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Mechanism for Sea Surface Temperature Cooling In the Gulf of Oman during Winter
Author(s) -
Luis Alvarinho J.,
Kawamura Hiroshi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2001gl014148
Subject(s) - sea surface temperature , climatology , scatterometer , advanced very high resolution radiometer , environmental science , monsoon , ekman transport , wind stress , atmospheric sciences , geology , oceanography , wind speed , upwelling , satellite , aerospace engineering , engineering
We report on sea surface temperature (SST) cooling in the Gulf of Oman during winter monsoon 1993 using evidence from the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR). A combination of the AVHRR SST and scatterometer‐based momentum and heat fluxes is used to discuss the SST‐cooling mechanism. Cold SST evolves in the gulf during an intense outbreak of wintertime winds. The turbulence generated by these winds in the surface atmospheric boundary layer depletes large heat from the sea surface and cause 1–2°C SST cooling during January–March. Additionally, the alongshore component of the wind stress promotes Ekman dynamics and further enhances SST cooling along the periphery of the gulf.