Monsoon control on trace metal fluxes in the deep Arabian Sea

Particulate fluxes of aluminium, iron, magnesium and titanium were measured using six time-series sediment traps deployed in the eastern, central and western Arabian Sea. Annual Al fluxes at shallow and deep trap depths were 0.47 and 0.46 g m^-2 in the western Arabian Sea, and 0.33 and 0.47 g m^-2 in the eastern Arabian Sea. There is a difference of about 0.9–1.8 g m^-2y^-1 in the lithogenic fluxes determined analytically (residue remaining after leaching out all biogenic particles) and estimated from the Al fluxes in the western Arabian Sea. This arises due to higher fluxes of Mg (as dolomite) in the western Arabian Sea (6–11 times higher than the eastern Arabian Sea). The estimated dolomite fluxes at the western Arabian Sea site range from 0.9 to 1.35gm^-2y^-1. Fe fluxes in the Arabian Sea were less than that of the reported atmospheric fluxes without any evidence for the presence of labile fraction/excess of Fe in the settling particles. More than 75% of Al, Fe, Ti and Mg fluxes occurred during the southwest (SW) monsoon in the western Arabian Sea. In the eastern Arabian Sea, peak Al, Fe, Mg and Ti fluxes were recorded during both the northeast (NE) and SW monsoons. During the SW monsoon, there exists a time lag of around one month between the increases in lithogenic and dolomite fluxes. Total lithogenic fluxes increase when the southern branch of dust bearing northwesterlies is dragged by the SW monsoon winds to the trap locations. However, the dolomite fluxes increase only when the northern branch of the northwesterlies (which carries a huge amount of dolomite accounting 60% of the total dust load) is dragged, from further north, by SW monsoon winds. The potential for the use of Mg/Fe ratio as a paleo-monsoonal proxy is examined.     

Early prediction of onset of south west monsoon from ERS-1 scatterometer winds

Detailed analysis of the surface winds over the Indian Ocean derived from ERS-1 scatterometer data during the years 1993 and 1994 has been used to understand and unambiguously identify the onset phase of south-west monsoon. Five day (pentad) averaged wind vectors for the period April to June during both years have been examined to study the exact reversal of wind direction as well as the increase in wind speed over the Arabian Sea in relation to the onset of monsoon over the Indian west coast (Kerala). The related upper level humidity available from other satellites has also been analysed. The results of our analysis clearly show a consistent dramatic reversal in wind direction over the western Arabian Sea three weeks in advance of the onset of monsoon. The wind speed shows a large increase coinciding with the onset of monsoon. These findings together show the dominant role of sea surface winds in establishing the monsoon circulation. The study confirms that the cross equatorial current phenomenon becomes more important after the onset of monsoon.     

Sea-Surface Temperatures and the History of Monsoon Upwelling in the Northwest Arabian Sea during the Last 500,000 Years

Arabian Sea sediments record changes in the upwelling system off Arabia, which is driven by the monsoon circulation system over the NW Indian Ocean. In accordance with climate models, and differing from other large upwelling areas of the tropical ocean, a 500,000-yr record of productivity at ODP Site 723 shows consistently stronger upwelling during interglaciations than during glaciations. Sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) reconstructed from the alkenone unsaturation index (U^K′₃₇) are high (up to 27°C) during interglaciations and low (22-24°C) during glaciations, indicating a glacial-interglacial temperature change of >3°C in spite of the dampening effect of enhanced or weakened upwelling. The increased productivity is attributed to stronger monsoon winds during interglacial times relative to glacial times, whereas the difference in SSTs must be unrelated to upwelling and to the summer monsoon intensity. The winter (NE) monsoon was more effective in cooling the Arabian Sea during glaciations then it is now.     

Modelling and in-situ measurements of intense currents during a winter storm in the Gulf of Aigues-Mortes (NW Mediterranean Sea)

