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In this paper, satellite products developed during the Earth Observation for Science and Innovation in the Black Sea (EO4SIBS) ESA project are presented. Ocean colour, sea level anomaly and sea surface salinity datasets are produced for the last decade and validated with regional in-situ observations. New data processing is tested to appropriately tackle the Black Sea’s particular configuration and geophysical characteristics. For altimetry, the full rate (20Hz) altimeter measurements from Cryosat-2 and Sentinel-3A are processed to deliver a 5Hz along-track product. This product is combined with existing 1Hz product to produce gridded datasets for the sea level anomaly, mean dynamic topography, geostrophic currents. This new set of altimetry gridded products offers a better definition of the main Black Sea current, a more accurate reconstruction and characterization of eddies structure, in particular, in coastal areas, and improves the observable wavelength by a factor of 1.6. The EO4SIBS sea surface salinity from SMOS is the first satellite product for salinity in the Black Sea. Specific data treatments are applied to remedy the issue of land-sea and radio frequency interference contamination and to adapt the dielectric constant model to the low salinity and cold waters of the Black Sea. The quality of the SMOS products is assessed and shows a significant improvement from Level-2 to Level -3 and Level-4 products. Level-4 products accuracy is 0.4-0.6 psu, a comparable value to that in the Mediterranean Sea. On average SMOS sea surface salinity is lower than salinity measured by Argo floats, with a larger error in the eastern basin. The adequacy of SMOS SSS to reproduce the spatial characteristics of the Black Sea surface salinity and, in particular, plume patterns is analyzed. For ocean colour, chlorophyll-a, turbidity and suspended particulate materials are proposed using regional calibrated algorithms and satellite data provided by OLCI sensor onboard Sentinel-3 mission. The seasonal cycle of ocean colour products is described and a water classification scheme is proposed. The development of these three types of products has suffered from important in-situ data gaps that hinder a sound calibration of the algorithms and a proper assessment of the datasets quality. We propose recommendations for improving the in-situ observing system that will support the development of satellite products.

The objective of EMODnet Chemistry is to provide easy and open access to marine chemistry data sets and data products related to three main categories: eutrophication (e.g., nutrients, oxygen and chlorophyll), contaminants (e.g., hydrocarbons, pesticides, heavy metals, antifoulants) and marine litter (e.g., beach litter, seafloor litter and floating micro-litter). Historical data are often deprived of any detailed information on analytical procedures, calibrations and confidence intervals; conversely, large efforts are currently carried out in the framework of European data management initiatives to properly collect and archive this kind of relevant metadata. In order to obtain data aggregation per sea region from the heterogeneous datasets originating from multiple institutions, an automatic Robot Harvester, properly configured with predefined criteria of geographical and temporal coverage and parameters, was adopted to retrieve specific data sets from distributed data centers. Regional quality control follows procedures compiled in discussion with the wider international community (e.g., IOC/IODE, ICES and JCOMM, SeaDataNet Data Quality Control Procedures) and involves: metadata format correctness and completeness check, data format checks, identification of negative and zero values, identification of wrong measurement units and “broad range” check which consists in the comparison with minimum and maximum regional values derived from previous statistics (SeaDataNet, 2010; Barth et al., 2015; Buga et al., 2019).

Romanian coastline length of 244 km consists of low-lying shores, beaches (80%) and relatively higher shores, cliffs (20%). Typological point of view, includes both natural shore (beaches and cliffs - approx. 84%) and shoreline \"built\", approx. 16% (ports, protective hydraulic structures). Studies conducted show that Romanian seaside is in a serious condition in terms of expanding erosion (in approx. 60-70% of the length of shoreline). Thus, in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, shore lost in the last 35 years was more than 2400 ha (approx. 80 ha / year), while accumulations have been only 200 ha (approx. 7 ha / year). The paper presents the opportunity to introduce new methods of mapping, - the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). Capture aerial images in coastal area using drones was tested successfully by INCDM period in the last period. Aerial photographs (obtained by drones or aircraft) with specific measurements in situ provides a clear and detailed picture of the coastal system and can be used in coastal erosion monitoring: - The changes, both in longitudinal beach profile (shoreline, eroded surfaces / accretion) and cross section (digital surface models and digital terrain model - DSM and DTM). Digital terrain model allows the calculation of volumes of sediment eroded and / or deposited, the slope, vulnerability index to beach flooding etc. - Evaluation of oceanographic factors (wave's regime, shallow water currents), beach geomorphology, changes in the hydraulic structures. This information underlying modeling and prognosis regarding coastal processes. - identifying vulnerable areas and sectors such risks sectors evolving under natural regime (Danube Delta and lagoon sector) and in those with hydraulic structures and strong anthropic influences.

Based on systematic hydrographic data gathered from the entire Romanian Shelf, longterm trends in the water mass thermohaline structure and the effect of Danube freshwater discharge into the western Black Sea during the last four decades (1971 - 2010) are analyzed. The variations of the temperature and salinity over the studied period were relatively small. The temperature data reveal a slight warming trend for the upper mixed layer (UML) while for the shelf cold water (SCW) -identified by the 8°C isotherm upper depth - thermohaline structure remained practically constant. Salinity exhibited a decreasing trend in the same period the entire water column. A minimum of the sea surface temperature was measured in 1985 (about 0.12°C) and a maximum in 2006 (28.50°C), at Eforie, in the offshore southern Romanian waters. The river influence observed in May 2008 when a minimum salinity, about 0.12 PSU, has been recorded near the Danube Mouths at the convergence between marine and fresh waters. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The wave characteristics on the Constanta near-shore area are estimated from long-term measurements (1966 - 2010). For the 1966 - 1995 period the data had been obtained by detecting the vertical movement of a surface buoy at 1km from shore (44°10'19\"N, 28°39'52\"E at 12 m depth). After 1996, visual observations at the same location are available. Similar data from systematic visual observations at an offshore drilling platform situated on the inner continental shelf at 70 km from the coast (44°31'N, 29°34'E) cover the 2003-2009 period. Systematic wave records (at 1.5 hours interval) carried out at Mamaia Bay during 2006 - 2010 have been analyzed in order to estimate the statistical characteristics of the significant wave height and period, especially during storms. Changes in the long-term evolution of the wave regime are mainly due to meteorological factors that have considerable time variability. The overall average of calm sea state occurrence is about 55%; the average wave height is about one meter, with maximum measured wave height in 45 years being 6.0m. The mean wave period is approximately 4.5s, and the overall average height for the entire period is only about half a meter, indicating a moderate sea state regime. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Quality of life is a widely used concept that tends to become an important part of clinical management. The present study performs an analysis of the impact of suppurative chronic otitis media with and without cholesteatoma on quality of life, using the COMQ-12 questionnaire. It was applied to a group of 40 healthy people and to 40 patients before surgery, and the answers to the questions were analyzed and correlated with socioeconomic factors. After the confirmation of the diagnosis based on clinical and imaging information, the patients completed the COMQ-12 questionnaire. It was observed that the chronic ear problems had negative impacts of varying degrees on daily and long-term activities. The evaluation and analysis of information can be used in setting therapeutic targets.