Intensification of upwelling along Oman coast in a warming scenario

Abstract

The oceanic impact of poleward shift in monsoon low-level jet (MLLJ) is examined using a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Two sets of downscaling experiments were conducted using ROMS with boundary and initial conditions from six CMIP5 models. While outputs from the historical run (1981–2000) acts as forcing for the first, the second uses RCP8.5 (2080–2099). By comparing the outputs, it is found that Oman coast will experience an increase in upwelling in tune with MLLJ shift. Consistent with the changes in upwelling and zonal Ekman transport, temperature, salinity, and productivity show significant changes near the Oman coast. The changes in MLLJ causes the coastal wind to angle against the Oman coast in such a fashion that the net upwelling increases in the next century and so does the marine productivity. This study contrasts the general view of weakening of upwelling along the Arabian coasts due to the weakening of monsoon winds.