SEASONAL VARIATION OF THE OCEANIC WATER INTRUSIONS INTO KAGOSHIMA BAY DERIVED FROM THE SATELLITE SST AND CHL-A IMAGES

Seasonal distribution of the oceanic water intrusion was investigated using satellite SST (sea surface temperature) and chl-a (chlorophyll-a) images taken by the MODIS Aqua sensor. The warm water mass emanating periodically from the meandering Kuroshio Current brings the oceanic water intrusion, known as the 'Kyucho' phenomenon, into Kagoshima bay during the winter. Satellite SST images and buoy robot data show that this warm water intrusion has the characteristics of a semigeostrophic gravity current influenced by the Coriolis effect. However, it is difficult to find the oceanic water intrusion during the summer season considering that it is accompanied by thermal stratification, and SST shows almost the same temperature between the inner side of the bay and the ocean. In this research, the satellite chl-a images taken by MODIS Aqua were employed instead of SST images to reveal the oceanic water intrusion in each season. The enclosed bay has the tendency to undergo eutrophication caused by organic materials from land and differences in chl-a concentration of the bay water and the oceanic water. As a result, distribution of low concentration chl-a with oceanic water intrusion in summer season shows almost the same pattern in winter season. On the other hand, in spring season, both SST and chl-a images are available to differentiate the oceanic water intrusion. Therefore, applying the suitable satellite sensor images for each season is effective in the monitoring of oceanic water intrusion. Moreover, in this area, SST and chl-a distribution reveal not only the oceanic water intrusion into Kagoshima bay but also the intrusion at Fukiage seashore facing East China Sea.