Linking a tropical cyclone and ocean conditions to jellyfish stranding event on the Indian east coast
Jena, A.K.; Behera, M.R.; Srichandan, S.; Baliarsingh, S.K.; Mohanty, S.; Samanta, A.; Srineash, V.K. (2025). Linking a tropical cyclone and ocean conditions to jellyfish stranding event on the Indian east coast. Thalassas 41(1): 1-11. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41208-025-00802-w
In: Thalassas. Universidad de Vigo: Vigo. ISSN 0212-5919; e-ISSN 2366-1674, more
|  |
| Authors | | Top |
- Jena, A.K.
- Behera, M.R.
- Srichandan, S.
- Baliarsingh, S.K.
|
- Mohanty, S.
- Samanta, A.
- Srineash, V.K.
|
|
| Abstract |
This paper investigates a jellyfish beach stranding event observed along the northeastern coast of India at Puri (a blue-flag-beach) subsequent to the landfall of tropical cyclone Mocha. Taxonomic analysis revealed the jellyfish species as Netrostoma sps. Water temperature was found to play a pivotal role in making conducive conditions, resulting in jellyfish aggregation in the coastal waters. The occurrence of Marine Heat Wave (MHW) conditions a month prior to the stranding event, led to hypothesize that the MHW provided conducive conditions for the jellyfish growth and triggered its rapid aggregation. Sustenance of conjugative cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies for ~ 6 weeks prior to the stranding event implicated providing a conducive bed with enhanced food supply attributed to the thermal front. The crossflows (winds and currents) due to the surface divergence resulted in significant mass transport of surface water toward the coast during cyclone Mocha, facilitating the massive jellyfish aggregation and resultant beach stranding. |
|
