Mean surface fields of heat budget components over the warm pool in the Bay of Bengal during post-monsoon season

Abstract

Surface meteorological data collected onboard research vessels ORV Sagarkanya and Gaveshani during 1983-85 have been used in these studies. The analysis revealed that the Mean Sea surface temperature (SST was greater than 28 degrees C (designated as warm pool) except in North Bay of Bengal where it was less than 28 degrees C. SST was very high (greater than 30 degrees C) off Sri Lanka. Net total insolation (Q sub(1)) varied between 200 and 240 Wm sup(-2) over the warm pool, effective back radiation (Q sub(b)) was maximum off Sri Lanka which was associated with high SST. Sensible heat flux (Q sub(s)) varied between 8 and 5 Wm sup(-2) and latent heat flux (Q sub(e)) varied between 50 Wm sup(-2) (West of Andaman Islands) and 250 Wm sup(-2) (off Sri Lanka). The net heat exchange (Q sub(n)) was high and negative (-100 to -120 Wm sup(-2)) off Sri Lanka and central Bay of Bengal. Q sub(n) is positive and high (120-Wm sub(-2)) South of Port Blair and decreased sharply to 40 Wm sup(-2) within a few kms