indigenous shore. In calm sunny weather, greenish-blue waves of the sea with a slight noise gently run onto the sandy and shell beach and the foam of the light surf borders it like a narrow white lace Heeling on the wing, white-winged gulls glide low over the water. In the distance, on the spit, the salt extracted from Sivash shines dazzlingly under the rays of the hot sun. The sea is beautiful even in a storm. When a fierce northeast blows, it darkens and becomes harsh. With an angry noise, boiling with white foam, steep waves crash onto the shores. You can spend hours admiring the foamy expanse of the sea, the rapid running and stormy surf of the waves.
Any person who has visited the Sea of Azov will forever have memories of its discreet but soul-stirring beauty.
Hot spots are open on Arabatskaya Strelka mineral waters, in my own way chemical composition And medicinal properties superior to Matsesta ones. On the basis of these healing waters it is planned to create a new resort - Azov Matsesta.
South coast.
It is represented by the territory of the Kerch and Taman peninsulas, between which is the Kerch Strait, connecting the Azov and Black Sea. The Kerch Peninsula is the eastern tip of Crimea. Its area is about 3 thousand square meters. kilometers. Found in the depths of the peninsula large deposits iron ores that feed the metallurgy of the Azov region, oil and natural gas. The northern and northeastern parts of the Kerch Peninsula are composed of marls, clays, and limestones; Sandstones of Tertiary age are found in places. The western part of the Kerch Peninsula is flat, the eastern part is hilly. Within the peninsula south coast Sea of Azov for the most part it drops steeply into the sea, leaving only a narrow strip of beach. In some places, the steep banks are composed of bryozoan limestones that stubbornly resist the onslaught sea waves. Such, for example, is Cape Kazantip, at the base of which lies a bryozoan reef - an atoll. To the west of this cape is the Arabat Bay, to the east is the Kazantip Bay. To the east of Cape Kazantip there is a low-lying alluvial section of the coast. The shores of both bays are composed of soft clayey rocks. South of Cape Kazantip - Aktashskoye salt lake. This is a relict lake. It is a remnant of the Kazantip Bay, which once extended far into the land.
In the middle of the Kerch Peninsula, the low Parpach ridge stretches from west to east. Between this ridge and the shore of the Azov Sea. there is a wide longitudinal valley. In its lower parts there are salt lakes, and in particular Lake Chokrak, known for its healing properties, as well as a number of mud volcanoes.
To the east of the Kazantip Bay, near the Kerch Strait, the coast of the Sea of Azov is calmer, but here it is characterized by capes composed of hard bryozoan limestones, for example, capes Zyuk, Tarkhan and others.
Kerch Strait, connecting the Black and Azov Seas, is shallow and relatively narrow. Its width ranges from 4 to 15 km. The length of the strait is 41 km. The depth is about 4 m.
In ancient times, the Kerch Strait was called the Cimmerian Bosporus. The name itself contains a hint of the shallowness of the strait, since “Bospor” translated into Russian means “bull ford”.
The Crimean shore of the strait is steep in places. In its northern part lies the port city of Kerch.
The Caucasian coast of the Kerch Strait is low, sandy, with dunes in places. The channel of the strait is cluttered with reefs, sand bars and coastal shoals, which previously made navigation difficult. Now a canal has been dug in the strait for the passage of ships with deep draft.
Communication across the strait between Crimea and the Caucasus was previously carried out by ordinary steamships carrying cargo and passengers. In the spring of 1955, a railway crossing was opened. On the Crimean coast, northeast of Kerch, it was built railway station Crimea, and on the Caucasian coast, on the Chushka spit, the Kavkaz railway station was built.
On large diesel-electric ferries trains easily and quickly transported through the Kerch Strait. railway track between Crimea and the Caucasus is thereby significantly reduced.
Taman Peninsula, which is part of the Krasnodar Territory, occupies an area of approximately 1900 square meters. km. Of this, land accounts for a little more than 900 square meters. km, and the rest of the territory is estuaries and floodplains.
Its nature is peculiar. From a geological point of view, this is a young peninsula, since it was formed in quaternary period. Back in the 1st century AD. e. in its place there were about five islands, the transformation of which into a peninsula occurred, apparently, in the 5th century AD. e. under the influence of the accumulative activity of the Kuban River, mud volcanoes and tectonic uplifts. The formation of the Taman Peninsula continues.
The surface of the peninsula is a hilly plain with low dome-shaped hills, stretched in the form of interrupted ridges from southwest to northeast. Mud volcanoes and ancient burial mounds are scattered almost everywhere. .The landscape is enlivened by numerous estuaries. Floodplains overgrown with reeds and sedges are also widespread.
The Taman Peninsula contains in its depths such natural resources, like oil, flammable gases, iron ores, salt, building materials in the form of limestone, clay and gravel.
The climate of the peninsula is moderately warm. The sun generously supplies it with the warmth of its rays, but there is little precipitation here - only 436 mm per year - and therefore there is a lack of moisture.
