The Climate of Indian subcontinent is determined by the interaction of atmosphere and the surrounding seas in which salinity of the oceans play an important role. Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal form the Indian peninsula and are important players to decide the atmosphere of Indian subcontinent.
Amidst Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, it is found that Arabian sea records higher salinity due to the following reasons –
1. Net Precipitation : Arabian Sea witness less precepitation than Bay of bengal due to the South west Monsoon which leads to increased salinity.
2. Rate of Evaporation : Arabian sea is located in a region of high temperature and low humidity. Also it is surrounded by land mass on three sides restricting the flow of cool humid air from the oceans. This leads to high atmospheric temperature and low relative humidity leading to higher evaporation.
3. Freshwater Influx : Arabian Sea have fewer rivers flowing into it compared to Bay of Bengal leading to higher salinity.
4. Ocean currents : Arabian Sea is influenced by ocean currents such as Somali current which brings warm and saline water from the Indian Ocean. This leads to higher evaporation.
Arabian sea has high economic significance for India due to the following reasons –
1. Trade and Commerce : Arabian Sea provides access to Middle East, Africa and Europe through the ports of Mumbai, Kandla, Mundra etc.
2. Fisheries : Arabian Sea is a major fishing ground with many coastal states. Gujarat alone accounts for 25% of total marine fish production of India.
3. Oil and Gas Exploration : India has been exploring Arabian Sea for oil and gas reserves. The Mumbai High oil field in the Arabian Sea is one of the largest oil fields in India, producing around 205,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The Arabian Sea plays a multifaceted role in India’s history, culture, and economy, and continues to be an important region for the country today.
In polar regions, surface water cools significantly due to low temperatures and exposure to frigid air masses. This cooling process gives rise to sea ice formation, extracting freshwater from surrounding seawater and thereby increasing the salinity and density of the remaining water.
The heightened salinity and density render the surface water denser, making it more prone to sinking. Consequently, the dense water descends to deeper layers, forming what is referred to as bottom water. This sinking action propels the deeper limb of the overturning circulation, as the dense water flows towards the equator.
Simultaneously, warmer surface water from lower latitudes moves towards the poles. During its journey, the deep-water mixes with surrounding water masses, facilitating the exchange of heat, carbon, and nutrients. Eventually, this modified water upwells in other regions, thus concluding the overturning circulation.