@article{fdi:010086876,
  title = {{I}ntensification of "river in the sea" along the western {B}ay of {B}engal {C}oast during two consecutive {L}a {N}ina events of 2020 and 2021 based on {SMAP} satellite observations},
  author = {{L}i, {Z}. {Y}. and {L}ong, {Y}. and {Z}hu, {X}. {H}. and {P}apa, {F}abrice},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A} narrow strip of low salinity water that hugs the western {B}ay of {B}engal ({B}o{B}) is known as a "river in the sea" ({RIS}). {D}uring the autumns of 2020 and 2021, {S}oil {M}oisture {A}ctive {P}assive ({SMAP}) identified an intensification of the {RIS} that was characterized by a continuous, uniform strip of low salinity water (<31 psu) that was 100 km wide extending along the western {B}o{B} coast to south of {S}ri {L}anka. {T}he analysis shows that the {L}a {N}ina events in 2020-2021 were responsible for this intensification. {D}uring the {L}a {N}ina events of 2020 and 2021, cyclonic circulation anomalies were generated along the {B}o{B} coast, causing a stronger {E}astern {I}ndian {C}oastal {C}urrent ({EICC}). {M}eanwhile, the northern {B}o{B} received increased river discharge during the summer monsoons of the two years. {T}he stronger {EICC} and increased river discharge together led to anomalous freshwater transport that contributed to the intensification of the {RIS}. {N}otably, the {RIS} extended far southward during {L}a {N}ina events of 2016 and 2017. {H}owever, the spatial structure of the {RIS} differed sharply between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021. {T}he results indicate that pairs of eddies in the western {B}o{B} steered the freshwater offshore by several hundred kilometers. {A}s a result, offshore extending tongue-shaped freshwater plumes were formed that inhibited the formation of an organized {RIS} structure along the western {B}o{B} coast during 2016-2017. {T}his study highlights that the year-to-year variability of the {RIS} was significantly influenced by the {L}a {N}ina events and modulated by mesoscale processes.},
  keywords = {{B}ay of {B}engal ; river in the sea ; {SMAP} ; {L}a {N}ina ; {E}astern {I}ndian {C}oastal {C}urrent ; mesoscale process ; {OCEAN} {INDIEN} ; {BENGALE} {GOLFE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}rontiers in {M}arine {S}cience},
  volume = {9},
  numero = {},
  pages = {1103215 [16 p.]},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.3389/fmars.2022.1103215},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086876},
}