Surface circulation of the Southern Red Sea as inferred from AVHRR data

Abstract EN

Surface circulation of the southern Red Sea is discussed based on SST data from the AVHRR sensor and found to be related to the strong winter (SE) monsoon in this area.

The monthly average data were computed from SST data from Jan.

1993 to Dec.

2007, which have been created from monthly values using Surfer© Package.

The horizontal distribution of monthly SST during summer season, just to the north of the strait of Bab-el-Mandab, indicates an anticyclonic movement on the western (African) side of the sea.

In winter, the surface water flows from Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea along the Arabian side and turns in a cyclonic direction towards the western side.

The monthly and annual averages animations show that the horizontal distribution of the SST is higher between 16o-20o N gradually decreasing north and south of this region.

Also SST increases gradually from west to east on the same latitude.

This could be related to the increase of evaporation and the decrease in the air temperature.

Transition periods between cold and warm months are observed in October and May respectively.

Annual SST patterns from 1993 to 2007 show low temperatures during 1993 and high temperatures during 1996.

The warm period (1997- 1999) and (2004-2007) may be due to the El Niño effect and the cold period (1993-1994) and (2000- 2003) may be associated with La Niña cycle.