Balance of surface, advective and up-welling heat fluxes in the Gulf of Aden

Abstract

Based on International Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS), monthly summary groups (1960-2008), covering 1^o boxes in the Gulf of Aden, the surface advective and up-welled heat fluxes are calculated. Annual averages of evaporative, net long wave radiation and sensible heat fluxes are respectively 143, 55 and 2 W/m². Annual average of absorbed solar radiations at the sea surface based on the Smithsonian formula is 249 W/m². Advective heat transport to the Red Sea from Gulf of Aden at Bab-el-Mandab Strait is 35 W/m² giving a surplus of 14 W/m². Compared to the available recorded solar radiations it seems that the Smithsonian formula over-estimates the incoming solar radiations perhaps because of the neglect of aerosols. Up-welled heat flux during the southwest monsoon is 1.0 × 10¹³ W.