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    Physical and Chemical Oceanography

    Physical and Chemical Oceanography research group provides scientific advice on how to maintain a healthy and sustainable marine environment; to generate benefits to the nation; to protect the marine ecosystem from climate change; to enlighten the community and stakeholders through scientific publications, outreach activities and educational programs.

    Research

    • In physical oceanography, we focus on studying the water column structure, air-sea interaction, influence of winds (shamal, kaus and nashi), tides and density gradients on circulation, wave characteristics, sediment transport, morphological changes due to coastal developments and various coastal processes using measurements, modelling and remote sensing.
    • Ongoing research of the group involves studying the hydrography and circulation within exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar and the seasonal and inter-annual variability in the distribution of oceanographic parameters and identification of water masses. Hydrographical data (temperature, salinity, optical and current profiles) and surf-met data are collected using the equipment onboard R.V Janan and analyzed to investigate the influence of oceanic and atmospheric forcing at various spatial and temporal scales.
    • Numerical modelling is performed to complement observational studies for a more comprehensive understanding of the coupled ocean-atmosphere-system, sediment and particle dynamics and to predict the state of the marine environment as impacted by natural and anthropogenic stressors. Numerical modelling studies are carried out using high-performance computing clusters.
    • As the processes/phenomena occurring in any part of the Arabian/Persian Gulf will have impact on the marine environment of Qatar, EEZ of Qatar cannot be studied in isolation, especially while modelling circulation, waves and pollutant transports, and we need to consider the whole Gulf as one domain.
    • The research group uses onboard, portable and moored instrumentation to collect oceanographic data on waves, currents and tides. Data analysis, management ∓ visualization is performed using state-of-the-art software and computer programming. Besides own research, the group also provides technical and scientific support for hydrographic data acquisition and analysis to other ESC, QU and national & international research teams and projects.

    Oceanographic instrumentation

    Oceanographic instrumentationNatural ecosystems are collapsing worldwide, losing their biological functionality and consequently losing their economic productivity. Aiming to address this severe threat, we are developing new strategies for restoring natural ecosystems.

    • We use highly sophisticated instruments to collect oceanographic data onboard RV Janan and winched boats. The Recording Current Meters (RCM), Water Level Recorders (WLR) and Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) are moored at select locations in the EEZ of Qatar for time series measurements of waves, tides and currents. The CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) system is used to measure physical parameters.
    • CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) systems onboard RV JANAN: consist of a SeaBird SBE-911plus CTD attached to a SeaBird SBE-32 Carousel Water Sampler and a stand-alone SeaBird SBE-25 CTD. SBE-911plus and SBE-25 also feature auxiliary sensors for measuring optical properties (fluorescence, turbidity, photosynthetically available radiation [PAR], light transmission-attenuation-scattering) and chemical properties (pH, dissolved oxygen).
    • Thermosalinograph: SeaBird SBE-21 SeaCAT thermosalinograph onboard RV JANAN is used for continuous underway measurement of sea surface temperature and salinity
    • Moving-vessel current profiling: Teledyne RDI Ocean Surveyor OS-150kHz Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) hull-mounted on the RV JANAN and Teledyne RDI Workhorse Sentinel 600kHz 600kHz ADCP are equipped onboard RV Janan to profile vertical currents.
    • Moored current measurements: Moored ADCPs (Teledyne RDI Sentinel V50 500kHz and Nortek Aquadopp Z-cell 1MHz) and RCM current meters (Aanderaa SeaGuard) are used to collect point and profile current data. MiniTiDE WLRs (for water level) and Acoustic Releases are also available for mooring and deployment.
    • Navigational and meteorological data: Navigational and atmospheric underway data are collected using RV JANAN’s navigational equipment and the onboard meteorological station.

    Data Analysis, Management and Visualization: The measured and reanalysis met-ocean data are analyzed critically to evaluate scientific features/issues in the Arabian Gulf and EEZ of Qatar. The widely recognized reanalysis data from the global sources such as NCEP/CFSR, ERA, CMEMS are evaluated to tackle the long-term variabilities in met-ocean parameters. Sophisticated programs and visualization tools are used for deriving the statistics, plotting and interpretations. State-of-the-art computer hardware, software and own programming is utilized to implement oceanographic databases and to analyze and visualize oceanographic data.