On the peninsula there are fertile chernozem-like and chestnut soils, covered with drought-resistant steppe soils, and along the Kuban River valley - with floodplain vegetation.
It is now famous for its vineyards.
The shores of the Taman Peninsula are quite diverse, but two types of shores predominate: high, steep - abrasive, that is, formed as a result of the destructive work of sea waves, and low, flat - accumulative. The latter were formed from sandy-clayey deposits as a result of the activity of sea waves and currents.
The shore of the Taman Bay, from Cape Tuzla to the village of Taman, is elevated and steep. On average, its height here ranges from 15 to 30 m. To the east of the village of Taman, the coast decreases and remains low throughout the southern and east coast bay. Only in places there are steep cliffs, and then often due to the cultural layer of ancient Phanagoria.
The northern shore of the bay is also elevated and in some places drops steeply to the sea.
"Accumulation" translated from Latin means "accumulation". This term in geology refers to the process of deposition of loose material of various origins.
Spit Chushka, composed largely of quartz sand and broken shells, has low banks.
Further to the east, the coast of the Taman Peninsula is high (up to 50-60 m above the level of the Sea of Azov) and often has a stepped landslide character. It is composed mainly of loess-like clay and is bordered by a strip of beach consisting of sandy-clayey sediments, in places mixed with shells, pebbles and rubble.
Then, right up to the village of Golubitskaya, the coast of the Azov Sea either decreases or rises again, but starting from this village it becomes low, and in the area of the Kuban River delta it acquires a swampy character.
It is interesting to note that in the area of the village of Kuchugury on the low shore of the Azov Sea, aeolian relief forms are observed in the form of low (1-3 m) sandy mounds - dunes, formed under the influence of northern winds.
The attraction of the Taman Peninsula are mud volcanoes (salzas), of which there are up to 25. Many of them look like low cones with truncated tops. Some salsas are temporarily inactive. The rest emit dirt and gases such as methane and nitrogen. carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen.
Eruptions of mud volcanoes are usually calm and quiet, but sometimes they resemble eruptions of real volcanoes, as they are accompanied by an explosion, and the products volcanic activity then they are scattered hundreds of meters from the crater, and the liquid mud forms large streams.
A very interesting phenomenon is represented by mud volcanoes at the bottom of the Sea of Azov near the shores of the Taman Peninsula. Thus, intense mud volcanic activity was observed near the village of Golubitskaya. One of the eruptions was noted on September 6, 1799. An underground rumble was heard, then a deafening crash was heard and a pillar of fire and black smoke rose above the sea, 300 meters from the shore. The eruption continued for about two hours, leading to the formation of an island of mud with a diameter of over 100 m and a height of up to 2 m. A few months later it disappeared, washed away by the waves of the sea.
Similar eruptions were repeated later - in 1862, 1906, 1924, 1950 and 1952. In 1952, to the west of the village of Golubitskaya, 5 km from the coast, also as a result of mud volcanic activity, a mud island was formed, then washed away by sea waves.
Eastern shore of the Sea of Azov
The eastern coast of the Sea of Azov, from Temryuk to Primorsko-Akhtarsk, for about 100 km, is a low-lying delta of the Kuban River with numerous estuaries, channels, extensive floodplains overgrown with reeds and sedges. The Kuban River, originating from the glaciers of Mount Elbrus, is one of the largest and most abundant rivers North Caucasus. Its length is 870 km. The drainage basin area is 57900 sq. km. Its delta was formed on the site of a bay of the Sea of Azov, which jutted deep into the land. Tens of thousands of years ago this bay extended to the place where Krasnodar is now located. The huge lagoon was separated from the sea by a embankment and then gradually filled with river sediments. Famous role The activity of mud volcanoes (sals) of the Taman Peninsula, which at that time still had the appearance of an archipelago of small islands, also played a role in the formation of the southwestern part of the delta. Products of eruptions of mud volcanoes carried channels between the islands and, along with river nayaos, gradually filled the lagoon.
The formation of the delta continues in our time, and it experiences subsidence amounting to 5-6 mm per year in Achuev, and 3 mm per year in other places of the delta.
The Kuban River annually carries an average of 11.4 billion cubic meters into the Sea of Azov. meters of water containing a total of over 3 million tons of dissolved substances and a lot of turbidity. The water in the river is muddy all year round, but it carries especially a lot of sediment during floods, of which an average of 6-7 are observed in the Kuban per year. The total amount carried out by the river solids(so-called solid waste) is 8.7 million tons per year. To transport such cargo would require over 52,000 freight cars. Due to these sediments, the Kuban delta is growing. Now the Kuban delta, covering an area of 4300 square meters. km, begins at the so-called Razder, near the city of Slavyansk, where the Protoka branch separates from the Kuban to the right (to the north). The latter carries about 40-50% of the Kuban water and flows into the Sea of Azov near Achuev.
