ÐñáêôéêÜ 5ïõ ÐáíåëëÞíéïõ Óõìðüóéïõ Ùêåáíïãñáößáò & Áëéåßáò, 1997 - ÔÏÌÏÓ É 161

ÏÉ ÓÔÑÏÂÉËÏÉ ÔÇÓ ÉÅÑÁÐÅÔÑÁÓ ÊÁÉ ÔÇÓ ÑÏÄÏÕ: ÌÉÁ ÕÐÏÈÅÓÇ

ÃÉÁ ÔÇÍ ÄÇÌÉÏÕÑÃÉÁ ÔÏÕÓ
Í.Å.Êùôóïâßíïò,
Á’ ÅñãáóôÞñéïí ÕäñáõëéêÞò ÄÐÈ
67100 ÎÜíèç

ÁBSTRACT
N.E.Kotsovinos ,Laboratory of Hydraulics, Democritus University of Thrace.67100 Xanthi. “THE IERAPETRA AND RHODES
GYRES: AN ASSUMPTION FOR THEIR GENERATION“

The basic objective of this paper is the exploration of our intuitive hypothesis that the Ierapetra and Rhodes gyres are
generated by the giant jet which is generated by the outlow of the Cretan Sea to Levantine at the Kassos Strait. Due to the
large length scale of Crete ( length scale L= 250000 m ), and to the fact that the Crete is not embedded in the open sea but is
bounded by the Anthikithyra and Kassos islands , the exchange of flow between the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea
produces giants jets with origin the Cretan Straits. Since the width of these straits is much larger than the depth , these giant jets
( or megajets ) can be approximated as plane surface jets issued out of a wall. The above the thermocline plane megajet has
a typical “width “ equal to the depth of the thermocline , i.e. about 100 m . These giant structures , the surface megajets and the
submerged megaplumes from the Cretan straits ,are organized fluid structures with specific growth rates and characteristics.
Although the Coriolis forces modify their growth rate ,and their trajectory (the Coriolis force oblige them to turn right ) , their
main characteristics are kept, and one of their characteristics is their ability to “entrain “ ambient fluid. These megajets and
megaplumes have an important significance for the flow patterns in the “ vicinity “ of Crete, i.e. either at the Cretan Sea or at
the Levantine, depending from their direction (i.e. inflow towards Cretan Sea or outflow towards Levantine ). Various combina-
tions of the direction ( i.e. inflow or outflow ) of the megajets and megaplumes from the Cretan straits are possible.

1. ÅÉÓÁÃÙÃÇ-Ç ÅÐÉÖÁÍÅÉÁÊÇ ÌÅÃÁÖËÅÂÁ

Óôçí åñãáóßá ìáò áõôÞ åîåôÜæïìå ôïí âáóéêü ìç÷áíéóìü ðïõ êáôá ôçí ÜðïøÞ ìáò óõìâÜëëåé óôçí åìöÜíéóç ôùí
ìåãÜëùí óôñïâßëùí ( gyres ) ôçò ÉåñÜðåôñáò êáé ôçò Ñüäïõ.
ÅóôéÜæïìå êáô’áñ÷Üò ôçí ðåñßðôùóç ðïõ Ý÷ïìå åðéöáíåéáêÜ åêñïÞ áðï ôï óôåíü ôçò ÊÜóïõ ( ìå ôïí üñï
åêñïÞ åííïïýìå ñïÞ áðï ôï Êñçôéêü ðñüò ôï Ëõâéêü ÐÝëáãïò. Óôçí ðåñßðôùóç áõôÞ äçìéïõñãåßôáé ìßá åðéöáíåéáêÞ
åðßðåäç “ìåãáöëÝâá “ ( megajet ) ðïõ ðåñéïñßæåôáé ìåôáîý äýï íïçôþí åðéðÝäùí , ôçò åëåýèåñçò åðéöÜíåéáò ôçò
èÜëáóóáò (z=0 ) êáé ôçò èåñìïêëéíïýò , ç ïðïßá Ýóôù üôé âñßóêåôáé óôá z=100 ìÝôñá âÜèïò. Ôï áñ÷éêü ðëÜôïò
ôçò öëÝâáò Âï åßíáé ôï åðéöáíåéáêü ðëÜôïò ôïõ óôåíïý ôçò ÊÜóïõ, Bo=67 km. ÕðïèÝôïìå , ãéá íá ãßíåé êáôáíïçôü
ôï ðñüâëçìá, üôé ç ôá÷ýôçôá åêñïÞò åßíáé U=20 cm/s. Ï áñéèìüò Reynolds ôçò öëÝâáò åßíáé Re= U H/í= 3.6
106 , äçëáäÞ ç ñïÞ åßíáé ôõñâþäçò.
Åßíáé ãíùóôü üôé ìßá âáóéêÞ éäéüôçôá ôùí öëåâþí åßíáé ç áýîçóç ôçò ðáñï÷Þò ôçò ì(x) áíÜ ìïíÜäá âÜèïõò
êáôá ìÞêïò ôïõ Üîïíá ôçò ñïÞò , åðåéäÞ ç öëÝâá ðáñáóýñåé íåñü áðï ôï ðåñéâÜëëïí ôçò âëÝðå, ãéá ðáñÜäåéãìá
Kotsovinos 1976, Kotsovinos et al 1977 , List 1982 .

