The tenth IMSC, Beijing, China, 2007 - International Meetings on ...

Parallel Sessions:Regional Studies
Spatio-Temporal Variability of the Sea Surface Temperature of the Gulf of Guinea and Its
Implication for Coastal Precitation in Nigeria
Speaker: Ediang Okuku Archibong
Ediang Okuku Archibong.
World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden
Dr.T.Odekunle
Department of Geography Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
A.O Eludoyin
Department of Geography Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
A.A Ediang
World Maritime University, Malmo Sweden
This study described and discussed the spatio-temporal variability of the sea surface
temperature (SST) of the Gulf of Guinea and its implication for the coastal precipitation in
Nigeria between 1950 and 1998. <strong>The</strong> specific objectives of the study include: (a) examining
the spatio-temporal variability in the mean annual sea surface temperature over the Gulf of
Guinea between 1950 and 1998; (b) examining the spatio-temporal variability in the mean
mid-summer (July, August and September) sea surface temperature over the Gulf of Guinea
between 1950 and 1998; (c) identifying the areas of the Gulf of Guinea in which the sea
surface temperature is below the latitudinal average over the period of study; (d) identifying the
areas of the Gulf of Guinea in which the sea surface temperature temporal variability is above
the latitudinal average over the period of study; and (e) discussing the implications of the
pattern of the variability of the sea surface temperature in the Gulf of Guinea for coastal
precipitation in Nigeria. <strong>The</strong> data used for the study are the mean monthly SST at specific
locations in the Gulf of Guinea. <strong>The</strong> data were obtained from the <strong>International</strong> Research
Institute for Climate Prediction. <strong>The</strong> specific locations where data were collected to represent
the Gulf of Guinea are Longitudes 100W, 80W, 60W, 40W, 20W, 00, 20E, 40E, 60E, and 80E
and Latitudes 50N, 30N, 10N, 10S, 30S, and 50S.
<strong>The</strong> statistical analytical procedures employed to summarise and make inferences on the
data include: (a) K-means cluster analyses; (b) Coefficient of variation; and (c) Integrated Land
and Water Information System (ILWIS) software (version 3.2 Academic). <strong>The</strong> K-means cluster
analysis was employed to classify the SST into groups. <strong>The</strong> coefficient of variation was used to
determine the degree of the SST variability over time, while the ILWIS was employed to map
the spatio-temporal variability in the SST.
Results from the study reveal that the SST of the Gulf of Guinea is generally colder
between Longitudes 80W and 20E. <strong>The</strong> temperature anomaly which appears most noticeable
during the months of July-August-September is also discernible in the average annual pattern.
This area of the SST anomaly was also observed to experience the greatest inter-annual
variability longitudinally. <strong>The</strong> results also show that while SST generally decreases from the
north to the south and from east to the west, variability value generally increases from the
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