Application of satellite observations to study the changes of hypoxic conditions in near-bottom water in the western part of Peter the Great Bay (the Sea of Japan)

Abstract

In this paper we explore the possibilities of applying satellite ocean colour (OC) observations and SST to study the changes in the conditions of hypoxia in the near-bottom water in the western part of Peter the Great Bay. Near-bottom water hypoxia occurs in water bodies with increased organic matter influx when the dissolved oxygen (DO) consumed at its oxidation is not restored. Consumption of most DO is usually attributed to the oxidation of organic matter formed as a result of increased algae growth during water eutrophication. Satellite data on indicators of phytoplankton (chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl) and fluorescence (FLH)) allow to analyze the spatial-temporal changes of this substation. Coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), non-algal particles (NAP) influence on satellite Chl estimates and also on near-bottom water hypoxia formation. This study analyzes daily, seasonal, and inter-annual changes in the distributions of indicators (Chl, FLH, the coefficients of light absorption by coloured detrital matter (aCDM) and light backscattering by suspended particles (bbp)), based on the instant satellite OC data from MODIS-Aqua. Data on the Chl, the sea surface temperature (SST) from the MODIS-Aqua, the precipitation from the TRMM satellite and the hydrometeorological stations (HMSs), the wind speed and direction from HMS “Vladivostok” are used to study the influence of hydrometeorological conditions on the Chl values. These distributions were compared with the literary information based on field observations of the hypoxia cases in the same area and with the changes in the vertical DO, Chl, temperature, salinity distribution obtained by coastal expeditions in October-November 2010 and February-March 2011. Significant interrelations within 95% confidence level between the satellite Chl, FLH values calculated at the MUMM atmospheric correction and in situ Chl values obtained in the autumn of 2010 were reached separately for the cases with winds of northern and southern directions with the correlation coefficients of 0.71, 0.48 and 0.49, 0.71, respectively. Significant dependences of Chl on SST and Chl on wind speed explained by the influence of continental runoff and water ventilation were obtained. Therefore, the changes of Chl reflect the changes of hypoxic conditions in the near-bottom water. In Amursky Bay the onset of hypoxia was at the Chl and SST values equal to 4 mg m−3 and 13 °C (↑ – at increasing SST); near Furugelm Island it was at 1.6 mg m−3 and 25 °C (↑), 1 mg m−3 and 21 °C (↓). The difference in the Chl values was reflected in the hypoxia onset timings that were the beginning of June (2011), August (2013), and September (2014), respectively. The water flow from the eastern coast of Amursky Bay in early August of 2013 recorded from the OC and SST satellite imagers appeared in an additional hypoxic zone. Decreased OC characteristics in the runoff of the Razdolnaya River in August-September of 2014 were a sign of hypoxia at its mouth. Near Furugelm Island the hypoxia destruction (increase in the DO level from 1 to 4.5 ml L−1) was observed at the Chl of 0.9 mg m−3 and SST = 18 °C (↓). At the autumn maximum of Chl equal to 1.7 mg m−3 and SST = 4 °C (↓) in mid-November the DO level here increased to 8 ml L−1. In Amursky Bay, short-term destructions/weakening of hypoxia manifested themselves in sharp increases of Chl. At that, the ratio between the Chl value and the approximation level was equal to 2 and higher for SST equal to 22–25 °C (↑), to 0.9 and higher for SST equal to 5–13 °C (↓). With the water stratification destruction in temperature and the noticeable weakening of the stratification in salinity (mid-November), the hypoxia destructed (the DO level increased from 2 to 6 ml L−1). In this case, Chl and SST were about 3 mg m−3 and 5 °C (↓).