Observed current variability in Gulf of Mannar

Abstract

We present current data from an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) moored on the continental shelf-break in the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) near Ram Setu during 2010-2011. The observations show that the near-surface, sub-inertial current flows primarily north-westward all round the year. This north-westward flow is punctuated by intraseasonal bursts that last a few weeks. Compared to the current off Kanyakumari, the intraseasonal fluctuations in the GoM are weaker and in the opposite direction. The flip in direction is linked to eddy-like circulations, which cause the current to bifurcate or merge in the region between Kanyakumari and Ram Setu