Indo-Pacific Climate Interactions in the Absence of an Indonesian Throughflow

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (13) ◽  
pp. 5017-5029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jules B. Kajtar ◽  
Agus Santoso ◽  
Matthew H. England ◽  
Wenju Cai

Abstract The Pacific and Indian Oceans are connected by an oceanic passage called the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). In this setting, modes of climate variability over the two oceanic basins interact. El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events generate sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) over the Indian Ocean that, in turn, influence ENSO evolution. This raises the question as to whether Indo-Pacific feedback interactions would still occur in a climate system without an Indonesian Throughflow. This issue is investigated here for the first time using a coupled climate model with a blocked Indonesian gateway and a series of partially decoupled experiments in which air–sea interactions over each ocean basin are in turn suppressed. Closing the Indonesian Throughflow significantly alters the mean climate state over the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Pacific Ocean retains an ENSO-like variability, but it is shifted eastward. In contrast, the Indian Ocean dipole and the Indian Ocean basinwide mode both collapse into a single dominant and drastically transformed mode. While the relationship between ENSO and the altered Indian Ocean mode is weaker than that when the ITF is open, the decoupled experiments reveal a damping effect exerted between the two modes. Despite the weaker Indian Ocean SSTAs and the increased distance between these and the core of ENSO SSTAs, the interbasin interactions remain. This suggests that the atmospheric bridge is a robust element of the Indo-Pacific climate system, linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans even in the absence of an Indonesian Throughflow.

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 7743-7763 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Santoso ◽  
M. H. England ◽  
W. Cai

The impact of Indo-Pacific climate feedback on the dynamics of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is investigated using an ensemble set of Indian Ocean decoupling experiments (DCPL), utilizing a millennial integration of a coupled climate model. It is found that eliminating air–sea interactions over the Indian Ocean results in various degrees of ENSO amplification across DCPL simulations, with a shift in the underlying dynamics toward a more prominent thermocline mode. The DCPL experiments reveal that the net effect of the Indian Ocean in the control runs (CTRL) is a damping of ENSO. The extent of this damping appears to be negatively correlated to the coherence between ENSO and the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD). This type of relationship can arise from the long-lasting ENSO events that the model simulates, such that developing ENSO often coincides with Indian Ocean basin-wide mode (IOBM) anomalies during non-IOD years. As demonstrated via AGCM experiments, the IOBM enhances western Pacific wind anomalies that counteract the ENSO-enhancing winds farther east. In the recharge oscillator framework, this weakens the equatorial Pacific air–sea coupling that governs the ENSO thermocline feedback. Relative to the IOBM, the IOD is more conducive for ENSO growth. The net damping by the Indian Ocean in CTRL is thus dominated by the IOBM effect which is weaker with stronger ENSO–IOD coherence. The stronger ENSO thermocline mode in DCPL is consistent with the absence of any IOBM anomalies. This study supports the notion that the Indian Ocean should be viewed as an integral part of ENSO dynamics.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Sil Hong ◽  
Sang-Wook Yeh ◽  
Young-Min Yang ◽  
Young-Kwon Lim ◽  
Kyu-Myong Kim

Abstract While it is known that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) leads the Indian Ocean Basin Mode (IOBM) with the same phase via the atmospheric bridge, we found that the relationship of PDO-IOBM during boreal winter is not stationary. Here, we investigated the PDO-IOBM relationship changes on low-frequency timescales by analyzing the observations, a long-term simulation of climate model with its large ensembles as well as the pacemaker experiments. A long-term simulation of climate model with its large ensemble simulations indicated that the non-stationary relationship of PDO-IOBM is intrinsic in a climate system and it could be at least partly due to internal climate variability. In details, we compared the PDO structures during the entire period with those during the period when the PDO-IOBM relationship was weak (i.e., 1976-2006). We found that the structures of sea surface temperature (SST) as well as its associated tropical Pacific convective forcing during the negative phase of PDO for 1976-2006 are far away from the typical structures of the negative PDO phase during the entire period, which were responsible for the weakening relationship of the PDO-IOBM in the observation. The results of the two pacemaker experiments support that a non-stationary relationship of PDO-IOBM is primarily due to the SST forcing in the Pacific.


