Publications

Shi, Wei; Wang, Menghua (2014). Satellite-observed biological variability in the equatorial Pacific during the 2009-2011 ENSO cycle. ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH, 54(9), 1913-1923.

Abstract
The event of 2009-2011 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) provides an opportunity to gain insight into the biological variability of the equatorial Pacific Ocean for an entire ENSO cycle with satellite and in situ observations. Even though El Nino and La Nina in general led to respectively weakened and enhanced chlorophyll-a concentration and net primary production (NPP) along the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the 2009-2011 ENSO cycle, biological responses were highly disparate along the equator and attributed to different driving mechanisms. In the eastern equatorial Pacific east of 150 degrees E, the El Nino-La Nina biological change was in general small except for the transition period even though sea surface temperature (SST) showed over C drop from El Nino to La Nina. In the central-eastern (170 degrees W-140 degrees W) equatorial Pacific, moderate change of biological activity is attributed to the changes of thermocline driven by the east-ward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves and changes of zonal currents and undercurrents. Highest biological response in this ENSO cycle was located in the central (170 degrees E-170 degrees W) and central-western (150 degrees E-170 degrees E) equatorial Pacific with quadruple chlorophyll-a concentration and over similar to 400 mg C m(-2) d(-1) increase of NPP from El Nino in 2009 to La Nina in 2010. However, spatial pattern of ENSO biological variability as represented with NPP is not exactly the same as chlorophyll-a variability. Wind-driving mixing of nutrients and eastward advection of the oligotrophic warm pool waters are attributed to this significant biological variability in this region. (C) 2014 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI:
10.1016/j.asr.2014.07.003

ISSN:
0273-1177