Sea Level Interactions Between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara

Authors: Hüseyin YÜCE, Bedri ALPAR

Abstract: Seal level fluctuations in the Northern Aegean Sea and western part of the Sea of Marmara and their interactions were investigated based upon the data collected at two sides of the Strait of Çanakkale. Far from the entrance to the Strait of Çanakkale, the Sea of Marmara is not affected by the semidiurnal tidal oscillations of the Northern Aegean Sea. The harmonic tidal constituents indicate the presence of mixed, mainly diurnal tides with a mean spring range of 4 cm in the Sea of Marmara (Erdek), but the semi-diurnal tides in Northern Aegean sea (Bozcaada) have a mean spring range of 20 cm. High frequency interactions between Northern Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara were not observed and the Strait of Çanakkale does not dissipate low frequency oscillations, consequently some interactions were observed in the subtidal band. These variations are mainly due to prevailing meterological and oceanographic conditions. The periodicities observed in the low frequency range is between 2 to 16 days which correspond well with the characteristic cyclone frequencies for mid latitudes.

Keywords: Sea Level Interaction; Tidal Variations; Power Spectra; Aegean; Marmara; Strait of Çanakkale