Abstract:
The main aim of this study is to investigate the thermal fronts and coastal
upwelling along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia (ECPM). In view of that, monthly
sea surface temperature (SST) climatology data were used to achieve this goal. The
factors responsible for the formation of thermal fronts and coastal upwelling were
determined. In addition to SST, chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface height (SSH)
and marine fish landing data were used to examine the implications of coastal upwelling
on the marine environments. Besides that, in order to provide and to compare the in-situ
vertical structure of the water column between the upwelling and non-upwelling events,
in-situ hydrographic cruises during the both periods were conducted. In general, the formation of thermal fronts along the ECPM is dependent on the
monsoon system. During the northeast monsoon, the formation of thermal fronts along
the ECPM is a result of the southward advection of cooler water tongue near South
Vietnam and its’ location is influenced by the speed of southward flowing western
boundary current in that region. As the speed of this current increase from November
until January, the cooler water tongue moves closer to the ECPM and its recedes when
the current moves at a slower rate between January and inter-monsoon.
