Study of Chlorophyll-a Concentration and SST Response to Wind Stress in the West Coast of North America using OCTS and NSCAT/ADEOS Data

Abstract

Using OCTS and NSCAT /ADEOS data, the Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) response to wind stress (τ) was investigated. The divergence of Ekmann transport (E_div) was calculated from τ as a substitute for Ekmann upwelling. The studied area is west coast of North and Central America, and the twelve weekly data was analyzed at intervals in the period from 3 November, 1996 to 30 March, 1997. In this paper, it was verified that increase of Chl-a and decrease of SST correspond to increase of E_div off Tehuantepec Bay in the south of Mexico and off California.