Temporal variation of the wave energy flux in hotspot areas of the Black sea

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the temporal variation of wave energy flux in the hotspot areas of the Black Sea. For this purpose, a 31-year long-term wave dataset produced by using a three-layered nested modelling system was used. Temporal variations of wave energy were determined at hourly, monthly, seasonal, and yearly basis at seventeen stations. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the stations have very low fluctuations in mean wave power during the day. Mean wave power in the summer months shows a low difference between the stations, but in the winter months, there is a higher difference in wave power between the stations. This difference is more at the stations in the southwestern part of the Black Sea and much lower in the eastern Black Sea stations around Sinop, being in the middle of the southern coast of the Black Sea. In addition, it is concluded that mean wave energy flux presents a decreasing trend at all stations, but maximum wave power offers an increasing trend at most of the stations.