Below the Protoka, not far from the mouth, the Kuban is still divided into a number of branches, of which the largest are the Petrushin sleeve and the Cossack Erik. The Petrushin branch, which here represents the main navigable channel of the Kuban River, goes past Temryuk and flows into the Sea of Azov.
The Cossack Erik is the left bank branch of the Kuban; it carries its waters to the large Akhtanizovsky estuary, which has a connection with the Sea of Azov through the Peresyp branch.
The modern delta of the Kuban River is a whole labyrinth of shallow lakes or estuaries, connected by channels, or, locally, eriks, which form bizarre loops between low-lying areas of swampy land.
In the Kuban delta, huge areas are occupied by floodplains that stretch for tens of kilometers. The floodplains of the Kuban delta adjacent to the Sea of Azov are called Priazovsky. They are divided by the Protoka River into two massifs: the Azov plavni proper in the western part and the Angelino-Cheburgolskie in the eastern part.
The Azov floodplains are bizarre labyrinths of swamps and estuaries various sizes, with fresh, semi-saline and salt water, overgrown with above-water and underwater vegetation. Among the first, reeds, reeds, sedges, cattails and burrs predominate. The underwater or “soft” vegetation of the estuaries is charophyte algae, pondweed, hornwort, water lilies, etc.
In the Azov estuaries there are thickets of a wonderful plant - lotus. During the flowering period, large pink flowers of amazing beauty rise on the stems above the spreading emerald leaves, spreading a strong aroma. This tropical newcomer, brought to us from Africa, is a useful medicinal and food plant.
The estuaries of the Kuban delta are rich in fish. More than 70 species are found here, including ram, bream, pike perch, pike perch, sprat, carp weighing up to 15 kg, and catfish weighing up to 100 kg.
The floodplains and estuaries of the delta are home to a lot of birds, especially waterfowl: wild geese, ducks There are entire colonies of cormorants and pelicans. Swans, herons, and many birds of prey. Among the mammals, foxes are numerous, wild cats are found, and wild boars are found in the remote floodplains. The muskrat has been acclimatized and produces beautiful brown fur.
The depths of the delta are rich in minerals - natural gas, oil, mineral waters.
Most of the Kuban River delta has not yet been developed agriculturally, although the soils here are very fertile.
But gradually the Azov region is changing the landscape. In the floodplains, instead of dense reeds and rotten estuaries, blue squares of rice paddies already stretch for many kilometers. In 1952, the Kuban irrigation system with an area of 23 thousand hectares was put into operation. In 1967, 62 thousand hectares of land reclaimed by land reclamation workers from floodplains were occupied by rice. When will the Krasnodar reservoir on the Kuban River come into operation? rice fields will expand to 250-300 thousand hectares and will annually provide our Motherland with up to 700 thousand tons of high-quality rice.
North of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, right up to the Don delta, floodplains are found only at the mouths of the Azov steppe rivers - Beisug and Chelbas.
The shores of the Sea of Azov in this area are represented by low and gently sloping sand spits, but for the most part the coast here is steep or steeply descending to the sea. It is composed, like the coastal plain, of loess and loess-like loams and clays of the late glacial period. Loess is a rock that is easily washed away by waves, and therefore the seashore here is quickly destroyed. Average speed destruction along the entire coast is 3 m per year. The maximum is up to 18 m. The soils of this part of the Azov region are represented by carbonate Western Cis-Caucasian fertile chernozems. Previously, this entire area was a feather grass-forb steppe, on which herds of wild tarpan horses and herds of fleet-footed saigas grazed. There were even moose. Nowadays these lands are plowed, and in the summer here [an immense yellow-green sea of grain sways, fields of corn and sunflowers spread out.
In addition to the Kuban River, such steppe rivers (counting from south to north) as Kirpili flow into the Sea of Azov from the east, pouring their waters into the Kirpil Estuary; Beisug, flowing into the Beisugsky estuary; Chelbas, flowing into the Sladky Estuary; Eya, carrying water to the large Yeisk estuary, and, finally, the small rivers Mokraya Chuburka and Kagalnik, flowing directly into the Sea of Azov.
A characteristic feature of the landscape of the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov, as noted above, is the presence of numerous estuaries.
Don Delta.
In its northeastern part, the Sea of Azov forms the vast, highly elongated Taganrog Bay, into which one of the largest rivers European part of the USSR - Don. Its length is 1870 km, and its drainage area is 422,000 square meters. km. The Don annually carries an average of about 28.6 cubic meters into the sea. km of water. Significant masses of river water greatly desalinize the Taganrog Bay, and sediment carried by the river shallows it and leads to the growth of the Don delta, which occupies an area of 340 square meters. km. The modern Don delta begins 6 km below Rostov-on-Don, where the non-navigable branch of the Dead Donets separates from the river to the right.
There is always a lot of activity on the Don River; Various and numerous ships sail up and down the stream. Passenger ships cut through the calm surface of the mighty river, cargo ships and fishing boats.
