Climate Change as Observed in the Bay of Bengal

Abstract

The Bay of Bengal covers a vast expanse of area, it being warmer, holds signatures of climate change. Its impact and the parameters have been studied in terms of rise in temperature, sea level change, increased rainfall, drought, heat waves, the intensity of tropical cyclones, ocean acidification and ocean productivity. In the last 45 years, sea surface temperature (SST) has risen by 0.2 to 0.3°C and is projected to rise further by 2.0 to 3.5°C by the end of this century. As a result, the sea level is expected to also rise 37 cm by 2050. The Bay of Bengal is witnessing an increase in the intensity of cyclones in the last two decades. Floods and droughts have increased over the years and are a growing threat to plant and animal life. Ocean acidification and increase in the sea surface temperature have made many fish species a major part of the coastal food chain vulnerable to its productivity. Hence, the collection of real time data and its continuous monitoring of the Bay of Bengal is essential to predict and project the future climate change to its accuracy both in space and time.