    Recent Studies

    Long-term assessment of onshore and offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    Exploitation of conventional energy resources has caused a deliberate increase in the emitted carbon in the atmosphere, which catalyzes global warming trends. This is a matter of concern, especially for Qatar, where fossil fuels (oil and gas) are largely relied upon for power production. The dependency on such resources could be gradually reduced by utilizing clean and renewable energy. Resource characterization is an important step to evaluate the potentiality of available renewable energy sources. Wind energy is one among them, which has not been assessed reliably so far in Qatar. We analyzed the wind energy potential along the onshore and offshore areas of Qatar using 40 years (1979–2018) of hourly wind data extracted from the ECMWF Reanalysis 5 (ERA5) database. Monthly, seasonal, annual, and decadal mean wind power densities have been derived. Reliability tests have been carried out at select onshore and offshore locations. Trends and inter-annual variability have been assessed. The study reveals that the available wind resources are generally moderate but consistent with no intense trends during the 40 year period. An inter-annual variability in wind power has been identified, which has secured links with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

    Variability in physical and biogeochemical parameters in the central Arabian Gulf

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    In situ measurements of physical and biogeochemical variables were conducted along a transect in the EEZ of Qatar during late summer (September 2014) and winter (January 2015) to investigate their vertical, spatial and temporal variability. The study reveals that the water column is characterized by strong stratification during late summer in the deepest station, where the water depth is around 65 m and the surface to bottom temperature variation is around 9.1°C. The water column is vertically homogeneous during winter due to surface cooling and wind mixing. The surface to 23 m water column is characterized by ample dissolved oxygen (DO) during late summer and winter in the offshore regions, however, relatively low DO is found during late summer due to weak mixing and advection under weak winds and currents. Dissolved oxygen drops to hypoxic levels below the summer thermocline, and the winter high DO layer extends up to the bottom. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) is relatively high during late summer in the offshore region, while that in the nearshore regions is very low, which is linked to the anthropogenic stresses from the central east coast of Qatar.

    Maxima in northerly wind speeds and wave heights over the Arabian Sea, the Arabian/ Persian Gulf and the Red Sea derived from 40 years of ERA5 data

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    Recent studies point out the importance of northerly winds and waves in the Arabian Sea, especially those due to shamal and makran events in addition to the northeast monsoon system. We have analyzed climatology and trends of northerly maximum wind speed and significant wave height (Hs) in the Arabian Sea and the connected marginal seas, Arabian/Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, during non-monsoon season derived from 40 years of ERA5 wind and wave data, and estimated monthly, annual and decadal extreme climate and their trends. The study brings out an increasing trend in the northerly maximum wind speed (0.8–1.2 cm/s/year) and Hs (0.42–0.88 cm/year) in the southern and central Arabian Sea, which is consistent with the global trend in extreme wind speed and Hs. The northern Arabian Sea including the Sea of Oman exhibits significant decreasing trend in northerly maximum wind speed (− 1.4 cm/s/year) and Hs (− 0.67 cm/year), while the Gulf and the Red Sea exhibit sectorial contrasting trend, indicating the dominance of localized effects in modifying the regional climate.

    Extreme value analysis of wave climate around Farasan Islands, southern Red sea

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    The study investigates extreme value analysis of wave climate around the Farasan islands’ protected coastal zone in the southern Red Sea. It provides an overall idea of the extreme wave conditions in the southern Red Sea, which are influenced by the Indian monsoon and local climates as well as by the effect of complex topography due to the presence of corals and high steepness in the bathymetry. The significant wave height return levels for the select shallow and deep regions around the Farasan islands are estimated using extreme value models; Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) and Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD). The trend analysis shows that the trends of near extremes (90th and 95th percentile Hs) are significant in the offshore regions around the Farasan Islands, but not significant in the nearshore regions. The seasonal analysis indicates that the seasonal estimates of extreme Hs are more reliable than annual estimates, considering the differences in the seasonal wave generation mechanisms.

    Numerical Modelling: A high-end desktop server (Apple Mac Pro 12-core) and the QU high-performance computing (HPC) clusters are utilized to implement high-performance numerical models of coupled marine-atmosphere-ecosystem, sediment and particle dynamics. State-of-the-art numerical models are employed to hindcast circulation, waves and tides in the Arabian Gulf and in the EEZ of Qatar. Long-term and short-term hindcasts are being carried out and analyzed to study the variability and climate change impacts. In addition, ESC provides R&D solutions to marine issues related to coastal developments in the country using numerical models coupled with observations.

