Characteristics of Bay of Bengal Water mass in South Eastern Arabian Sea during 2001-2002

Abstract

Present study consists characteristics of intruded Bay of Bengal Water mass (BBW) in the South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) during November 2001 – May 2002 by utilizing Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) model outputs (Temperature, Salinity and Currents). During November 2001 the southward flowing East India Coastal Current (EICC) along with Winter Monsoon Current (WMC) brings BBW to Arabian Sea traversing around Sri Lanka coast and feeds the poleward flowing West India Coastal Current (WICC). Even though EICC reversed its direction by January, the WMC along with the WICC transported the BBW further north into Arabian Sea. Maximum northward limit of the BBW was 16°N during January-February which is the peak phase of WICC. When the WICC reversed its direction by March the BBW started depleting and by May no trace of BBW was seen in SEAS. Thickness of the water mass were computed for the entire study region and also vertical integrated volume transport were computed along transects (77.5°E, 8.25°N, 10.25°N, 12.75°N and 15.25°N) perpendicular to the coast. Thickness of the water mass was found to

vary from 10 to 60 m during the entire study period. It was shallow during November and March-April while it was deep during peak phase of WICC (January-February). Maximum volume transport of 0.8 Sv towards west along 77.5°E was observed during February. During the period of study total volume transport was seen to be less towards the Northern transects.