While oceanic circulation in the Gulf of Lion (GoL) has often been studied in calm weather or with northerly winds (Tramontane or Mistral) through observations and numerical circulation models, few studies have focused on southeasterly storm events. Yet, correct representation of the circulation during storms is crucial if the suspension of sediments is to be correctly modelled throughout the Gulf. The purpose of this paper is to describe the hydrodynamics in the Gulf of Aigues-Mortes (NW of the GoL) during the storm of 18 February 2007 by using a set of data from an ADCP station placed at a depth of 65 m on the sea bed off the coast at Sète, supplemented by the ocean circulation model SYMPHONIE. This storm was characterized by a moderate south-easterly wind (15 m . s^?1) and waves of up to 5 m of significant height at its apex. At the ADCP, strong currents of up to 0.8 m . s^?1 near the surface and 0.5 m . s^?1 near the bottom were recorded, parallel to the coast, flowing towards the south-west. The simulated currents were widely underestimated, even taking the effect of waves into account in the model. It was suspected that the representation of the wind in the atmospheric model was an underestimation. A new simulation was therefore run with an arbitrarily chosen stronger wind and its results were in much better agreement with the measurements. A simplified theoretical analysis successfully isolated the wind-induced processes, responsible for the strong currents measured during the apex and the strong vertical shear that occurred at the beginning of the storm. These processes were: 1/ the barotropic geostrophic current induced by a wind parallel to the coast and 2/ the Ekman spiral. The duration of the storm (about 36 h at the apex) explains the continuous increase of the current as predicted by the theory. The frictionally induced Ekman transport explains the current shear in the surface layer in the rising stage of the storm, and the addition of high waves and strong wind at the apex is more in favour of strong vertical mixing in the surface layer.     

利用回归模型模拟卫星跟踪海洋漂流浮标轨迹

分析浮标漂流速度和表层地转流、风海流结果表明：浮标漂流速度和表层地转流具有良好相关性。针对卫星跟踪漂流浮标运动的准地转性,建立了以海表地转流为主要回归自变量的几种回归模型,用以模拟浮标漂流轨迹,以期对浮标运动特性有进一步的认识。对南海中伴随涡旋运动的2个浮标模拟试验显示,诸多模型中以海表地转流、风海流及背景流为自变量的回归模型模拟浮标漂流轨迹效果较好。利用该回归模型,模拟出南海2个漂流浮标轨迹和真实轨迹距离偏差较小且二者运动趋势基本一致。通过分析回归模拟所得风海流、海表地转流及背景流发现：涡旋中心附近浮标漂移主要受地转流的控制,而涡旋边缘处风海流起到关键性作用,正是这部分贡献使得浮标能够进入（脱离）涡旋。背景流的空间分布决定着浮标漂移的最终去向,特别是背景流方向改变的区域,背景流的存在使得模拟浮标轨迹能够像真实轨迹一样运移。     

Chlorophyll modulation of mixed layer thermodynamics in a mixed-layer isopycnal General Circulation Model — An example from Arabian Sea and equatorial Pacific

Western tropical Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and the equatorial Pacific are known as regions of intense bio-chemical-physical interactions: the Arabian Sea has the largest phytoplankton bloom with seasonal signal, while the equatorial Pacific bloom is perennial with quasi-permanent upwelling. Here, we studied three dimensional ocean thermodynamics comparing recent ocean observation with ocean general circulation model (OPYC) experiment combined with remotely sensed chlorophyll pigment concentrations from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS). Using solar radiation parameterization representing observations that a higher abundance of chlorophyll increases absorption of solar irradiance and heating rate in the upper ocean, we showed that the mixed layer thickness decreases more than they would be under clear water conditions. These changes in the model mixed layer were consistent with Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) observations during the 1994-1995 Arabian Sea experiment and epi-fluorescence microscopy (EFM) on samples collected during Equatorial Pacific Ocean Climate Study (EPOCS) in November, 1988. In the Arabian Sea, as the chlorophyll concentrations peak in October (3 mg/m³) after the summer plankton bloom induced by coastal upwelling, the chlorophyll induced biological heating enhanced the sea surface temperature (SST) by as much as 0.6‡C and sub-layer temperature decreases and sub-layer thickness increases. In the equatorial Pacific, modest concentrations of chlorophyll less than 0.3 mg/m³ is enough to introduce a meridional differential heating, which results in reducing the equatorial mixed layer thickness to more than 20 m. The anomalous meridional tilting of the mixed layer bottom enhances off equatorial westward geostrophic currents. Consequently, the equatorial undercurrent transports more water from west to east. We proposed that these numerical model experiments with use of satellite andin situ ocean observations are consistent under three dimensional ocean circulation theory combined with solar radiation transfer process.     