Below the village of Elizavetinskaya, the Don begins to wind strongly along a wide low-lying valley, splitting into numerous branches and channels, which, locally, are called eriks. These branches and eriks become more and more numerous as you approach the Sea of Azov.
The landscape here is unique. Everywhere you can see islands slightly rising above the water with intricately indented shores, covered with dense thickets of reeds. Islands close to the sea are constantly flooded sea water, and the vegetation on them is sparse or completely absent. With strong westerly winds, the waters of the Azov Sea rush to the mouth of the Don, back up the river waters, the Don overflows its banks, flooding not only the delta, but also the area almost 100 km upstream.
Eastern winds blowing downstream of the Don have the opposite effect. There is a surge of water, sometimes so strong that not only the branches of the river become shallow, but also the Taganrog Bay, which disrupts normal navigation. The amplitude of surge phenomena is +3. -2 m.
The Don carries an average of about 14 million tons of river sediment and about 9.5 million tons of dissolved sediment into the sea minerals. Due to sediments, the Don Delta is growing, gradually moving further and further into the sea at a speed of approximately 1 km per century.
North coast
The northern coast of the Sea of Azov stretches from the mouth of the Don to the city of Genichesk. In this area, a number of small rivers flow into the Sea of Azov. Originating in the spurs of the Donetsk Ridge, the rivers Mius and Kalmius carry their waters to the sea. Originating on the low Azov upland, the rivers Berdya, Obitochnaya, Korsak and a number of other small rivers that dry up in summer flow into the Sea of Azov. The northern coast is characterized by the presence of a number of sand spits, extending mainly from the north and northeast to the south and southwest, and the braids bend their ends to the west, for example Krivaya, Belosarayskaya ( south of the city Zhdanov), Berdyansk (near the city of Berdyansk).
Between the spits and the main shore, bays and estuaries are formed, for example Berdyansky and Obitochny. If we exclude alluvial spits, then the rest north shore The Sea of Azov is a flat steppe, mostly sloping down to the sea. The spits and narrow coastal strip are composed mainly of Quaternary marine sediments. To the north, the plain is composed of loess, loess-like loams and clays of the late glacial period. Fertile black soils developed on these rocks. Even in the last century, vast feather-grass-forb grasslands stretched here, and in the western half - feather-grass-fescue steppes. Tarpans, wild camels grazed in them, and even earlier there were red deer and elk. There were beavers in the rivers. During the flowering period, these steppes, in the words of N.V. Gogol, represented a green-golden ocean, over which millions of flowers splashed out. However, such steppes have long disappeared; they are almost completely plowed. They were replaced endless fields wheat, corn, sunflower, orchards and vineyards.
NATURE OF THE AZOV SEA
The Sea of Azov is a unique and remarkable body of water in many respects. It is the smallest of all the seas of the Soviet Union, but in terms of its importance national economy not worth it last place. Its area, limited by parallels 45°16" N and 47°17" N. latitude and meridians 33°36"E and 39°21"E. d. is only 37,800 sq. m. km (without Sivash and estuaries). The greatest depth does not exceed 14 m, and the average depth is about 8 m. At the same time, depths up to 5 m occupy more than half of the volume of the Sea of Azov. Its volume is also small and equal to 320 cubic meters. km. For comparison, let’s say that the Aral Sea is almost 2 times larger in area than the Azov Sea. The Black Sea is almost 11 times larger in area than the Azov Sea, and 1678 times larger in volume. And yet the Sea of Azov is not so small; it could easily accommodate two European states such as the Netherlands and Luxembourg. His greatest length 380 km, and the greatest width is 200 km. Total length The sea coastline is 2686 km.
The underwater relief of the Sea of Azov is very simple, the depths generally increase slowly and smoothly with distance from the coast, and the greatest depths are in the center of the sea. Its bottom is almost flat. The Sea of Azov forms several bays, of which the largest are Taganrog, Temryuk and the strongly isolated Sivash, which is more accurately considered an estuary. There are no large islands in this sea. There are a number of shallows, partially filled with water and located near the shores. Such are, for example, the islands of Biryuchiy, Turtle and others.
Water regime of the sea.
The water regime of the Sea of Azov depends mainly on the influx of fresh water river waters atmospheric precipitation falling over the sea and salt water entering it Black Sea, from on the one hand, and on the flow of water from the Sea of Azov for evaporation and runoff through the Kerch Strait into the Black Sea, on the other. According to calculations by A. P. Tsurikova and E. F. Shulgina, water balance The Sea of Azov looks like this. The Don, Kuban and other rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov bring 38.8 cubic meters. km of water. The average long-term volume of precipitation on its surface is 13.8 cubic meters. km. 31.2 cubic meters flow annually through the Kerch Strait. km of Black Sea waters, in addition, 0.3 cubic meters enter the sea through the Tonky Strait from Sivash. km of water. The total inflow of water is only 84.1 cubic meters. km. The water consumption from the Sea of Azov consists of evaporation from its surface of 35.3 cubic meters. km, flow through the Kerch Strait into the Black Sea is 47.4 cubic meters. km and flow through the Tonky Strait to Sivash is 1.4 cubic meters. km. The total water flow of the Sea of Azov is also 84.1 cubic meters. km. Being small in size, this sea receives a relatively large amount of river water, the amount of which is about 12% of its volume. Attitude river flow to the volume of the Sea of Azov - the largest of all seas globe. The excess of the inflow of river and atmospheric waters over evaporation from the surface of the sea would lead to its increasing desalination and an increase in its level if there were no water exchange with the Black Sea. As a result of this water exchange, a salinity was established in the Sea of Azov, favorable for the habitat of valuable commercial fish. However, existing now water regime The Sea of Azov will be increasingly disrupted due to regulation of the Don flow, construction hydraulic structures and rice irrigation systems in Kuban, due to the increase in river water consumption to supply water to a growing population and developing industry. Scientists have calculated that the flow of fresh water into the Sea of Azov will be reduced by almost half by 1980.