    Arabian Gulf circulation using SLIM: The Second-generation Louvain-la-Neuve Ice-ocean Model (SLIM, www.climate.be/slim) has been applied to simulate circulation in the Arabian Gulf. SLIM solves the equations governing geophysical, environmental and groundwater phenomena by means of the (discontinuous Galerkin) finite element method on 1D, 2D or 3D unstructured meshes. To take advantage of state-of-the-art developments, SLIM is also interfaced with existing tools (often based on radically different numerical methods), such as the well-known and widely used General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM, www.gotm.net).

    Research

    • Research activities in chemical oceanography are focused on exploring the broad spectrum of processes that influence chemical cycling and biogeochemical dynamics of marine water, biota and sediments within EEZ of Qatar. Critical to these efforts are considerations of how seawater chemistry influences and responds to biological activity and the impact of anthropogenic activity on the marine environment.
    • We use a combination of laboratory and field-based approaches. Our studies are typically interdisciplinary and involve integration of chemical concepts with information about the physical, biological, or geological processes that influence natural systems. Areas of study include: Organic and inorganic chemistry of seawater; Stratification and hydrography based on chemical and isotopic tracers; Isotopic geochemistry of sediments and suspended particulate matter; Geochemical interaction of sediments with seawater and interstitial waters; Geochemistry of aeolian (dust) inputs and lithogenic sources; Geochemical cycles of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and other elements; Chemistry of hypoxic and anoxic systems; Marine carbonate system chemistry and ocean acidification.
    • Hydrographical (e.g. temperature, salinity, density, currents), biological (e.g. bacteria, chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton, zooplankton, jellyfish, crustaceans, bivalves, fish), chemical (e.g. nutrients, dissolved oxygen, pH, trace and heavy metals, organic and inorganic pollutants), optical (fluorescence, turbidity, photo synthetically active radiation -PAR-, light transmission and attenuation), and meteorological data (wind speed and direction) are collected aboard Qatar University’s state-of-the-art research vessel RV Janan. The ship is equipped to the highest standard and offers the opportunity for prolonged and extensive sampling in the Gulf Region as well as in the waters of the Arabian Sea, Sea of Oman, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
    • During our marine surveys, sampling stations are selected based on various dynamical aspects of Qatar EEZ. Some of the current seasonal observation campaigns involve hydrographic and biogeochemical sampling at coastal and offshore stations on sectors over the eastern shelf of Qatar Peninsula, extending about 200 km to a maximum depth of 67m.
    • Students are conducting research to understand: regional and seasonal hydrography & biogeochemistry of Qatari waters, which is essential for prediction of effects of environmental stresses and global change; water column structure and distribution of water masses in order to determine properties and status of various habitats; assessment of seawater quality and marine productivity. Results obtained from these hydrographic and biogeochemical studies are expected to form a strong oceanographic knowledge base, provide scientific support for decision makers and national stakeholders and help mitigate harmful impacts of environmental factors (e.g. fish kills, coral reef bleaching, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia). Critical to these efforts are considerations of how ocean chemistry influences and responds to biological activity and the impact of anthropogenic activity on the marine environment.

    Recent Studies

    Field and laboratory investigation of tarmat deposits found on Ras Rakan Island and northern beaches of Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    A detailed field survey was completed, which investigated the origin of the tarmats found on a remote uninhabited island, Ras Rakan Island, located at the northern tip of Qatar. The focus of this study was to determine the possible origin of the tarmats and to assess their environmental risks. Based on the field observational data it was hypothesized that the tarmats found on Ras Rakan Island must have been deposited by (1) a relatively large oil spill, and (2) an old oil spill. The physical observational data collected from the field surveys indicated that the tarmat contamination was widespread. The tarmats found on Umm Tais Island, Al-Ruwais, Al-Ghariyah, and Fuwairit beaches located on the northern tip of Qatar were similar to those found on Ras Rakan Island beaches. Moreover, all the tarmat samples were highly weathered, blackish, asphalt-like materials. The hopane fingerprints of Ras Rakan Island samples were compared to the fingerprints of the tarmat samples collected from four other northern beaches and the data were identical. Therefore, the tarmats found on Ras Rakan Island likely evolved from the residues deposited by a large, regional-scale oil spill event. Moreover, the hopane fingerprints of all the tarmat samples closely matched the fingerprint of the reference crude from Basrah, an Iraqi town located at the border of Kuwait. Furthermore, the tarmat fingerprints were almost identical to the hopane fingerprints of the Kuwaiti crude oils, which were constructed from the literature data. As the source of the 1991 Gulf War oil spill was Kuwaiti crude oil, our results indicate that the tarmats currently present in northern Qatar beaches have been originated from the 1991 Gulf War oil spill event. The PAH dataset showed these tarmats contain several heavy toxic PAHs including chrysenes, benzo(a)pyerene, and benzo(b)fluoranthene, which are known carcinogenic compounds.

