Alongshore wind stress and heat flux divergence off Visakhapatnam, east coast of India

Abstract

Annual variation of heat flux divergence (Qv) was computed for the coastal waters of Visakhapatnam. The mean values of net heat exchange (Qn) and heat flux divergence (Qv) were found to be 114 and 115 W.m/2 respectively on annual scale. The net heat storage in the water column is almost negligible. The winds and currents in the study area are favourable for upwelling during premonsoon and SW monsoon seasons. This resulted in large divergence of heat from the region