"A. P. Tsurikova, E. F. Shulgina. Hydrochemistry of the Azov Sea, Leningrad, Gidrometeoizdat, 1964, table 26, p. 38.
About 19 cubic meters will be withdrawn from the annual runoff of the Don and Kuban. km, and this will inevitably lead to the fact that the salinity of the water of the Azov Sea will increase to the salinity of the Black Sea. This threatens a catastrophe for valuable fish such as sturgeon, vimba, pike perch and ram. To prevent this catastrophe, special measures are being developed, which we will discuss in the section “Problems of the Azov Sea”.
Chemical composition.
The large influx of river water into the Sea of Azov and its difficult water exchange with the Black Sea are reflected in the chemical composition of Azov water. The Don, Kuban and other rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov bring into it over 15 million tons of salts, which are dominated by HCO "3, SO" 4 and Ca ions. Yes, over 760 thousand tons enter the sea with precipitation salts with almost the same ratio of ions as in river waters.
But from the Black Sea comes water rich in Cl, Na and K ions. It brings over 556 million tons of salts to the Sea of Azov. Yes salt water from Sivash contributes about 6 million tons of salts. As a result of the mixing of these waters of different composition and the removal of over 570 million tons of salts from the Sea of Azov to the Black and Sivash, the modern chemical composition of the waters of the Azov Sea is formed. On average, the surface layers of the waters of the open part of the sea contain the following number of ions (in grams per 1 kilogram of water): sodium - 3.496, potassium - 0.132, magnesium - 0.428, calcium - 0.172, chlorine - 6.536, bromine - 0.021, sulfate ion - 0.929 , bicarbonate ion - 0.169, and a total of 11.885.
A comparison of the waters of the Azov Sea and the ocean shows the similarity of their chemical composition. In the water of the Azov Sea, chlorides predominate, as in the ocean. But unlike ocean water, the salinity of the Sea of Azov is much lower and the constancy of the ratio of the main salt-forming elements characteristic of the ocean is somewhat violated. In particular, compared to the ocean, the relative content of calcium, carbonates and sulfates in Azov water is increased, and chlorine, sodium and potassium is decreased.
Currently, the salinity of the Azov waters is distributed as follows. At the depths of the Kerchen region of the Sea of Azov, where the saltier Black Sea water flows, salinity reaches 17.5°/oo. All central part The sea is very uniform in salinity; here it is 12-12.5°/oo. Only a small area here has a salinity of 13°/oo. In the Taganrog Bay, salinity decreases towards the mouth of the Don to 1.3 °/oo.
In spring and early summer, due to melting ice and a large influx of river water, salinity decreases. In autumn and winter it is almost the same from the surface to the bottom of the sea over a long distance. The highest salinity is observed in the isolated shallow bay of the Azov Sea Sivash, the lowest - in the Taganrog Bay. In addition to minerals, the waters of the Azov Sea contain a lot nutrients(that is, elements of organic origin) brought to the sea mainly by rivers. These elements include phosphorus, nitrogen and silicon. Scientists have calculated that rivers and waters of the Black Sea and atmospheric precipitation bring 17,139 tons of phosphorus, 75,316 tons of nitrogen and 119,694 tons of silicon to the Sea of Azov. Some of these substances are carried into the Black Sea, some are removed from the sea along with the caught fish, but most deposited in the ground at the bottom of the Azov Sea. Thus, about 13 thousand tons of phosphorus, about 31 thousand tons of nitrogen, and over 82 thousand tons of silicon are deposited.
The richness of the Azov Sea in nutrients creates favorable conditions for the development of life in this sea. A characteristic feature of the Azov Sea is the large amount of ammonia in its waters. This is due to shallow water, high biological productivity. All this creates favorable conditions for recovery processes and ammonia formation.
Oxygen regime.
Due to the shallowness of the Azov Sea, its waters, as already noted, are usually well mixed, so oxygen is available in sufficient quantities throughout the entire water column. The content of dissolved oxygen reaches 7-8 cubic meters. cm per liter. However, in summer time There is often a lack of oxygen. This is due to a number of factors. “The symbol °/oo means (read) ppm. It shows how many parts by weight of salts are present in 1000 parts by weight of water.
