Biological response of the sea around Sri Lanka to summer monsoon

• DOI: 10.1029/2003gl018533
• Publication Date: 2004-01-02T21:21:27Z
• Authors: P. N. Vinayachandran; P. Chauhan; M. Mohan; S. Nayak
• Keywords: SeaWiFS

Chlorophyll‐a concentration (chl a ) maps derived from the Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) on board Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS‐P4) and Seaviewing Wide field of View sensor (SeaWiFS) show increased chl in waters around Sri Lanka during summer monsoon. Physical processes that can lead to phytoplankton bloom are investigated using upper ocean temperature profiles satellite winds, sea surface (SST) level anomalies (SLA). There is attached southern coast accompanied by cool SST, low SLA upsloping isotherms towards coast. Coastal upwelling driven monsoon winds identified as physical mechanism causing nutrient enrichment layer. The Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC) which flows eastward south then into Bay Bengal advects upwelled water along its path. rich also with SMC Lanka. East open associated Dome found be an important process upwell nutrients.