Spatial and Temporal Variation of Heat Content in the Upper 70m Layer of the Arabian Sea
Spatial and Temporal Variation of Heat Content in the Upper 70m layer of the Arabian Sea
Gopika.N
Dept. of Physical Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi – 22, Kerala, India.
Corresponding author E-mail ID:- gopika.n81@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The upper ocean heat content is the most important parameter in view of ocean atmosphere interaction processes. In this study the temporal and spatial variation of heat content in the upper 70m layer of the Arabian Sea for a period of 1991 to 2008 have been attempted. Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Net Heat Flux (NHF) are the two major factors that affect the heat content of the ocean. In order to establish the various role played by these two factors on the upper ocean heat content we have explained the spatial and temporal variation of NHF and SST in the Arabian Sea. The investigation was carried out in three selected basin-wide boxes in the Arabian Sea; Box1 (Western Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &50oE-60oE); Box 2 (Central Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &60oE-70o E) and Box 3 (Eastern Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &70oE-80oE). The inter-annual variation of heat content, NHF and SST in these three boxes during pre-monsoon, summer monsoon and winter monsoon seasons have been analyzed. Vertical profiles of temperature from the assimilated model output of SODA is used to calculate the upper ocean heat content and the NHF data was taken from OAFlux data sets. Eastern Arabian Sea experienced a large amount of heat content and it decreased towards western region. Inter annual variation of heat content showed that during the strong IOD and strong El-Nino years (1997-1998, 2002-2003 and 2006-2007) all the three regions exhibited maximum heat content. In the western and eastern Arabian Sea, maximum heat content was observed during the pre-monsoon season and minimum heat content was observed during the summer monsoon season. But central Arabian Sea experienced maximum heat content during
Gopika.N
Dept. of Physical Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi – 22, Kerala, India.
Corresponding author E-mail ID:- gopika.n81@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The upper ocean heat content is the most important parameter in view of ocean atmosphere interaction processes. In this study the temporal and spatial variation of heat content in the upper 70m layer of the Arabian Sea for a period of 1991 to 2008 have been attempted. Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Net Heat Flux (NHF) are the two major factors that affect the heat content of the ocean. In order to establish the various role played by these two factors on the upper ocean heat content we have explained the spatial and temporal variation of NHF and SST in the Arabian Sea. The investigation was carried out in three selected basin-wide boxes in the Arabian Sea; Box1 (Western Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &50oE-60oE); Box 2 (Central Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &60oE-70o E) and Box 3 (Eastern Arabian Sea-8oN-20oN &70oE-80oE). The inter-annual variation of heat content, NHF and SST in these three boxes during pre-monsoon, summer monsoon and winter monsoon seasons have been analyzed. Vertical profiles of temperature from the assimilated model output of SODA is used to calculate the upper ocean heat content and the NHF data was taken from OAFlux data sets. Eastern Arabian Sea experienced a large amount of heat content and it decreased towards western region. Inter annual variation of heat content showed that during the strong IOD and strong El-Nino years (1997-1998, 2002-2003 and 2006-2007) all the three regions exhibited maximum heat content. In the western and eastern Arabian Sea, maximum heat content was observed during the pre-monsoon season and minimum heat content was observed during the summer monsoon season. But central Arabian Sea experienced maximum heat content during