Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology (SJST) (Oct 2014)

A Preliminary study of Sr/Ca thermometry in Chang Islands, Gulf of Thailand

  • Wararat Sirianansakul,
  • Nathsuda Pumijumnong

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 36, no. 5
pp. 583 – 589

Abstract

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Variations in ratios of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) for two Porites sp. coral specimens collected from Wai (PW) and Loa Ya (PLY) islands, part of Chang islands, Gulf of Thailand, were determined. Inductively coupled plasma optimal emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to analyze this ratio, which demonstrates annual cycles and the data is assumed to reflect the sea surface temperature (SST). Comparing the ratios with SST data, following Sr/Ca–SST relationships were determined PW: Sr/Ca (mmol/mol) = 11.56–0.070×SST, PLY: Sr/Ca (mmol/mol) = 11.89–0.081×SST. Our correlations are different from those previously reported; a discrepancy that may involve differences in analytical methods employed and abnormally low sea surface salinity (SSS) (<30 psu) in the Gulf of Thailand.

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