A. Drao

Indian West Coast: Coastal Ocean Processes off West Coast of India A. Drao

The Arabian Sea (AS) shows marked seasonal changes in the current pattern due to the reversal of monsoon winds. The main aim of the study is to understand and interpret the surface and sub-surface processes associated with the winds and fluxes. The various processes which determine the characteristics of the region such as Mini Cold Pool, Mini Warm Pool, Upwelling/Downwelling, and Temperature Inversion are also simulated. Computed sea surface elevation, currents, temperature and salinity have been analyzed to understand physical and dynamical processes of the region. The effect of remote forcing like Kelvin wave and river discharge along the eastern AS is also studied. It is inferred that the currents in the Gulf of Khambhat near North Easten Arabian Sea during summer monsoon are onshore and prevents low-saline waters to advect offshore as the rivers discharge freshwater in the region. In the transition period, the prevailing currents slowly turn into offshore and continue till winter. These offshore currents would help in flushing out the low-saline waters during this season that were trapped during monsoon season as the currents were not favourable.