Influence of wind and freshwater on the current circulation along the Romanian Black Sea coast

The main aim of this study is the understanding on how winds and freshwater inputs influence the currents circulation along the Romanian coast. It is a "sensitivity" study of how the Romanian coastal circulation varies changing the main forcings acting on it. In order to do this, a finite element model of the entire Black Sea was used, having a high resolution mesh near the Romanian coast and the Danube distributaries. Several theoretical simulations were carried out in order to understand the influence of the Danube discharge and of the wind on the coastal current. The obtained results show that the water discharge from the Danube influences the current along the entire Romanian Black Sea coast, generating a longshore current mainly in the surface layers. This current occurs even at low discharges and is evident both at low and high wind velocity.