Research into leeways in the regions of the Świnoujście– Szczecin fairway on the Szczecin Lagoon

The paper analyzes the influence of air mass movement on moving (the leeway) surface water in the Świnoujście–Szczecin fairway region on the Szczecin Lagoon. The Szczecin Lagoon includes waters of the Odra River estuary (Poland’s second largest river) and the southern Baltic Sea. To calculate the leeway parameters, a relevant surface drifter was outlined and constructed. The data on the leeway of the drifter was obtained from in-situ experiments conducted on the Szczecin Lagoon in the summer of 2018. In turn, the air mass movement data was recorded at meteorological stations in Trzebież and Świnoujście. A statistical analysis of the leeway parameters of the drifter was also presented. Distributions of the leeway and wind speeds in the Świnoujście–Szczecin fairway regions were established. Moreover, linear regressions between the leeway and wind parameters were performed by decomposing the leeway into its downwind and crosswind components for each 10-minute sample. It is worth highlighting that relationships between these components of the leeway and wind parameters were studied for weak, medium, and stronger winds. This research may be useful for increasing navigation safety in the Świnoujście–Szczecin fairway regions on the Szczecin Lagoon.