Of great importance is the slowdown of the vertical circulation of water in the hot summer with no wind, when the upper, somewhat desalinated layer of sea water becomes lighter than the deeper layers, and there is no waves. This prevents aeration of the lower horizons. Favorable conditions to cause oxygen deficiency, silt deposits rich in organic matter. If, after significant disturbances, calm weather sets in, then the agitated particles of silt remain suspended in the bottom layer of water for a long time and a lot of oxygen is spent on the oxidation of organic substances.
Lack of oxygen causes the phenomenon of so-called “starvation,” that is, the death of some of the sea animals inhabiting the bottom and thickness of the water. One of the reasons for the death of fish and these organisms may also be strong development blue-green and peridinian algae, which, when dying, contaminate the water with toxic substances.
A decrease in river flow as a result of reconstruction of the rivers of the Azov basin will cause certain changes in the chemical composition of sea water. This composition will be closer to the chemical composition of Black Sea water. In addition, a known reduction in the influx of river water will lead to a decrease in the influx of nutrients and suspended minerals, which will lead to an increase in the transparency of the sea. The latter circumstance can cause the development of higher underwater vegetation, which will consume large quantities nutrients. And this will worsen the conditions for the development of plankton. As a result, accumulation nutrients in the soil of the sea may be weakened. Ultimately, all this may negatively affect the fish resources of the Azov Sea.
The sea is getting shallower.
The Sea of Azov is noticeably shallower. If in the oceanographic expeditions of Andrusov and Makarov greatest depth While it was established at 16 m, the latest expeditions could not find depths of more than 13.5 m. Some estuaries, for example Yeisk and Akhtanizovsky, are becoming shallow. The process of shallowing the Sea of Azov is explained, firstly, by the enormous amount of sediment carried by the Don and Kuban. Once upon a time, centuries-old oak forests grew along the banks of the Don. In Tsarist Russia, these forests were mercilessly cut down, as a result the process of soil erosion intensified. Heavy rains washed away entire fields of land and carried it to the Don, and this powerful river dragged the washed away soil into the sea, shallowing it. Even now, the Don and Kuban annually carry millions of tons of sediment into the Sea of Azov.
The process of accumulation of sediments in the sea is also due to the material resulting from the destruction of shores by waves (about 8 million tons of such sediments are received per year), and largely due to the deposition of shells of plankton and benthos organisms. Dust storms also play a significant role in sea shallowing.
The total amount of precipitation in the Sea of Azov is about 41 million tons per year. The rate of sedimentation is about 2.5 mm per year.
Climate and temperature regime seas.
The climate of the Sea of Azov is significantly influenced by the surrounding vast steppe spaces of Southern Ukraine, Ciscaucasia and Crimea with their rather dry climate. In the Azov region, average July temperatures range from +22 to +24°, January temperatures from 0 to +6°, and the average annual precipitation is 300-500 mm.
Of course, the Sea of Azov also has a well-known positive influence on the climate of the surrounding areas, moving towards softening continentality. However, due to small area sea, this influence is not particularly great and affects mainly in coastal areas, without spreading far into the interior of wall spaces.
In relation to major meteorological processes, the Sea of Azov is in unfavorable conditions, namely: in winter, high temperatures pass to the north of it. atmospheric pressure(the so-called “Voeikov axis”), from which cold continental air rushes to the sea, which leads to the freezing of the sea.
Over the Sea of Azov there are eastern and northeastern winds in winter, southern, southwestern and westerly winds, usually associated with the passage of subtropical cyclones and the establishment of monsoon flow from the Atlantic Ocean.
In the summer, when a barometric pressure regime is established that is close to normal or slightly higher than normal, and cyclones pass less frequently, local circulation develops at sea in the form of breezes, that is, winds blowing from sea to land during the day, and from land to sea at night.
The Sea of Azov is characterized by relatively cold, but short winter, mild summer with even temperature distribution, warm autumn compared to spring and high relative humidity air. The average annual air temperature on the Sea of Azov ranges from +9 to +11°. In summer, the temperature for all areas is almost the same. The maximum temperature in July is +35, +40°. The transition from summer to winter is gradual. The first frosts in the Taganrog Bay on the northern coast occur in October, and in the southern part of the sea - in the first half of November. In winter, temperatures can drop to -25, -30° and only in the Kerch region frosts usually do not exceed -8° (although in some years they can also reach -25, -30°). In the coldest month of the year, January, the average monthly sea temperature ranges from -1° on the southern coast to -6° on the northern coast.
Relative air humidity in the Sea of Azov is high all year round. Even at the most warm months on average it is no less than 75-85%.
Frequent winds increase evaporation, which for the entire Sea of Azov is about 1000 mm per year.
