Thermal Frontal Zone And Associated Coastal Upwelling Along The East Coast Of Peninsular Malaysia

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.