    Spatial distribution, structural characterization and weathering of tarmats along the west coast of Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    The spatial distribution, chemical composition and weathering pattern of tarmat along the west coast of Qatar has been assessed based on the tarmat samples collected from 12 coastal regions. The range of tarmat distribution is 0-104 gm-1 with an average value of 9.25 gm-1. Though the current tarmat level is thirty-fold lesser than that was found during 1993-1997 (average 290 gm-1), the distribution pattern is similar. The prevailing winds and currents might have dominated the surface drifting of floating oil residues towards the NW coast of Qatar. Chemical and structural properties of tarmats were calculated using ATR-FTIR spectral indices (i.e., aliphatic, aromatic, long chain and carbonyl indices) and some of their features are comparable to that of Iranian crude oil asphaltenes. The aromatic compounds of tarmats are lesser in the NW coast than those found in the northern coast. Carbonyl Index values indicate that tarmat samples from the NW coast are highly weathered than those found in the north and SW coasts. The concentration of hydrocarbons (including aliphatic and aromatic) in tarmat can be used to study the ecological risks on sediment associated biota.

    WorldView-3 mapping of tarmat deposits of the Ras Rakan Island, northern Coast of Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    WorldView-3 (WV-3) data used to study the spectral behavior of tarmat deposits and maps the occurrences of tarmats found on the coast of Ras Rakan Island of the northern part of the State of Qatar. The study of laboratory spectra of tar materials shows diagnostic absorptions features at 0.6 and 1.1 µm in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and 1.52, 1.73, 2.04, and 2.31 µm in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region. The mapping of deposits using WV-3 data by decorrelation stretch and Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) methods discriminated the tarmats, sandy soil vegetation and sabkha features in a different tone. The capability of WV-3 sensor and the potential of image processing methods were confirmed by the mapping of tar occurrences of the Ras Ushayriq and NE of Al Ruwais. The results were verified through field studies and laboratory analyses of field samples.

    Sources, spatial distribution and characteristics of marine litter along the west coast of Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    The spatial distribution, sources and characteristics of ML from 36 locations spread over 12 beaches along the west coast of Qatar have been assessed. A total of 2376 ML items with varying sizes were found with an average abundance of 1.98 items/m2. The order of abundance of ML along the coast was as follows: plastics (71.4%) > metal (9.3%) > glass (5.1%) > paper (4.4%) > fabric (4.0%) > rubber (3.9%) > processed wood (2.0%). Locations in the south and northwest-north part of the study area had significantly higher concentrations of ML. Surprisingly, nearly 47% of the beached polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were derived from the neighboring countries, and most of them were produced in the last 2 years. Moreover, most of the plastic bottles of neighboring countries were drifted by winds (primarily shamal) and currents to the Qatar coast. Gulf circulation provides evidence to the pathways of ML beached on the Qatar coast. Qatar coast can be negatively impacted by ML originating from fishing activities and PET bottles coming from neighboring countries. The regional organization for the protection of the marine environment (ROPME) in the Gulf countries has adapted the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals (SDG) to mitigate the marine litter pollution to help, restore and preserve the region’s natural environment.

    Factors influencing the vertical distribution of microplastics in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island, Qatar

    offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar

    The vertical distribution and characterization of microplastics (MPs) in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island, Qatar have been investigated. The vertical distribution of MPs ranged from 0 to 665 particles/kg with maximum abundance at the surface layer (0–5 cm). The counts of MPs were found to be higher in the western and northern parts of the island. The distribution reflects the degree of past and present anthropogenic impact (including plastic production, usage, mismanaged waste and population growth). Pellets were the dominant MPs in the surface layer, whereas fibers were the most frequently observed MPs in the bottom sediments. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyamide (PA) were the most abundant polymer types of MPs in the sediments. The winds, currents, waves and nearshore processes are the main influencing factors for the transportation and deposition of MPs in the Gulf. This is the first study reporting the depth-wise variation of MPs in the Gulf region. The results are useful to inform the historical MP pollution trend in the Gulf. The values of MP concentrations in the surface layer of sediments found in the Ras Rakan Island are higher than those found in the Qatar mainland, and other parts of the Gulf region. Therefore, the regular MP pollution monitoring programs and numerical modeling studies are needed in all the remote islands in the Gulf to assess the risk associated with MP on the biota.