Terrigenous plant wax inputs to the Arabian Sea: Implications for the reconstruction of winds associated with the Indian Monsoon

We have determined the accumulation rates and carbon isotopic compositions (δ¹³C) of long-chain (C₂₄-C₃₂) terrigenous plant wax fatty acids in 19 surface sediment samples geographically distributed throughout the Arabian Sea in order to assess the relationship between plant wax inputs and the surrounding monsoon wind systems. Both the accumulation rate data and the δ¹³C data show that there are three primary eolian sources of plant waxes to the Arabian Sea: Africa, Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula. These sources correspond to the three major wind systems in this region: the summer (Southwest) monsoon, the winter (Northeast) monsoon, and the summer northwesterlies that blow over the Arabian Peninsula. In addition, plant waxes are fluvially supplied to the Gulf of Oman and the Eastern African margin by nearby rivers. Plant wax δ¹³C values reflect the vegetation types of the continental source regions. Greater than 75% of the waxes from Africa and Asia are derived from C₄ plants. Waxes delivered by northwesterly winds reflect a greater influence (25-40%) of C₃ vegetation, likely derived from the Mesopotamian region. These data agree well with previously published studies of eolian dust deposition, particularly of dolomite derived from the Arabian Peninsula and the Mesopotamian region, in surface sediments of the Arabian Sea. The west-to-east gradient of plant wax δ¹³C and dolomite accumulation rates are separately useful indicators of the relationship between the northwesterly winds and the winds of the Southwest monsoon. Combined, however, these two proxies could provide a powerful tool for the reconstruction of both southwest monsoon strength as well as Mesopotamian aridity.     

The monsoon imprint during the ‘atypical’ MIS 13 as seen through north and equatorial Indian Ocean records

Previous studies have suggested that Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 13, recognized as atypical in many paleoclimate records, is marked by the development of anomalously strong summer monsoons in the northern tropical areas. To test this hypothesis, we performed a multi-proxy study on three marine records from the tropical Indian Ocean in order to reconstruct and analyse changes in the summer Indian monsoon winds and precipitations during MIS 13. Our data confirm the existence of a low-salinity event during MIS 13 in the equatorial Indian Ocean but we argue that this event should not be considered as “atypical”. Taking only into account a smaller precession does not make it possible to explain such precipitation episode. However, when considering also the larger obliquity in a more complete orbitally driven monsoon “model,” one can successfully explain this event. In addition, our data suggest that intense summer monsoon winds, although not atypical in strength, prevailed during MIS 13 in the western Arabian Sea. These strong monsoon winds, transporting important moisture, together with the effect of insolation and Eurasian ice sheet, are likely one of the factors responsible for the intense monsoon precipitation signal recorded in China loess, as suggested by model simulations.     

利用水文资料推测海洋流场的研究进展

根据研究方法不同的动力学特征及其运用上的差异,利用已知的水文气象资料推测海洋流场的方法可以分成 3类：①描述性方法;②热成风关系式与示踪物守恒相结合的诊断方法;③Sarki syan诊断模式及复杂动力模式。结合南海环流的工作讨论了这些方法的进展情况及在南海环流研究中的作用,并对目前利用水文气象资料推测海洋流场的研究趋势进行了分析。     

Coccolithophores from the central Arabian Sea: Sediment trap results

Sediment trap samples collected from a depth of 1018 m in the Central Arabian Sea Trap (CAST) at 14°28.2′N, 64°35.8′E were analyzed for temporal variation of coccolithophore fluxes from October 1993 to August 1994. Out of the twenty species of coccolithophores encountered,Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Emiliania huxleyi, Umbilicosphaera sibogae andUmbellosphaera irregularis were the most abundant. The total coccolithophore fluxes ranged from 28.5 × 10⁶m^-2d^-1 to 50.3 × 10⁶m^-2d^-1 showing seasonality with higher fluxes during the northeast (NE) monsoon and lower fluxes during the spring intermonsoon. The higher fluxes were attributed to the enhancement of primary production in the central Arabian Sea due to southward extent of nutrients from the northeast Arabian Sea by the prevailing surface currents. Similarly, the occurrences of relatively lower coccolithophore fluxes during the spring intermonsoon and southwest (SW) monsoon were attributed to the low nutrients in the warm, shallow surface mixed layer and downwelling to the south of Findlater Jet respectively in the central Arabian Sea. Some of the coccolithophore species such asE. huxleyi, G. oceanica, Calcidiscus leptoporus andUmbellosphaera tenuis showed signs of dissolution.     

