Spatiotemporal Variability of Chlorophyll-a and Sea Surface Temperature, and Their Relationship with Bathymetry over the Coasts of UAE

Abstract

The catastrophic implication of harmful algal bloom (HAB) events in the Arabian Gulf is a strong indication that the study of the spatiotemporal distribution of chlorophyll-a and its relationship with other variables is critical. This study analyzes the relationship between chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and sea surface temperature (SST) and their trends in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman along the United Arab Emirates coast. Additionally, the relationship between bathymetry and Chl-a and SST was examined. The MODIS Aqua product with a resolution of 1 × 1 km2 was employed for both chlorophyll-a and SST covering a timeframe from 2003 to 2019. The highest concentration of chlorophyll-a was seen in the Strait of Hormuz with an average of 2.8 mg m−3, which is 1.1 mg m−3 higher than the average for the entire study area. Three-quarters of the study area showed a significant correlation between the Chl-a and SST. The shallow (deep) areas showed a strong positive (negative) correlation between the Chl-a and SST. The results indicate the presence of trends for both variables across most of the study area. SST significantly increased in more than two-thirds of the study area in the summer with no significant trends detected in the winter.