Temporal and spatial characteristics of chemical oxygen demand in Tokyo Bay

Abstract

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the sea surface in Tokyo Bay was examined using monthly data during 1980–89. The long-term mean and the annual-cycle amplitude of COD are largest in the northwestern region, decrease southward, and are smallest near the entrance of the bay. Based on their spatial properties, Tokyo Bay was divided into northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast regions, named Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The time mean and the annual-cycle amplitude are large in Regions 1 and 2 but much less in Region 4, and are highly correlated in Region 1 + 2 + 4. The annual-cycle amplitude in Region 3 is larger than that in Region 4, although the time mean is similar. The monthly long-term averages show a clear seasonal change of COD, with a large increase from April to June, the maximum in June, and the minimum in December. After the maximum, COD in Regions 1 and 3 (western side of the bay) decreases monotonically, while that in Regions 2 and 4 (eastern side) has a secondary maximum in August. The phase of annual cycle lags southward from the head to the mouth of the bay with a maximum lag of about one month. Anomalously large COD was observed in the western region of Tokyo Bay mostly in June, but never in the east and from July to April. This is related to a high concentration of chlorophylla plus phaeo pigment and is likely caused by blooming of phytoplankton. Yearly mean COD was at a maximum in 1984 or 1985 and decreased greatly after that. The annual frequency of the observed anomalous COD was large in 1981, 1983, and 1985, then decreased abruptly, remaining small after 1985, possibly associated with low COD.