Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-3165-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-3165-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Current dynamics, drivers, and vertical thermal structure around Sir Bu Nair Island (Arabian/Persian Gulf)
Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (Mubadala ACCESS), NYUAD Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Institute of Atmospheric Science, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
Filipe Vieira
Applied Technology and Management, Inc. – ATM a Geosyntec Company, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Rita Bento
Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (Mubadala ACCESS), NYUAD Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Aaron Bartholomew
Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
John A. Burt
Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (Mubadala ACCESS), NYUAD Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Zouhair Lachkar, Olivier Pauluis, Francesco Paparella, Basit Khan, and John A. Burt
Ocean Sci., 21, 3241–3263, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-3241-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-3241-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
An analysis of model and reanalysis data reveals that extreme summer sea surface temperatures in the Arabian/Persian Gulf are driven by weakened local Shamal winds and intensified monsoon winds over the Arabian Sea. These conditions – typically associated with La Niña and a negative North Atlantic Oscillation phase – increase air moisture over the Gulf and enhance surface heat trapping. The findings offer promising prospects for forecasting summer marine heatwaves in the Gulf.
Basam Dahy, Rita Sousa, Mubbashra Sultan, and John A. Burt
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-G-2025, 331–338, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-331-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-331-2025, 2025
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Short summary
Sir Bu Nair Island hosts some of the healthiest coral reefs remaining in the Arabian Gulf despite extreme summer heat. Using 17 months of observations, we found that tides dominate local currents, while winds and lower-frequency circulation are associated with changes in vertical temperature structure. Regional and local processes interact to create highly variable conditions around the island, with important implications for coral exposure to heat stress.
Sir Bu Nair Island hosts some of the healthiest coral reefs remaining in the Arabian Gulf...