Ocean Circulation to Blame for Red Tide Outbreak in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman

Abstract

Red tide is a phenomenon that occurs by rapid growth or proliferation of toxic algae. The growth and spread of this phenomenon can threaten marine ecosystems, human health, aquaculture, water desalination plans, tourism and fisheries industries. Ocean currents are one of the affecting factors of the distribution of this phenomenon. In this study, the role of ocean current in chlorophyll-a distribution is investigated on the north coast of the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The monthly MODIS satellite chlorophyll-a concentration data is used to study the red tide and the HYCOM model analysis result to study the current ocean pattern from 2002 to 2018 and in 2016 as an example. The currents in this area cause chlorophyll-a spreading and transfer of nutrients necessary for chlorophyll-a proliferation and red tides events. There are four main sources of chlorophyll expansion and proliferation in the region: the eastern shores of the Arabian Sea, the northern shores of the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz, and the northwestern shores of the Persian Gulf. The northeastern currents in East Oman transport chlorophyll to the north of the Arabian Sea and the northwestern currents in the west of the Arabian Sea move chlorophyll from the coasts of India and Pakistan to the west and dispersed it to the west in the northern shores of the sea of Oman.

Keywords

• chlorophyll-a
• ocean current
• persian gulf
• sea of oman