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Hydrography of the eastern Arabian Sea during summer monsoon 2002

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Abstract

Hydrographic observations in the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) during summer monsoon 2002 (during the first phase of the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX)) include two approximately fortnight-long CTD time series. A barrier layer was observed occasionally during the two time series. These ephemeral barrier layers were caused byin situ rainfall, and by advection of low-salinity (high-salinity) waters at the surface (below the surface mixed layer). These barrier layers were advected away from the source region by the West India Coastal Current and had no discernible effect on the sea surface temperature. The three high-salinity water masses, the Arabian Sea High Salinity Water (ASHSW), Persian Gulf Water (PGW), and Red Sea Water (RSW), and the Arabian Sea Salinity Minimum also exhibited intermittency: they appeared and disappeared during the time series. The concentration of the ASHSW, PGW, and RSW decreased equatorward, and that of the RSW also decreased offshore. The observations suggest that the RSW is advected equatorward along the continental slope off the Indian west coast.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, 403 004, Goa, India

    D. Shankar, S. S. C. Shenoi, R. K. Nayak, G. Nampoothiri, A. M. Almeida, G. S. Michael, M. R. Ramesh Kumar, D. Sundar & O. P. Sreejith

  2. Indian Institute of Science, 560 012, Bangalore, India

    P. N. Vinayachandran

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  1. D. Shankar
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  2. S. S. C. Shenoi
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  3. R. K. Nayak
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  4. P. N. Vinayachandran
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  5. G. Nampoothiri
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  6. A. M. Almeida
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  7. G. S. Michael
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  8. M. R. Ramesh Kumar
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  9. D. Sundar
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  10. O. P. Sreejith
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Shankar, D., Shenoi, S.S.C., Nayak, R.K. et al. Hydrography of the eastern Arabian Sea during summer monsoon 2002. J Earth Syst Sci 114, 459–474 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02702023

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02702023

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