    Contributions of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in microplastic pollution research

    Fourier Transform

    Microplastics (MPs) have been identified and reported in environmental matrices from the poles to equator and from atmosphere to deep ocean. Though the usage of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic techniques in MP research has increased tremendously since 2004, there are still some challenges to be overcome in the area of standardizing the operational protocols for identification and quantification. Therefore, we have reviewed and highlighted the recent advances in FTIR (spectroscopy and chemical imaging) techniques that are used to characterize various polymer types of MPs and to trace their fate and transport in different environmental matrices. Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) technique coupled with FTIR spectroscopy is widely used to characterize the large size MPs, whereas smaller MPs require the use of µFTIR coupled with detector, especially, µFTIR coupled with focal plane array detector facilitates a much faster generation of chemical imaging of MPs by simultaneously scanning several thousand spectra within a single measurement. FTIR technique is also used to study the changes in chemical bond structures (hydroxyl, carbonyl groups and carbon-oxygen) of MPs during various weathering process. Moreover, FTIR method is used to understand the ecological effects of ingested MPs and its associated pollutants and biochemical variations at the cellular level. Following criteria are needed to be considered during data processing, evaluation and identification MPs using FTIR spectroscopy: (i) when we compare/ match an unknown spectrum with literature or a commercial spectral library, it is necessary to check the mode of acquisition of FTIR spectra (acquired the same mode or different modes), (ii) the spectral change caused by weathering and aging, when comparing or matching with the spectral library and (iii) desirable substrate to be used to reduce the spectral interference. Standardization of chemometric techniques, decrease in data processing time, better file handling capabilities of systems are expected to improve FTIR analysis in MP pollution research. Since identification of MP particles < 10 µm using FTIR technique is a challenging task, development of novel additional accessories or proper combination use of existing techniques is needed for future MP research.

