Sea urface currents on the estern Black Sea coasts

SUMMARY Sea Surface Currents on the Eastern Black Sea Coasts The aim of this study is to determine the surface current patterns which occurs seasonally due to air-sea interaction. The wind data used in this study are belong to 1990 to 1992 period and has been obtained from the meteorological land stations located on the Eastern Black Sea Coasts. In this research it has been estimated that there is a current system whose max. value is 6-17 cm/s, min. value is 3-5 cm/s and avarage value is 5-10 cm/s in the direction of NNE from Samsun to Hopa. The effect of wind currents on the the existing currents which is shown previous studies has been also analysed. Those currents either force existing currents to close the coast or turn them away from coast. It has been shown that the currents speed of Samsun and Hopa coasts is higher than those of Ordu, Giresun and Trabzon. Key Words : Black Sea, wind currents, sea surface currents, air-sea interaction VI