PHYTOPLANKTON BLOOMING AND OCEANIC CONDITIONS IN THE SEAS AROUND THE SPRATLY ISLANDS

The oceanic currents in the South China Sea (SCS) are strongly influenced by monsoon winds. A review on the SCS currents has indicated that previous studies have pointed out an anticyclonic circulation in the area between the southern Vietnam coast and the Spratly Islands. However, its detail is not understood because of less information of in situ observations. The physical-biological interaction is quite new research area, which has been established and promoted by means of the ocean color remote sensing. Temporal/spatial variability of the phytoplankton activities are well captured by ocean color (OC) -derived Chlorophyll-a images. Combining the OC-Chl-a and the other high-resolution satellite data (e.g., SST images), the biological aspects of oceanographic variation is well described. The blooming phenomena in the area between the southern Vietnam coast and the Spratly islands are further investigated. Change in the wind-system related to the El Nino generates upwelling/SST-cooling in the sea south of the Spratly Islands through the air-sea-land interaction was studied. The seasonal upwelling is also associated with the harmful algal bloom (HAB) off two side of Indochina Peninsula have investigated. The seasonal variation of SCS phytoplankton blooming and related oceanic conditions in Vietnam coast was observed. Ocean color satellite data has effective contribute to study the oceanic condition and phytoplankton blooming in South China Sea.