南海中尺度波动现象研究进展

Kelvin波和Rossby波是经常出现于海洋中的边界波;南海的复杂岸线、陡变地形和热盐场时空结构的不均匀性具有形成强迫Kelvin波和地形Rossby波的条件。现有研究表明,南海大部分中尺度涡形成于东部一些较大岛屿附近;这些中尺度涡一旦形成后,就在β效应作用下向西移动并最终耗散于西边界,且其波动一般以Rossby波的形式向西传播。因此,南海环流的多涡结构与中尺度波动之间存在着一定的联系。在南海北部,中尺度涡主要由黑潮入侵和风应力旋度所诱生,而在南海南部而以风应力旋度为主要成因。提出了利用线性波动动力学模式来研究南海南部中尺度波动、分析风应力强迫所产生的中尺度波动特征和规律,并据此建立相应的数值模式来揭示该海区环流的动力学和热动力学机制的思路,以便了解该海区流场季节性变化与中尺度波动之间的内在关系。     

Simulation of barotropic wind-driven circulation in the upper layers of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea during the southwest and northeast monsoon seasons using observed winds

A two-dimensional, nonlinear, vertically integrated model was used to simulate depth-mean wind-driven circulation in the upper Ekman layers of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. The model resolution was one third of a degree in the latitude and longitude directions. Monthly mean wind stress components used to drive the model were obtained from the climatic monthly mean wind data compiled by Hastenrath and Lamb. A steady-state solution was obtained after numerical integration of the model for 15 days. The sensitivity of the model to two types of open boundary conditions, namely, a radiation type and clamped type, was tested. A comparison of simulated results for January with available ship drift data showed that the application of the latter along the open boundary could reproduce all the observed features near the boundary and the interior of the model domain. The model was integrated for 365 days to study the circulation during the southwest and northeast monsoon seasons. The model was successful in simulating the broad features of circulation including gyres and eddies observed during both the seasons, the development of north equatorial current during the northeast monsoon period and eastward moving monsoon drift current up to 90°E during the southwest monsoon season. During the latter season, two anticyclonic gyres were observed in the central and the southern parts of the Bay. A cyclonic type of circulation was prevalent in the central and western parts of the Bay of Bengal during the northeast monsoon months of November and December. The simulated western boundary current along the east coast of India, flows northward and southward during the southwest and northeast monsoon seasons respectively. It is presumed that this western boundary current, simulated during both the seasons, is locally wind-driven.     

新德里季风降水中过量氘与季风水汽来源

收集和分析了新德里降水中同位素资料(δ¹⁸O和δD),利用季风水线方程对个别年份缺测的δD资料进行估计,建立了新德里36 a夏季过量氘序列.基于降水中过量氘和水汽源区相对湿度关系考虑,利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,研究了新德里夏季过量氘序列和水汽源区相对湿度的关系.研究发现,西阿拉伯海相对湿度变化和新德里季风降水中过量氘变化较为一致.结合西阿拉伯海风速和印度西北地区季风降水量资料分析结果,认为西阿拉伯海是新德里季风水汽的主要来源.     

Fluxes of material in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal — Sediment trap studies

In order to investigate how monsoons influence biogeochemical fluxes in the ocean, twelve time-series sediment traps were deployed at six locations in the northern Indian Ocean. In this paper we present particle flux data collected during May 1986 to November 1991 and November 1987 to November 1992 in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal respectively. Particle fluxes were high during both the SW and NE monsoons in the Arabian Sea as well as in the Bay of Bengal. The mechanisms of particle production and transport, however, differ in both the regions. In the Arabian Sea, average annual fluxes are over 50gm^-2y^-1 in the western Arabian Sea and less than 27gm^-2 y^-1 in the central part. Biogenic matter is dominant at sites located near upwelling centers, and is less degraded during peak flux periods. High particle fluxes in the offshore areas of the Arabian Sea are caused by injection of nutrients into the euphotic zone due to wind-induced mixed layer deepening. In the Bay of Bengal, average annual fluxes are highest in the central Bay of Bengal (over 50gm^-2y^-1) and are least in the southern part of the Bay (37gm^-2y^-1). Particle flux patterns coincide with freshwater discharge patterns of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system. Opal/carbonate and organic carbon/carbonate carbon ratios increase during the SW monsoon due to variations in salinity and productivity patterns in the surface waters as a result of increased freshwater and nutrient input from rivers. Comparison of S years data show that fluxes of biogenic and lithogenic particulate matter are higher in the Bay of Bengal even though the Arabian Sea is considered to be more productive. Our results indicate that in the northern Indian Ocean interannual variability in organic carbon flux is directly related to the strength and intensity of the SW monsoon while its transfer from the upper layers to the deep sea is partly controlled by input of lithogenic matter from adjacent continents.     

