Thermocline studies using CMEMS data in the Andaman Sea during October 2017

Abstract The thermocline is a sea layer with a change in temperature to depth quite quickly. We had to study this layer because it had an important contribution to thermohaline flows, upwelling, and fish migration. This paper aimed to map the vertical profiles of temperatures and thermocline gradients in the Andaman waters during the transitional season, October 2017. Analysis of the thermocline layer was based on vertical temperature data from the CMEMS model which were verified with SST from Aqua MODIS 4 km. The thermocline layer was indicated by ΔT / Δz ≥ 0.1 °C and started from the depth of 40 m. CMEMS SST verification on October 2017 showed good results (MAPE = 0.0188, r = 0.68). The thermocline layer was found thicker off the west coast of Sumatra, the Indian Ocean (Station 1) than in the Andaman Sea. Generally, the thermocline layer was at a depth of 66 -131 meters on October 2017. The thermocline gradients were 0.12 - 0.23. These results indicated that in the transitional season, the thermocline location in the Andaman Sea was shallower or less than 200 m.