ANNUAL MEAN SURFACE HEAT FLUXES IN THE ARABIAN GULF AND THE NET HEAT-TRANSPORT THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ

An attempt is made to assess the climatological air-sea fluxes in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf using meterological observations. The annual mean values of upward heat transfer due to solar radiation, sensible heat, latent heat and infrared radiation fluxes are -212, -1, 168 and 66W m-2, respectively. Based on the surface inflow and subsurface outflow through the Strait of Hormuz, the annual average heat transport into the Gulf is 25 W m-2. This is in fair agreement with the resulting upward flux of 21 W m-2 at the sea surface in the Gulf.