Variability of ChlorophyllaConcentration and Halocline Depth in La Paz Bay (Gulf of California, Mexico) and the Relationship to Pacific Large-Scale Climatic Phenomena

Abstract

ABSTRACT Guevara-Guillen, C.; Shirasago-German, B.; Perez-Lezama, E.L., and Obeso-Nieblas, M., 2018. Variability of chlorophyll a concentration and Halocline depth in La Paz Bay (Gulf of California, Mexico) and the relationship to Pacific large-scale climatic phenomena. Variability of the chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration and halocline depth in La Paz Bay were analyzed and compared against the variability of North Pacific (NP) large-scale phenomena and local winds during 1999–2009. Chl a data were obtained from satellite images, and halocline depth was obtained from in situ data. Eight large-scale phenomenon climate indices and satellite wind data were also used in this work. Chl a was processed on three timescales—interannual, mean annual cycle, and monthly time series. The halocline depth was processed as a time series. The Chl a interannual analysis revealed a high variability in the study period, with the highest concentration in 2001 and the lowest in 2005. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) was...