Detection of possible route of mines broken off during the Russia-Ukraine war with an ocean circulation and a particle model

Murat Gündüz, Deniz Kutluk

ORCID IDs: M.G. 0000-0003-1316-3039; D.K. 0000-0003-1688-7999

Dokuz Eylül University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation, P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, 34820, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Russian authorities released a warning on March 18, 2022, stating that about 420 mines were broken off in the ports of Odessa, Ochakov, Chernomorsk, and Pivdenny in the northern coast of the Black Sea due to the stormy conditions. The warning also advised the ships to be careful when navigating in the southwest and western parts of the Black Sea due to the possibility of explosion of the drifting mines. In this study, the probable origin of locations and route of the mines are investigated by using an ocean circulation and a particle model. The results suggest approximate origin of the mines. One of the conclusions is that due to the circulation dynamics along the western coast hydrography of the Black Sea, the mines travelled to the south reaching up to the Istanbul Strait.

Keywords: Black Sea, Russia-Ukraine war, naval mines, Black Sea circulation, drifting model

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