Argo data and products of indian ocean for low bandwidth users

Argo is an internationally coordinated activity aimed at characterizing both the temperature and salinity structure of the mid-and upper-ocean through deployment of autonomous profiling floats and making the data available to users with in 24 hrs of reception. To cater to wide users of oceanographic data, mainly from the universities, who lack high bandwidth internet connections, an Argo Data Explorer (ADE) on Argo data and products for the Indian Ocean is prepared. ADE is a Java-based application that provides the interface for the selecting Argo temperature and salinity profiles from region of interest. In addition to the Argo data, value added products obtained from temperature and salinity profiles are also included. The interface provided in DVD gives the users power to select data from any region of interest, view the profile plots, zoom and filter based on multitude of queries. Users lacking high-speed network for downloading the Argo data, can order for a copy of the DVD

Hydrography and circulation of the Bay of Bengal during withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon

Hydrographic data were collected from 3 to 10 September 1996 along two transects; one at 18 degrees N and the other at 90 degrees E. The data were used to examine the thermohaline, circulation and chemical properties of the Bay of Bengal during the withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon. The surface salinity exhibited wide spatial variability with values as low as 25.78 at 18 degrees N / 87 degrees E and as high as 34.79 at 8 degrees N / 90 degrees E. Two high salinity cells (S > 35.2) were noticed around 100 m depth along the 90 degrees E transect. The wide scatter in T-S values between 100 and 200 m depth was attributed to the presence of the Arabian Sea High Salinity (ASHS) water mass. Though the warm and low salinity conditions at the sea surface were conducive to a rise in the sea surface topography at 18 degrees N / 87 degrees E, the dynamic height showed a reduction of 0.2 dyn.m. This fall was attributed to thermocline upwelling at this location. The geostrophic currents showed alternating flows across both the transects. Relatively stronger and mutually opposite currents were noticed around 25 m depth across the 18 degrees N transect with velocity slightly in excess of 30 cm s(-1). Similar high velocity (> 40 cm s(-1)) pockets were also noticed to extend up to 30 m depths in the southern region of the 90 degrees E transect. However, the currents below 250 m were weak and in general < 5 cm s(-1). The net geostrophic volume transports were found to be of the order of 1.5 x 10(6) m(3) s(-1) towards the north and of 6 x 10(6) m(3) s(-1) towards west across the 18 degrees N and 90 degrees E transects respectively. The surface circulation-patterns were also investigated using the trajectories of drifting buoys deployed in the eastern Indian Ocean around the same observation period. Poleward movement of the drifting buoy with the arrival of the Indian Monsoon Current (IMC) at about 12 degrees N along the eastern rim of the Bay of Bengal has been noticed to occur around the beginning of October. The presence of an eddy off the southeast coast of India and the IMC along the southern periphery of the Bay of Bengal were also evident in the drifting buoy data.La circulation thermohaline et les propriétés chimiques du golfe du Bengale sont étudiées pendant la phase de renversement de la mousson du sud-ouest ; les données hydrologiques ont été collectées du 3 au 10 septembre 1996 sur deux radiales, l'une à 18° N, l'autre suivant 90° E. La salinité de surface présente une grande variabilité spatiale, de 25,78 (par 18° N / 87° E) jusqu'à 34,79 (par 8° N / 90° E), avec deux maxima (plus de 35,2) vers 100 m de profondeur sur la radiale 90° E. La forte dispersion des températures et des salinités, observée entre 100 et 200 m de profondeur, est attribuée à l'eau très salée en provenance de la mer d'Arabie (ASHS). Bien que les eaux superficielles chaudes et peu salées élèvent la topographie de la surface par 18° N / 87° E, la hauteur dynamique présente une baisse de 0,2 m dyn, attribuée ici à la remontée de la thermocline. Les flux géostrophiques sont alternés à travers les deux radiales. Des courants relativement plus forts (dépassant 30 cm s−1) et opposés sont observés vers 25 m de profondeur à travers la radiale 18° N. Des poches similaires de fort courant (plus de 40 cm s−1) dépassent 30 m de profondeur dans la partie sud de la radiale 90° E. Cependant, au-dessous de 250 m de profondeur, les courants sont faibles (moins de 5 cm s−1). Les flux géostrophiques nets sont respectivement de l'ordre de 1,5 × 106 m3 s−1 vers le nord et 6 × 106 m3 s−1 vers l'ouest à travers les radiales 18° N et 90° E. Les schémas de la circulation superficielle sont établis à partir des trajectoires de bouées dérivantes déployées dans l'est de l'océan Indien pendant la même période. Le mouvement est dirigé vers le pôle au début du mois d'octobre, à l'arrivée du Courant Indien de Mousson (IMC) le long du bord oriental du golfe du Bengale, vers 12° N. La dérive des bouées met en évidence la présence d'un tourbillon au large de la côte sud-est de l'Inde et le Courant Indien de Mousson à la périphérie du golfe du Bengal