Most low temperatures surface water layer are observed in the northern and eastern parts Sea of Azov. Winter temperatures here in December-February range from 0 to +1°, summer temperatures in July-August range from +22 to +25°. The temperature of the surface layer of the sea in the western and southern coastal areas is higher and fluctuates in winter from 0 to +3°, and in summer it rises to +26°.
The average annual water temperature of the Azov Sea in the north is +11°, and in the south about +12°. In summer, the sea warms up very much and often the water temperature near the coast reaches +30,+32°, and in the middle part +24,+25°. In winter, when the water cools below zero, the Sea of Azov is covered with ice. In other years, freeze-up lasts 4-4.5 months, from December to March. The thickness of the ice reaches 80-90 cm. Ice appears first in the Taganrog Bay, then in the Utlyuk, Yeisk, Beysug and Akhtar estuaries.
The coastal parts of the sea and the Taganrog Bay are covered with a continuous ice cover. In the central part of the Sea of Azov and in the Kerch region, the ice is floating.
Sea level and currents.
The level of the Azov Sea fluctuates, changing from year to year, throughout the year and even within a day. These fluctuations are caused by changes in river flow and the influence of winds, especially storm surges.
The influx of river water into the Sea of Azov has a clearly defined annual cycle with a maximum in spring and a minimum in winter, and the level of the Azov Sea repeats this annual cycle. This is explained by the small volume of the sea, as well as the shallowness and narrowness of the Kerch Strait.
The amplitude of fluctuations in average monthly sea levels is small and amounts to 25-50 cm annually. Short-term changes in the level caused by the wind, the so-called surge fluctuations, are more pronounced. In this case, the entire mass of sea water begins to move, but changes in sea level in various parts they are different in sign. While for some the coastal level decreases, for others it increases. Each water basin has its own period of oscillation, depending on the size of the depths of the reservoir.
For the Sea of Azov, the period of free oscillation that occurs after the action of the surge wind is approximately one day. In the summer, when good anticyclonic weather sets over the sea, free vibrations sea level are maintained by breeze winds.
Surge and surge changes in the level of the Sea of Azov occur most often in autumn and spring with the prevailing eastern, northeastern, western and southwestern winds, which coincide with the direction of the greatest extent of the sea.
Hurricanes of such strength sometimes sweep over the Sea of Azov and its coast that they tear off roofs from houses, overturn small buildings, and uproot trees. During one of the hurricanes in 1914, the level of the Azov Sea and estuaries in the Temryuk area rose 3 m above the ordinary level (the long-term average level). Vast areas of the Azov lowland, especially between Temryuk and the Achuevskaya Spit, were subject to flooding.
Storm winds from the northeastern and eastern directions, on the contrary, cause a strong surge of water from the estuaries and the sea along the eastern coast and a surge of water into Sivash. For example, in the Yeisk region there were cases when the sea bottom was exposed tens of meters from the shore, and in 1946 a case of sea retreat of 1.5 km was recorded.
In the Taganrog area, the water sometimes went more than 5 km from the shore. The differences between the maximum and minimum levels in the Sea of Azov are very significant: in Taganrog they can reach a maximum for the entire sea - 5.5 m. In the central part of the sea, fluctuations are much less. They reach a minimum (0.8-1 m) in the area of the Kerch Strait. Surge fluctuations in sea level also contribute to water exchange between the Black and Azov Seas. Currents in the Sea of Azov depend on winds and the influx of river waters.
The surface layer of water moves from the mouth along the northern and western shores to the south, then off the coast of the Kerch Peninsula it turns east and along the eastern shore returns to the Taganrog Bay.
In the Taganrog Bay itself, due to the influx of Don waters, the current is constantly directed to the southwest (except when surge winds blow). Thus, the water in the Sea of Azov moves counterclockwise, forming a huge circulation. The reason that causes such circular currents is the wind.
In the warm season, with calm weather, peculiar fluctuations in sea level are observed in the Sea of Azov with a fairly distinct diurnal variation - with one maximum and one minimum. These are the so-called seiches ( standing waves), depending not on the wind, but on changes in atmospheric pressure over different parts of the sea. The amplitudes of seiche oscillations range from 5 to 20 cm for most places in the sea. They are most pronounced in the Taganrog Bay, where they average about 55 cm, but can reach almost 1 m. Seiches fade quite quickly. Tides in the Sea of Azov, due to small area it and the lack of direct connection with the ocean are practically absent.
Excitement.
As is known, the size of waves, namely their length and height, depend on a number of factors, but primarily on the strength and duration of the wind, on the length and depth of the reservoir. The shallow water and small size of the Sea of Azov do not allow waves to develop large sizes, and the waves here change very quickly depending on the weakening or strengthening of the wind.
In the oceans, during a storm, waves can reach a height of 13-14 m and a length of more than 400 m. In the Black Sea, the height reaches 6-7 m and the length up to 180 m. In the Sea of Azov, the wave height does not exceed 3 m and the length is 26 m.