Å÷ïìå
ì(x)=ìï+0.53 (M x)1/2

üðïõ ìï åßíáé ç áñ÷éêÞ ðáñï÷Þ óôá óôåíÜ áíÜ ìÝôñï âÜèïõò

ìï=Âï Uo=13400 m3/s,
M åßíáé ç ïñìÞ áíá ìÝôñï âÜèïõò ( kinematic momentum flux per unit of depth of the jet ) ,ïñéæüìåíç áðï
ôçí ó÷Ýóç

M=Bo U2 =2680 m4/s2

Óõíåðþò , ç ðáñï÷Þ áíÜ ìÝôñï âÜèïõò áõîÜíåôáé ìå ôçí áðüóôáóç êáôá ìÞêïò ôçò åêñïÞò óýìöùíá ìå ôçí
ó÷Ýóç
ì(x)= 13400 + 27.4 x ½ m3/s .
162
ËáìâÜíïíôáò õð’üøéí üôé ãéá áðïóôÜóåéò ôïõëÜ÷éóôïí äýï öïñÝò ôï ðëÜôïò ôçò ç öëÝâá äéáôçñåß ôçí äïìÞ ôçò
, âñßóêïìå ôçí ðáñï÷Þ ôïõ åéóåñ÷üìåíïõ ñåõóôïý ìÝóá óôç öëÝâá ãéÜ üëï ôï âÜèïò H = 100 m ßóç ìå
ì(x)= 2328000 m3/s=2.3 Svedrup, Þ 1.16 Sv ãéá êÜèå ðëåõñÜ ôçò öëÝâáò.
Âñßóêïìå äçëáäÞ üôé ðáñÜóõñóç íåñïý áðï ôçí ìåãáöëÝâá ôçí ìåôáôñÝðåé óå ìßá ôåñÜóôéá áíôëßá ðïõ ìåôáöÝñåé
áõôÞ ôçí ôåñÜóôéá ðáñï÷Þ 1.16 S ðñüò ôç öëÝâá.
Ïé ãñáììÝò ôçò ñïÞò ðïõ äçìéïõñãåß ç “áíôëßá ìåãáöëÝâáò” äéáìïñöþíïíôáé óå ãñáììÝò óôñïâßëïõ ëüãù
êõñßùò ôùí óôåñåþí ïñéáêþí óõíèçêþí ( ÊñÞôç, ÊÜóóïò, ÊÜñðáèïò ) .Åßíáé ãíùóôü (âëÝðå ( Kotsovinos et al
1991 ) üôé ç ýðáñîç óôåñåïý ïñßïõ äçìéïõñãåß Ýíá åîùôåñéêü ðåäßï ñïÞò ìå ãñáììÝò ñïÞò áíôßèåôåò ìå ôçí êýñéá
êáôåýèõíóç ôçò öëÝâáò, äçëáäÞ ìå êáôåýèõíóç áðï ôïí Íüôï ðñïò ôïí ÂïññÜ.
Óõíåðþò ãéá ôçí äéáôÞñçóç ôçò óôñïöïñìÞò , ôï ñåõóôü áðïêôÜ áíôéêõêëùíéêÞ óôñïâéëüôçôá, äçìïõñãþíôáò
ôïí åðéöáíåéáêü óôñüâéëï ôçò ÉåñÜðåôñáò êáé ôçò Ñüäïõ. Åßíáé ðéèáíüí êáé Üëëåò áéôßåò íá ôñïöïäïôïýí ôïí
óôñüâéëï áõôü, áëëÜ ç ÜðïøÞ ìáò åßíáé üôé ç ìåãáöëÝâá äéáäñáìáôßæåé ôïí êõñéüôåñï ñüëï.

