Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1.
Bathymetric and geographic map of the SCS. PRB: Phan Ri Bay.
Tang
7
-
9
studied spatio-temporal variability of regional chlorophyll and
primary productivities in the SCS continental shelf, the Gulf of Tonkin and
inshore Vietnamese coastal waters, and analyzed water conditions during
the corresponding period based on
in situ
measurements and satellite data.
Shang
10
and Tang
11
analyzed the distribution of Chl-
a
in upwelling zones.
Hung
et al
.,
12
Lee Chen
et al.
,
13
and Agawin
et al.
14
discussed the relation
between biomass of phytoplankton and nutrient conditions. Chen
et al
.
15
investigated elementarily seasonal and spatial characteristics of chlorophyll
concentrations of the SCS.
Tang
et al.
9
observed high-chlorophyll concentrations in a jet-shape on
the northeastern region of Phan Ri Bay (PRB) with sustaining nutrients-
rich transport through the offshore current during almost the whole sum-
mer. Tang
et al.
16
also observed harmful algal blooms (HABs) during July
caused by upwelling. We carried out cruise studies for the northwest SCS
in 2000 and 2005. The comparison studies
8
,
16
,
17
between satellite (SeaW-
iFS and Modisa) derived Chl-
a
data and
in situ
measurements show that
satellite data are useful for verifying Chl-
a
concentration in this area.
The studies on spatial and temporal dissimilarities of Chl-
a
concentra-
tions mingled with other environmental factors for this region are highly
concerned with developing a better understanding of physical and biologi-
cal processes along with existing bio-geochemical cycles. The present study
focuses on the spatial distribution of Chl-
a
concentration during summer
season for the entire SCS for a 5-year period and discusses its responses
to environmental conditions linked with factors of sea surface temperature
(SST), sea surface wind stress (SSWS), Ekman pumping and upwelling.
Satellite data obtained from 1998 to 2003 have been analyzed to investi-
gate interesting phenomena and related mechanisms.