In the Sea of Azov, according to B. A. Shlyamin, wave elements have the following meanings:
The relatively short length and high steepness of the waves create unpleasant and even dangerous rolling for small vessels. The maximum force of wave pressure on a vertical wall in the Sea of Azov is about 2 tons per square meter. The force of the wave impact is much higher and can be very destructive. The greatest unrest is observed in winter, when there are frequent strong winds. Repeatability 4-5 point unrest is 8-16%. But disturbances of magnitude 6 or more are still rare. Their repeatability does not exceed 1-5%. Summer in the Azov Sea is a period with a predominance of weak waves with a force of 0 to 2 points. The frequency of disturbances with a force of 4 or more at this time is on average only 1-10%.
Transparency and color of water. The transparency of water is usually determined using a white disk with a diameter of 30 cm (Secchi disk) immersed in water. The depth at which the disk becomes invisible determines the degree of transparency. In the Sargasso Sea, for example, such a disk can be distinguished in places to a depth of 66 m. The transparency of the waters of the Sea of Azov is low, it is not the same in different areas of it and in different times year and ranges from 0.5 to 8 m. Receipt large quantity turbid river waters, rapid resuspension of bottom silts during rough seas and the presence of significant masses of plankton in the Azov water determine its low transparency. The lowest transparency is in the Taganrog Bay (0.5-0.9 m, occasionally up to 2 m). The color of the water here varies from greenish-yellow to brownish-yellow. In the eastern and western regions sea transparency is much higher - on average 1.5-2 m, but can reach 3-4 m.
True, in the immediate vicinity, to the mouth of the Kuban, transparency is lower, and a strip of yellow water extends into the sea about 10 kilometers from it. The purest and most transparent water is in the central region of the Azov Sea due to the great depths and the influence of the Black Sea waters. Here the greenish-blue sea has a transparency of 1.5-2.5 m, and sometimes up to 8 m. In summer, transparency generally increases almost everywhere, but in some areas of the sea, due to the rapid development of upper layers water of the smallest plant and animal organisms, it drops to zero and the water acquires a bright green color. This phenomenon is called sea bloom.
SIVASH
Sivash, or the Rotten Sea, is an additional body of water of the Sea of Azov, separated from it by a low and narrow sandy-shell spit, called the Arabat Spit. It was formed in historical time. In the 14th century AD, judging by the Genoese maps, in the place of the Arabat Spit there was still only a series of islands. Between the Arabat Spit and the mainland there is a narrow Genichesk, or Thin, strait 100 m wide and 2-3 m deep, connecting Sivash with the Sea of Azov. Northern and western shores Sivash are heavily indented and have bizarre outlines. In some places they are steep cliffs of loess-like loams. Over a considerable distance, the shores are sloping and low-lying. Sivash is divided into western, central and eastern parts. The narrow Perekop Isthmus (8 km wide) separates Western Sivash from the Karkinit Bay of the Black Sea.
Central Sivash is very dissected by bays and straits. In this part of Sivash there are a lot of islands. From the north it is adjoined by the large Novo-Pokrovsky estuary, which gradually turns into a lake. The western part of Sivash is connected to the eastern through the Chongarsky Bridge.
During the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars, fierce heroic battles took place in these places Soviet Army for Crimea.
Eastern Sivash, connecting to the Sea of Azov through the Strait of Genicheoki, is also characterized by a very rugged coastline and a mass of islands.
Sivash is a kind of reservoir. It is shallow, its greatest depth does not exceed 3.2-3.5 m, and the depths fluctuate greatly due to frequent surges and wind movements of water. Therefore, the area of the water surface also fluctuates quite sharply, but on average it is about 2500 square meters. km (according to other sources, only 1040 sq. km). Several rivers flow towards Sivash, but even the largest of them, the Salgir, originating in the Crimean Mountains, dries up in the lower reaches. It does not reach Sivash, getting lost in its own sediments.
The influx of fresh water into Sivash is insignificant. At the same time, the Sea of Azov pours its waters into it with a salinity of 11%, and the hot southern sun pours streams of rays onto Sivash, causing strong heating in the summer (up to 30-35°) and evaporation of water. Therefore, the water in Sivash is distinguished by high salinity. Already at the entrance it salinizes to 20% o, then to 40% o, and in the southernmost part to 124-166% o. Here it is so salty that if a person wanders in the water, then, coming ashore, he will see thin white coating from tiny crystals table salt. During surge winds, the water level in Sivash rises and it overflows, flooding its low-lying banks. After the water subsides on the drying bottom of the shallow bays of Sivash, all the soil depressions are covered with a thin, slightly pinkish, brittle crust of crystallized table salt. With strong surges during storms, sea water can overflow into Sivash through Arabat arrow. In winter, there are times when the wind drives ice along with water onto the spit and piles it up there in the form of shafts.
The peculiarity of Sivash is to shallow during autumn winds took advantage of in November 1920 talented Soviet commander M.V. Frunze, and during the Great Patriotic War - Marshal F.I. Tolbukhin to bypass Perekop along Sivash and defeat the enemy hordes.
