Monsoon-Driven Biogeochemical Processes in the Arabian Sea
Abstract
Although it is a tropical locale, the semiannual wind reversals associated with the monsoon system of the Arabian Sea result annually in two distinct periods of elevated biological activity. While in both cases monsoonal forcing drives surface layer nutrient enrichment that supports increased rates of primary productivity, fundamentally different entrainment mechanisms are operating in summer (Southwest) and winter (Northeast) monsoons. Moreover, the intervening intermonsoon periods, during which the region relaxes toward oligotrophic conditions more typical of tropical environments, provide a stark contrast to the dynamic biogeochemical activity of the monsoons. The resulting spatial and temporal variability provides a challenge for ship-based surveys attempting to characterize the physical and biogeochemical environments of the region. Here, we present an overview of the dynamical response to seasonal monsoonal forcing and the characteristics of the physical environment that fundamentally drive regional biogeochemical variability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 03, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA449229
Entities
People
- J. C. Kindle
- J. D. Wiggert
- K. Banse
- R. R. Hood
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory