Dial variations in temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen from the neritic waters off Cochin during April (peak summer)

Dial variations of important hydrographic parameters were studied continuously for 7 days at a 100 m depth station off Cochin. The frequency of observations varied from 1-3 hourly intervals. In surface waters, the ranges in temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen values recorded during 10-17 April were 30.64°-32.36°C, 34.56- 34.68 X lO''' and 4.06-4.65 ml/1 respectively. Tlie STD profiles in the diurnal study revealed clearly the premonsoon warming (30°-31°C) in the upper 0-30 m depth zone. In the water column up to 50 m depth, mean salinity values ranged from 34.6 to 35 X 10 while dissolved oxygen values were above 4 mI/1. Time series observations on the production and utilisation of dissolved oxygen revealed wide fluctuation from hour to hour. Vertical gradients in the diurnal study indicated the existence of thermocline around 60 m depth with sharp decline in temperature and dissolved oxygen and increase in salinity below 60 m. The diurnal variation on the distribution of temperature and dissolved oxygen exhibited significant rhythmic tidal impulse of a semi-diurnal wave pattern which was more prominent in the bottom layer below 60 m