A REVIEW OF HIGH RESOLUTION MODELING STUDIES OF THE EXCHANGE FLOWS OF THE TURKISH STRAITS SYSTEM

Abstract

Constructing a model of the entire TSS uniformly representing the rich diversity of observed hydrodynamic processes including strong topographic control, non-linear hydrodynamics, strong stratified turbulence, hydraulic controls, separated flows, multiscale interactions, turbulent mixing and entrainment has been a grand challenge in oceanography that we have approached in small steps. In the past, the problem has only been addressed by a series of simplified models of the individual elements of the system (e.g. Oğuz et al. 1990; Ilıcak et al. 2009; Oğuz and Sur; 1989; Staschuk and Hutter, 2001). In this paper, we review the earlier work (Sözer, 2013; Sannino et al. 2015) carried out with three-dimensional models of the individual Bosphorus Strait or the coupled dynamics of the TSS, momentarily skipping some details and updates already submitted for publication (Sözer and Özsoy, 2016; Sannino et al. 2016). We will only review some salient features and partial results that have not been discussed in those journal papers.