Author(s): Stepan Maznev; Anastasiia Magaeva; Stanislav Ogorodov; Natalia Yaitskaya

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Abstract: Ice gouging is mechanical plowing of bottom ground by ice features. Hydrometeorological conditions, changing from year to year, determine the intensity of ice features (ice hummocks, ice ridges and stamukhi) formation. In this paper, we consider the conditions of the ice gouging of the Northern Caspian seabed by ice features in winters of various severity. We used the cumulative freezing-degree days (CFDD) over a winter period as a criterion for dividing winters by severity. We used data from several nearshore meteorological stations to divide them into mild, moderate and severe. The analysis, based on aerial reconnaissance and modern satellite data, showed the variability of the number of stamukhi, their distribution and depths of grounding over recent years. We created charts of different ice gouging intensities for the different types of winters. The charts are consider not only analysis of stamukhi distribution, but also ice cover dynamics, typical position of fast ice rim and features of the bottom topography. The charts showed changes in the conditions of ice gouging at the Northern Caspian from year to year. The results allowed estimating the influence of the winters severity on the intensity of the ice features formation and ice gouging in different years. The results of this study must be considered when conducting economic activities in the Northern Caspian.

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Year: 2020