The role of air-sea interaction in the
precipitation variability of the
Southern Black Sea coast
Ozan Mert Göktürk
Naki Akçar
Dominik Fleitmann
Institute of Geosciences,
University of Bern
Aim



To explain what 'air-sea interaction' is
To demonstrate the role of air-sea interaction
process in the present day precipitation
variability of the southern Black Sea coast, by
means of simple data analysis
Possible implications of this mechanism in the
paleoclimate context ?
Low Air Temp + High Water Temp
Sea / lake effect
Precipitation

Great Lakes of the
North America

Sea of Japan

Black Sea ?

...
Hypothesis: The
southern Black Sea
area must be one of
the “sea/lake effect”
regions.
Test: Calculate
correlations of
temperature and
sea surface
temperature with
precipitation!
Low Air Temp + High Water Temp
Sea / lake effect
Precipitation
Fall + Winter, 1951-1990
Correlations between air temperature and precipitation
Temp Precip +
Temp +
Precip +
November, 1951-1990
Correlations between air temperature and precipitation
February, 1951-1990
Correlations between temperature and precipitation
January+February vs February, 1951-1990
Correlations between temperature and precipitation
Sea Surface Temp +
Air Temp Precip +
Conclusion


Air - sea interaction is possibly the dominant
precipitation generator for the Southern Black
Sea coast
This process can be quite independent from
the large scale climate, for example cyclone
frequency, Arctic-North Atlantic oscillation etc.
Implications - Questions



Warm and wet ? Or, cold and wet ?
Possible contrast between Mediterranean and
southern Black Sea areas, in terms of rainfall?
Mountain glaciation mechanisms ?
Finally...
Sea Surface Temp anomaly
25.09.2008
Radar image, 27.09.2008
Wind speed in Istanbul:
140 km / h (all-time record)
Sea Surface Temp anomaly
06.09.2009
08.09.2009
Istanbul, 09.09.2009
Thanks!