    Journals

    1. Aboobacker, V.M., Shanas, P.R., Veerasingam, S., Ibrahim M.A.S. Al-Ansari, Fadhil N Sadooni, Vethamony, P., 2021: Long-term assessment of onshore and offshore wind energy potentials of Qatar, Energies (In Press).
    2. Rajendran. S, Vethamony. P, Sadooni F.N, Hamad Al Saad, Jassim A. Al-Khayat, Govil. H, Nasir. S (2021). Detection of Wakashio oil spill off Mauritius using Sentinel-1 and 2 data: capability of sensors, image transformation methods and mapping. Environmental Pollution (in press).
    3. Rajendran, S, Sadooni, F.N, Hamad Al Saad, Govil, H., Nasir, S, Vethamony, P (2021) Monitoring Oil Spill in Norilsk, Russia using satellite data. Scientific Reports (in press).
    4. Rakib, M.F., Al-Ansari, E.M.A.S., Husrevoglu, S., Yigiterhan, O., Al-Maslamani, I.A., Aboobacker, V.M., Vethamony, P., 2021: Observed Variability in Physical and Biogeochemical Parameters in the Central Arabian Gulf, Oceanologia, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.12.003
    5. Vasimalla Suneel, Sivaprakasam Sathish Kumar, Ramakrishnan Balaji, P. Vethamony (2021). Formation and weathering assessment of oil-suspended sediment aggregates through a laboratory investigation, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11813-w
    6. Ranjani, M., Veerasingam, S., Venkatachalapathy, Mugilarasan, M., R., Bagaev, A., Mukhanov, Vethamony, P., 2021. Assessment of potential ecological risk of microplastics in coastal sediments of India: a meta-analysis. Marine Pollution Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.111969
    7. Rajendran, S., Al-Khayat, J.A., Veerasingam, S., Nasir, S., Vethamony, P., Sadooni, F.N., Al-Kuwari, H.A.S., 2021. WorldView-3 mapping of tar deposits of the Ras Rakan Island, Northern coast of Qatar: Environmental Perspective. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 163 (2021) 111988.
    8. Veerasingam, S., Vethamony, P., Aboobacker, V.M., Giraldes, A.E., Dib, S., Al-Khayat, J.A., 2021. Factors influencing the vertical distribution of microplastics in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island, Qatar. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-12100-4
    9. Marieh Arekhi, Leigh G. Terry, Gerald F. John, Jassim A. Al-Khayat, Azenith B. Castillo, P. Vethamony, T. Prabhakar Clement (2020). Field and Laboratory Investigation of Tarmat Deposits found on Ras Rakan Island and Northern Beaches of Qatar. Science of the Total Environment, 735 (2020) 139516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139516 (IF: 6.551).
    10. Veerasingam, S., Al-Khayat, J.A., Haseeba, K.P., Aboobacker, V.M., Hamza, S., Vethamony, P., 2020. Spatial distribution, structural characterization and weathering of tarmats along the west coast of Qatar. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 159, 111486.
    11. Veerasingam, S., Al-Khayat, J.A., Aboobacker, V.M., Hamza, S., Vethamony, P., 2020. Sources, spatial distribution and characteristics of marine litter along the west coast of Qatar. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 159, 111478.
    12. Veerasingam, S., Ranjani, M., Venkatachalapathy, R., Bagaev, A., Mukhanov, V., Litvinyuk, D., Mugilarasan, M., Gurumoorthi, K., Guganathan, L., Aboobacker, V.M., Vethamony, P., 2020. Contributions of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in microplastic pollution research: A review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology doi:10.1080/10643389.2020.1807450
    13. Veerasingam, S., Ranjani, M., Venkatachalapathy, R., Bagaev, A., Mukhanov, V., Litvinyuk, D., Verzhevskaya, L., Guganathan, L., Vethamony, P., 2020. Microplastics in different environmental compartments in India: Analytical methods, distribution, associated contaminants and research needs. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 133, 116071.
    14. Aboobacker, V.M., Shanas, P.R., Ibrahim M.A.S. Al-Ansari, Sanil Kumar V., Vethamony, P., 2020: The maxima in northerly wind speeds and wave heights over the Arabian Sea, the Arabian/Persian Gulf and the Red Sea derived from 40 years of ERA5 data, Climate Dynamics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-020-05518-6
    15. Shamji, V.R., Aboobacker, V.M., Vineesh, T.C., 2020: Extreme value analysis of wave climate around Farasan Islands, southern Red sea, Ocean Engineering, 207: 107395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107395
    16. Yigiterhan, O., Al-Ansari, E.M., Nelson, A., Abdel-Moati, M. A., Turner, J., Alsaadi, H. A., paul, B., Al-Maslamani, I. A., Al-Ansi Al-Yafei, M. A., Murray, J. W. (2020). Trace element composition of size-fractionated suspended particulate matter samples from the Qatari Exclusive Economic Zone of the Arabian Gulf: the role of atmospheric dust. Biogeosciences. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-381-2020
    17. Elsayed, H., Yigiterhan, O., Al-Ansari, E. M. A. S., Al-Ashwel, A. A., Elezz, A. A., Al-Maslamani, I. (2020). Methylmercury bioaccumulation among different food chain levels in the EEZ of Qatar (Arabian Gulf). Regional Studies in Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2020.101334
    18. Mohammad A. A. Al-Najjar, Christopher Munday, Artur Fink, Mohamed A.R. Abdel-Moati, Waleed Hamza, Laura Korte, Jan-Berend Stuut, Ibrahim S. Al-Ansari, Ibrahim Al-Maslamani & Dirk de Beer (2020). Nutritive effect of dust on microbial biodiversity and productivity of the Arabian Gulf, Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management.
    19. Suneel V, Mahua Saha, Chayanika Rathore, Jenica Sequeira, P.M. Nikhil Mohan, Durbar Ray, S. Veerasingam, V. Trinadha Rao, P. Vethamony (2019). Assessing the source of oil deposited in the surface sediment of Mormugao Port, Goa - A case study of MV Qing incident, Mar. Poll. Bull., 145, 88-95.
    20. Suneel, V, Trinadha Rao, V, Gopika Suresh, Aditya Chaudhary, R., P.Vethamony, Ratheesh, P.(2019). Oil pollution in the Eastern Arabian Sea from invisible sources: a multi-technique approach, Mar. Poll. Bull., 146, 683-695.
    21. Samiksha S. V., P. Vethamony, P. K. Bhaskaran, P. Pednekar, M. Jishad and A. James (2019). Attenuation of wave energy due to mangrove vegetation off Mumbai, India, Energies 2019, 12, 4286; https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/22/4286.
    22. Renjith VishnuRadhan, Eldho T I, P Vethamony, Saheed P P, Shirodkar P V (2018). Assessment of the environmental health of an ecologically sensitive, semi-enclosed, basin - A water quality modelling approach, Marine Pollution Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.035
    23. Soliman, Y., Al-Ansari, E.M.A.S., Sericano, J. L., Wade, T. L. (2019). Spatio-temporal distribution and sources identifications of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their alkyl homolog in surface sediments in the central Arabian Gulf. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.093
    24. Yigiterhan, O., Alfoldy, B. Z., Giamberini, M., Turner, J. C., Al-Ansari, I. S., Abdel-Moatii, M. A., Al-Maslamani, I. A., Mahfouz, M. M. K., Elobaid, E. A., Hassan, H. A., Obbard, J. P., Murray, J. W. (2017). Geochemical Composition of Aeolian Dust and Surface Deposits from the Qatar Peninsula. Chemical Geology. doi:10.1016/ j.chemgeo.2017.10.030
    25. Al-Ansari, E. M. A. S., Abdel-Moati, M. A. R., Yigiterhan, O., Al-Maslamani, Soliman, Y., Rowe, G. T., Wade, T. L., Al-Shaikh, I. M., Helmi, A., Kuklyte, L., Chatting, M., Al-Ansi Al-Yafei,, M. A. (2017). Mercury accumulation in Lethrinus nebulosus from the marine waters of the Qatar EEZ. Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.04.024
    26. Hassan, H. M., Castillo, A. B., Yigiterhan, O., Elobaid, E. A., Al-Obaidly, A., Al-Ansari, E., Obbard, J. P. (2017). Baseline concentrations and distributions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Qatar marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.093
    27. Al-Ansari, E.M.A.S., Rowe, G., Abdel-Moati, M.A.R., Yigiterhan, O., Al-Maslamani, I., Al-yafei, M.A., Al-Shaikh, I., Upstill-Goddard, R. (2015). Hypoxia in the central Arabian Gulf Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Qatar. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.03.022
    28. Soliman, Y.S., Al-Ansari, E.M.S., wade, T. L. (2014). Concentration, composition and sources of PAHs in the coastal sediments of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar, Arabian Gulf. Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.04.027
    29. Quigg, A., Al-Ansi, M., Nour Al Din, N., Wei, C. Nunnally, C. C., Al-Ansari, I. S., Rowe, G. T., Soliman, Y., Al-Masalamani, I., Mahmoud, I., Youssef, N., Abdel-Moati, M. A. (2013). Phytoplankton along the coastal shelf of an oligotrophic hypersaline environment in a semi-enclosed marginal sea: Qatar (Arabian Gulf). Continental Shelf Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2013.04.015

