The general objective of this project is the improvement of knowledge in the field of water and sediment dynamics along the Romanian Black Sea littoral, involving coastal currents measurements with modern technologies and mathematical modeling. The projects aims thus to obtain detailed and very precise information in a field which has never been studied along the entire Romanian coast in a systematic and detailed way by the use of new technologies and analysis methods. The detailed knowledge of coastal currents is necessary also because many coastal works were built during the past decades. These drastically changed the natural state of the littoral, their result being the increase of coastal erosion phenomena.
During the project, the Romanian partners, together with the Italian experts, will perform measurements of coastal currents` directions and velocities with the use of ADCPs (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers). The suspended load in coastal waters shall also be measured. Measurements shall be performed on transverse profiles from near the coastline to the depth of 15 m (offshore limit of the coastal zone). The profiles shall cover the entire Romanian littoral of the Black Sea. Maximum distance between profiles is of 5 kms; while profiles will be much denser where requested by local conditions (near the Danube mouths or close to the coastal works). ADCP measurements shall include an initial part of calibration at the specific conditions of the Romanian Black Sea coast. Except for water flows` speeds and directions at various depths and suspended load, other measurements shall also be made. These include detailed bathymetry and bottom sediments sampling for grain size analysis. Field measurements will be made during 2 years (2009 the littoral in front of the Danube Delta and 2010 the littoral South of Cape Midia). Weather conditions must also be analyzed in detail.
All these data (water and sediments flow velocities, suspended loads` concentration and volume, depth, type of bottom sediments, weather conditions) represent input data requested for the elaboration of the mathematical model of water and sediments transport by coastal currents along the Romanian Black Sea littoral. The base of the future model is the SHYFEM three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. This is a numerical model with finite elements, created and developed during the 1990`s in Venice by the Italian partners and subsequently used at a large scale in the Venice Lagoon, Adriatic Sea and several areas of the Mediterranean. The main outputs of the numerical model are: the prognoses values of sea surface position and water currents directions and velocities at different depth intervals. The Italian colleagues will prepare the young Romanian researchers to apply, adapt and use this tridimensional hydrodynamic model under the specific conditions of the Romanian coast.
At the end of the project, the coastal currents map as well as the model of water and sediments flows in the coastal zone under various meteorological conditions shall constitute themselves into a strong decision support system for the protection of the Romanian littoral. The knowledge of marine currents directions and velocities shall be an important help to the creation of efficient emergency intervention plan in case of environmental accidents.
Also, by bridging the existing handicap in this field of research in comparison with the general European level, and by training young researchers in the use of modern technologies and complex hydrodynamic models, the participation in European and international research consortia in coastal dynamics is ensured.
The scientific results of the project will be presented at international scientific events and published in significant international peer reviewed journals.
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