2. ÔÏ ÂÕÈÉÓÌÅÍÏ ÌÅÃÁÐËÏÕÌÉÏ ÁÐÏ ÔÇÍ ÂÁÈÅÉÁ ÅÊÑÏÇ ÔÇÓ ÊÁÓÏÕ

Óýìöùíá ìå ôéò ìåôñÞóåéò ðåäßïõ óôá ðëáßóéá ôïõ åñåõíçôéêïý ðñïãñÜììáôïò ÅC/MAST/PELAGOS
ðáñáôçñÞèçêå óõíå÷Þò åêñïÞ áðü ôï Áéãáßï ðñïò ôï Ëõâéêü áðï âÜèïò 500 ìÝôñùí Ýùò ôïí ðõèìÝíá ôïõ óôåíïý
( ðåñßðïõ 1000 ìÝôñá ) êáé üôé ç ôõðéêÞ äéáöïñÜ ðõêíüôçôáò åßíáé ôçò ôÜîåùò ôùí 0.1 kgr/m3 . ÅîåôÜæïíôáò ôéò
êáôáíïìÝò ðõêíüôçôáò , ðáñáôçñïýìå üôé ç åêñïÞ áðï ôçí ÊÜóï åîáêïëïõèåß íá åßíáé âáñýôåñç áêüìç êáé áðï ôá
âáèýôåñá íåñÜ ôïõ Ëõâéêïý ìå áðïôÝëåóìá ç åêñïÞ íá Ýñðåé óôïí ðõèìÝíá ôïõ Ëõâéêïý äçìéïõñãþíôáò Ýíá
ôåñÜóôéï ìåãáðëïýìéï .
Ï áñéèìüò Richardson åßíáé
Ri=(Äñ/ñ ) g h cosè/Up2
üðïõ Äñ/ñ= 0.0001 ç äéáöïñÜ ðõêíüôçôáò ôïõ ìåãáðëïõìßïõ áðï ôï ðåñéâÜëëïí , h åßíáé ôï ôõðéêü ðÜ÷ïò
ôïõ ðëïõìßïõ, êáé Up ç ôõðéêÞ ôïõ ôá÷ýôçôá , ðïõ ëáìâÜíåôáé Up=0.35 m/s , äßíïíôáò óôïí áñéèìü Richardson
number ôçí ôéìÞ Ri =2,5
Ï óõíôåëåóôÞò åéóäï÷Þò ãéá áõôÞ ôçí ôéìÞ ôïõ Ri ( Narimousa et al 1987 ) åßíáé 0.0025 .
Ç ìÜæá ôïõ èáëáóóéíïý íåñïý ðïõ åéóñÝåé óôï ðëïýìéï ìÝ÷ñé ìßá áðüóôáóç 135 ÷éëéüìåôñá áðï ôçí Ýîïäü ôïõ
áðï ôï óôåíü ÊÜóïõ õðåëïãßóèç óå 10 Svedrups. Êáôá ôçí ÜðïøÞ ìáò áõôÞ ç ôåñÜóôéá ìåôáêßíçóç ìÜæáò ðñüò ôçí
åðéöÜíåéá ôïõ ìåãáðëïõìßïõ åßíáé ç ãåíåóéïõñãüò áéôßá ãéá ôéò Ýíôïíåò êéíÞóåéò âõèïý êáé ôïí âõèéóìÝíï êõêëþíá
ôçò Ñüäïõ.

