Factors of Formation and Features of Physical and Chemical Characteristics of the Bottom Sediments in the Balaklava Bay (the Black Sea)

The physicochemical characteristics of the sediments of Balaklava bay: granulometric composition and fractional composition content of organic and inorganic carbon are considered. The spatial distribution of the main factions of particle size distribution and content of organic carbon (TOC) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) are investigated. The relationship between the organic and inorganic carbon and particle size distribution of sediments are analyzed. The main formation factors of the sediments from Balaklava bay are hightlighted.The results of the performed investigations have shown that the bottom deposits in the Balaklava Bay are represented mainly by silts and in some areas the gravel and sandy materials are interspersed. On average, for all the stations the fine-dispersed fraction content makes up 61%. The coarse-dispersed material is concentrated near the coast, and at the bay exit; the increased content of the sand fraction is typical for the central part of the water area. The calcium carbonate content in the Balaklava Bay varies within 18.32-82.95 %; its average value constitutes 40.06%. Its maximum concentrations are in the coastal parts of the bay. The highest correlation between the inorganic carbon content and the granulometric composition in the samples is observed in the coarse-dispersed material (fraction 2-1 mm). As for the fine-dispersed material, the sandy and alevrite-pelite silts are characterized by the inverse relation: from 0.4 - for the fraction 0.25-0.1 mm up to 0.6 for the fraction lower than 0.05 mm. The organic carbon content varies from 0.66 to 4.74%; the average value is 2.37 %. The presence of the increased values in the central part of the bay can be explained by "weak" water exchange formed by minimum wind and wave effect and insignificant eddy formations.