Formulation of an Empirical Relation between Chlorophyll and Sea Surface Temperature in the Southeastern Arabian Sea

Abstract

Present study formulates an empirical relation between sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll (Chl) in the Southeastern Arabian Sea using data collected during 2017. SST was found to decrease due to upwelling of cold nutrient rich waters, thus causing enhancement of Chl in the coastal and nearshore waters. Based on this, an empirical relationship exists which is inversely correlated during peak upwelling and intense biological production. The linear regression generated a significant correlation coefficient (0.52 ≤ R2 ≥ 0.64) in the month of July, August and October. Although other factors influence Chl, SST can be considered as a significant indicator of biological production with respect to seasonal upwelling. Among the empirical relations, a definite single equation requires the assessment of subsurface Chl to reveal the underlying relationship.