Meteorologically induced modulation in sea level off Tikkavanipalem Coast - Central east coast of India

Abstract

This article examines the seasonal variability of nontidal contributions of the sea level oscillations off Tikkavanipalem coast in Andhra Pradesh (India), which is located on the western boundary of the Bay of Bengal. The analysis is based on simultaneous observations of tidal and surface meteorological parameters in four temporal segments of 1-month duration each during a 1-year period in 1997-98. Sea level oscillations along the Tikkavanipalem segment of the central east coast of India contain contributions from tidal and set-up/set-down motions. Local wind pattern, coastal current, and air pressure variations particularly influence the residual sea level elevation (difference of the measured and astronomically induced daily mean sea level) in this region. Observed response of the sea level elevation to the barometric pressure represents an amplified/delayed inverted barometer effect. The relative importance of tidal and nontidal contributions to the sea level is found to be seasonal, as the coastal current and the meteorological forcing suffer large seasonal variations.