Smitha, B R; Dr. Sajeev, R(Cochin University of Science and Technology, November , 2010)
[+]
[-]
Abstract:
Upwelling regions occupies only a small portion of the global ocean
surface. However it accounts for a large fraction of the oceanic primary
production as well as fishery. Therefore understanding and quantifying
the upwelling is of great importance for the marine resources
management. Most of the coastal upwelling zones in the Arabian Sea are
wind driven uniform systems. Mesoscale studies along the southwest
coast of India have shown high spatial and temporal variability in the
forcing mechanism and intensity of upwelling. There exists an
equatorward component of wind stress as similar to the most upwelling
zones along the eastern oceanic boundaries. Therefore an offshore
component of surface Ekman transport is expected throughout the year.
But several studies supported with in situ evidences have revealed that
the process is purely recurring on seasonal basis. The explanation
merely based on local wind forcing alone is not sufficient to support the
observations. So, it is assumed that upwelling along the South Eastern
Arabian Sea is an effect of basin wide wind forcing rather than local
wind forcing. In the present study an integrated approach has been made to understand the process of upwelling of the South Eastern Arabian Sea.
The latitudinal and seasonal variations (based on Sea Surface
Temperature, wind forcing, Chlorophyll a and primary production),
forcing mechanisms (local wind and remote forcing) and the factors
influencing the system (Arabian Sea High Saline Water, Bay of Bengal
water, runoff, coastal geomorphology) are addressed herewith.
Description:
Department of
Physical Oceanography,Cochin
University of Science and Technology