What Controls Seasonal Evolution of Sea Surface Temperature in the Bay of Bengal? Mixed Layer Heat Budget Analysis Using Moored Buoy Observations Along 90°E

• DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2016.52
• Publication Date: 2016-07-14T18:45:38Z
• Authors: V.P. Thangaprakash; M.S. Girishkumar; K. Suprit; N. Suresh Kumar; Dipanjan Chaudhuri; K. Dinesh; Ashok Kumar; S. Shivaprasad; M. Ravichandran; J. Thomas Farrar; R. Sundar; Robert Weller
• Keywords: Buoy; BENGAL; Mixed layer

Continuous time-series measurements of near surface meteorological and ocean variables obtained from Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis Prediction (RAMA) moorings at 15°N, 90°E; 12°N, 8°N, 90°E an Ocean buoy Network Northern Indian (OMNI) mooring 18°N, are used to improve understanding air-sea interaction processes mixed layer (ML) temperature variability in the Bay Bengal (BoB) seasonal time scales.Consistent with earlier studies, this analysis reveals that net heat flux primarily controls ML balance.The penetrative component shortwave radiation plays a crucial role budget BoB, especially during spring warming phase when is thin.During winter summer, vertical contribute significantly budget.During winter, presence strong barrier inversion (warmer water below ML) leads by entrainment warm subsurface into ML.During relatively weak, warmer than underlying (i.e., no inversion); hence, cools layer.The contribution horizontal advection greatest it serves upper ocean.In general, residual term equation quite large cooling compared small.