3 .ÐÅÉÑÁÌÁÔÉÊÇ ÅÐÁËÇÈÅÕÓÇ
ÌáêñïóêïðéêÞ äéåñåýíçóç ôùí ðáñáðÜíù Ýãéíáí óôçí ìåãÜëç ðåñéóôñåöüìåíç äåîáìåíÞ ôïõ åñãáóôçñßïõ
ÕäñáõëéêÞò ôïõ ÄÐÈ . Ç äåîáìåíÞ áõôÞ Ý÷åé äéÜìåôñï 5.2 m êáé ðåñéóôñÝöåôáé óå Ýíá Üîïíá óôï êÝíôñï.

ÅÕ×ÁÑÉÓÔÉÅÓ
Ï óõããñáöÝáò åõ÷áñéóôåß èåñìÜ ôïõò ê.Ó Ìðáëüðïõëï êáé Á.Èåï÷Üñç (ÅÊÈÅ ) ãéá ÷ñÞóéìåò óõæçôÞóåéò,
êáé áíáãíùñßæåé ôçí âïÞèåéá áðï ôï åñåõíçôéêü ðñüãñáììá ÅC/MAST/PELAGOS .

Ó÷Þìá 1 . Êáôáêüñõöç ôïìÞ ôçò ìåãáöëÝâáò êáé ìåãáðëïõìßïõ åãêÜñóéá óôç ñïÞ
 163

Ó÷Þìá 2. Êáôáêüñõöç ôïìÞ êáôá ìÞêïò ôïõ Üîïíá ôçò öëÝâáò

Ó÷Þìá 3 ÊÜôïøç åðéöáíåéáêÞ ôïõ ðåäßïõ ñïÞò

164
.

29.40
TYPICAL DENSITY DISTRIBUTION

Figure 2. Density distribution at Cretan and Levantine Sea using the data of Pelagos .
PELAGOS STATION 89

PELAGOS
AT LEVANTINE SEA

PELAGOS III
PELAGOS IV

PELAGOS I
29.35

29.30
TYPICAL VERTICAL DENSITY DISTRIBUTION AT CRETAN SEA

LEVANTINE
PELAGOS STATION AT 36.00/26.50

29.25

.
29.20
ó ,DENSITY Kgr/m3
PELAGOS IV

PELAGOS III

PELAGOS II

PELAGOS I

29.15

ierape
29.10

20 0 40 0 60 0 80 0 10 0 0 120 0 140 0 160 0 180 0 20 0 0 220 0 240 0

DEPTH, m
.

Ó÷Þìá 4. ÊáôáíïìÞ ðõêíüôçôáò óôï Êñçôéêü êáé óôï Ëõâéêü ÐÝëáãïò

ÂÉÂËÉÏÃÑÁÖÉÁ
Burnett1,W. ,Price1 J., and Paul E. La Violette2, 1991, “The surface circulation around Crete inferred from drifter buoy trajectories
and satellite imagery “, (1) Naval Oceanographic Office ,Stennis Space Center, and (2) Mississippi State University Research Center
(USA)(Personal Communication of unpublished paper )
Kotsovinos, N.E., List E.J., 1977 “ Plane Turbulent Buoyant Jets. Part I Integral Properties”, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 81,
Part 1, pp. 25 - 44.
Kotsovinos, N.E., 1978, “ A Note on the Conservation of the Axial Momentum of a Turbulent Jet”, Journal of Fluid Mechanics,
Vol. 87, pp. 56 - 63.
Kotsovinos, N. E., and P. B. Angelidis, 1991, “ The momentum flux in turbulent submerged jets “, Journal of Fluid Mechanics
1991, vol. 229, pp. 453 - 70.
List, E.J ,1982, “Mechanics of Turbulent Buoyant Jets and Plumes “, in “Turbulent buoyant jets and plumes “, Editor W. Rodi,
Pergamon Press.
Narimousa S. and Fernando H.J.S. , 1987, “On the sheared density interface of an entraining stratified fluid”, J.Fluid Mech.,
vol.174, pp1-22