Thermal regime of the Aral Sea in the modern period (1982-2000) as revealed by satellite data
Ginzburg, A.I.; Kostianoy, A.G.; Sheremet, N.A. (2003). Thermal regime of the Aral Sea in the modern period (1982-2000) as revealed by satellite data. J. Mar. Syst. 43(1-2): 19-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0924-7963(03)00086-1
In: Journal of Marine Systems. Elsevier: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; Amsterdam. ISSN 0924-7963; e-ISSN 1879-1573, more
A weekly mean Multi-Channel Sea Surface Temperature (MCSST) data set based on NOAA satellite measurements (spatial and temperature resolution of about 18 km and 0.1 °C) was used to reveal the changes of SST of the Aral Sea and of its individual regions during the modern anthropogenic period (1982–2000). By a joint analysis of satellite SST and in situ measurements in the 1950s, it was found that by 2000, with water level lowering by 19 m as compared with the conventionally natural period (prior to 1960), the monthly mean SSTs in August and May increased by 2–2.5 and 4–5 °C, respectively, whereas in November, the temperature decreased by 1.5–2.5 °C. A shift of the spring and autumn temperature phases (by a month and half month, respectively) occurred in the direction of their earlier onset. Because of increasing mean-August SSTs (higher than 25.5 °C) and decreasing winter SSTs, the seasonal temperature amplitude exceeded 27 °C (in the 1950s, it was 24 °C). Since 1995, a decrease of the annual mean SST has been observed (to 11.7 °C by 2000). On the whole, the results support the predictions made in the 1950s concerning the upcoming changes of the Aral Sea thermal state associated with its desiccation, except for some increases of the annual mean SSTs between 1980s and the mid-1990s.
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