    Conference proceedings

    1. Haseeba, K.P., Veerasingam, S., Shafeeq, H., Al-Khayat, J., Vethamony, P., 2020. Assessment of tarmat contamination and its chemical characterization along the west coast of Qatar, Arabian Gulf. Qatar University Annual Research Forum & Exhibition (QUARFE), 28 October 2020, Qatar University. DOI:10.29117/quarfe.2020.0075
    2. Veerasingam, S., Al-Khayat, J.A, Vethamony, P., 2020. COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE): A Potential source of microplastic pollution in the State of Qatar. Qatar University Annual Research Forum & Exhibition (QUARFE), 28 October 2020, Qatar University. DOI: 10.29117/quarfe.2020.0284
    3. Izumi, C., Al-Thani, J., Yigiterhan, O., Al-Ansari, E.M.A.S., Vethamony, P., Sorino, C. F., Anderson, D., Murray, J. W. (2020). Ocean Acidification and Carbonate Chemistry in the Central Arabian Gulf. Qatar University Annual Research Forum 2020. https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2020.0319
    4. Aboobacker, V.M., Ebrahim M.A.S. Al-Ansari, Shanas, P.R., Veerasingam, S., Vethamony, P., 2020: Wind energy potentials along the onshore and offshore Qatar, Proceedings of the Qatar University Annual Research Forum and Exhibition (QUARFE), 28 October 2020, Qatar University. https://doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2020.0018
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    photo of Qatar University buildings - right side
    photo of Qatar University buildings - right side