A coupled physical-biological-chemical model for the Indian Ocean

A coupled physical-biological-chemical model has been developed at C-MMACS. for studying the time-variation of primary productivity and air-sea carbon-dioxide exchange in the Indian Ocean. The physical model is based on the Modular Ocean Model, Version 2 (MOM2) and the biological model describes the nonlinear dynamics of a 7-component marine ecosystem. The chemical model includes dynamical equation for the evolution of dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity. The interaction between the biological and chemical model is through the Redfield ratio. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) of the surface layer is obtained from the chemical equilibrium equations of Penget al 1987. Transfer coefficients for air-sea exchange of CO₂ are computed dynamically based on the wind speeds. The coupled model reproduces the high productivity observed in the Arabian Sea off the Somali and Omani coasts during the Southwest (SW) monsoon. The entire Arabian Sea is an outgassing region for CO₂ in spite of high productivity with transfer rates as high as 80 m-mol C/m² /day during SW monsoon near the Somali Coast on account of strong winds.     

Latent and sensible heat fluxes under active and weak phases of the summer monsoon of 1986

An analysis of the meteorological data collected by the research vessel ORV Sagarkanya for the mean latent and sensible heat fluxes over the Arabian Sea has indicated appreciable changes between active and weak phases of the southwest monsoon of 1986. We suggest that: (a) the presence of a core of low level winds associated with the Somali jet and its southward shift during the season, along with (b) a ridge in surface pressure over the central Arabian Sea could be responsible for the deficit in monsoon rainfall along the west coast of India in 1986.     

南海南部海洋环流研究的新进展

综合近期南海南部环流研究的主要成果,描述南海南部的主要流系及其变化。指出研究海区环流主要由季风所驱动。东北季风期,其西部主要由气旋式环流所控制,东部则受较弱的反气旋式环流控制,在二者结合部形成强的逆风海流。西南季风期,海区大部分受反气旋式环流控制,其北侧为一气旋式环流,二者结合部形成强的东向离岸流。还讨论了环流的演变特性和流涡的形成机制。     

Evidences of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Leakage During the Last Deglaciation: The Need to Understand Deep-ocean Carbonate Chemistry of the Arabian Sea

It is generally accepted view that the ventilation of Southern Ocean during the last deglaciation was the key factor in atmospheric CO₂ rise. Further, other sites were identified, like the western equatorial Pacific, the Sub-Antarctic Atlantic and the eastern equatorial Pacific. Now there are evidences that CO₂ was also released from the eastern Arabian Sea. The Arabian Sea is unique in characteristic, being land locked from the North and affected by monsoon winds and seasonal reversing circulations. Furthermore, the CO₂ outgassing noticed during deglaciation makes it an interesting region to understand if the outgassing occurred from the deeper waters and hence led to any rise in deepwater \([\rm{CO}_3^{2-}]\).     

越南岸外晚第四纪上升流与东亚夏季风变迁

通过对南海西部越南岸外１７９５４—３柱状样中浮游和底栖有孔虫的定量分析,结合碳酸钙、有机碳和稳定同位素数据,获得南海西部上升流区近２０万年来的古海洋学记录,进而讨论了晚第四纪东亚夏季风的变迁。结果表明,在间冰期,尤其是末次间冰期,越南岸外出现表层海水古温度低、温跃层浅、生产力高,同时底层海水富营养的现象,说明上升流的存在,且该上升流有从氧同位素５期(ＭＩＳ５期)向１期逐渐减弱的趋势。结合南海现代海流及生产力分布的研究,推断该上升流由东亚夏季风驱动,其强弱的变化说明,东亚夏季风在近２０万年来有间冰期增强、冰期减弱,且从ＭＩＳ５期向ＭＩＳ１期递减的特征。     

A model study of seasonal mixed-layer primary production in the Arabian Sea

We combined a surface irradiance model with a non-spectral photosynthesisirradiance model to estimate the daily, average rate of mixed-layer primary production in the Arabian Sea for the 15th day of months at the end of the northeast monsoon, the southwest monsoon, and the fall and spring inter-monsoons. Our model experiment uses climatologies of cloud cover, mixed-layer thickness, and satellite ocean-color observations of phytoplankton biomass. Modelled surface radiation is at an annual maximum in May beneath nearly cloud-free skies just prior to the summer solstice. The model estimate of surface radiation diminishes through the southwest monsoon over most of the northern Arabian Sea to an annual minimum in August due to intense cloudiness. In agreement with previous ship-based measurements, the photosynthesis-irradiance model predicts that the mixed-layer primary production in the Arabian Sea is extremely seasonal, and peaks annually during the southwest monsoon to the north-west of the atmospheric Findlater Jet and along the coast of Somalia. Northern Arabian Sea maxima predicted for both the summer and winter monsoons are separated by periods of low mixed-layer primary production, the fall and spring inter-monsoons. The annual cycles of modelled mixed-layer primary production differ by region in the Arabian Sea due to varying monsoon influence and circulation dynamics.