Author(s):  
Emily Black

Knowledge of the processes that control East African rainfall is essential for the development of seasonal forecasting systems, which may mitigate the effects of flood and drought. This study uses observational data to unravel the relationship between the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and rainy autumns in East Africa. Analysis of sea–surface temperature data shows that strong East African rainfall is associated with warming in the Pacific and Western Indian Oceans and cooling in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The resemblance of this pattern to that which develops during IOD events implies a link between the IOD and strong East African rainfall. Further investigation suggests that the observed teleconnection between East African rainfall and ENSO is a manifestation of a link between ENSO and the IOD.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (24) ◽  
pp. 10155-10178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia E. Wieners ◽  
Henk A. Dijkstra ◽  
Will P. M. de Ruijter

In recent years it has been proposed that a negative (positive) Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) in boreal autumn favors an El Niño (La Niña) at a lead time of 15 months. Observational analysis suggests that a negative IOD might be accompanied by easterly anomalies over the western Pacific. Such easterlies can enhance the western Pacific warm water volume, thus favoring El Niño development from the following boreal spring onward. However, a Gill-model response to a negative IOD forcing would lead to nearly zero winds over the western Pacific. The authors hypothesize that a negative IOD—or even a cool western Indian Ocean alone—leads to low-level air convergence and hence enhanced convectional heating over the Maritime Continent, which in turn amplifies the wind convergence so as to cause easterly winds over the western Pacific. This hypothesis is tested by coupling an idealized Indian Ocean model and a convective feedback model over the Maritime Continent to the Zebiak–Cane model. It is found that, for a sufficiently strong convection feedback, a negative (positive) IOD indeed forces easterlies (westerlies) over the western Pacific. The contribution from the eastern IOD pole dominates. IOD variability is found to destabilize the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) mode, whereas Indian Ocean basinwide warming (IOB) variability dampens ENSO, even in the presence of convection. The influence of the Indian Ocean on the spectral properties of ENSO is dominated by the IOB, while the IOD is a better predictor for individual ENSO events.


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. W. Humphries ◽  
D. J. Webb

Abstract. The Indonesian Throughflow is analysed in two runs of the OCCAM 1/4 degree global ocean model, one using monthly climatological winds and one using ECMWF analysed six-hourly winds for the period 1993 to 1998. The long-term model throughflow agrees with observations and the value predicted by Godfrey's Island Rule. The Island Rule has some skill in predicting the annual signal each year but is poor at predicting year to year and shorter term variations in the total flow especially in El Nino years. The spectra of transports in individual passages show significant differences between those connecting the region to the Pacific Ocean and those connecting with the Indian Ocean. This implies that different sets of waves are involved in the two regions. Vertical profiles of transport are in reasonable agreement with observations but the model overestimates the near surface transport through the Lombok Strait and the dense overflow from the Pacific through the Lifamatola Strait into the deep Banda Sea. In both cases the crude representation of the passages by the model appears responsible. In the north the model shows, as expected, that the largest transport is via the Makassar Strait. However this is less than expected and instead there is significant flow via the Halmahera Sea. If Godfrey's Island Rule is correct and the throughflow is forced by the northward flow between Australia and South America, then the Halmahers Sea route should be important. It is the most southerly route around New Guinea to the Indian Ocean and there is no apparent reason why the flow should go further north in order to pass through the Makassar Strait. The model result thus raises the question of why in reality the Makassar Strait route appears to dominate the throughflow.


2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
Blair Trewin ◽  
Catherine Ganter

This summary looks at the southern hemisphere and equatorial climate patterns for spring 2016, with particular attention given to the Australasian and equatorial regions of the Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. Spring 2016 was marked by the later part of a strong negative phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole, alongside cool neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions. September was exceptionally wet over much of Australia, contributing to a wet spring with near-average temperatures. The spring was one of the warmest on record over the southern hemisphere as a whole, with Antarctic Sea ice extent dropping to record low levels for the season.


Ocean Science ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. W. Humphries ◽  
D. J. Webb

Abstract. The Indonesian Throughflow is analysed in two runs of the OCCAM 1/4 degree global ocean model, one using monthly climatological winds and one using ECMWF analysed six-hourly winds for the period 1993 to 1998. The long-term model throughflow agrees with observations and the value predicted by Godfrey's Island Rule. The Island Rule has some skill in predicting the annual signal each year but is poor at predicting year to year and shorter term variations in the total flow, especially in El Niño years. The spectra of transports in individual passages show significant differences between those connecting the region to the Pacific Ocean and those connecting with the Indian Ocean. On investigation we found that changes in the northern transports were strongly correlated with changes in the position of currents in the Celebes Sea and off Halmahera. Vertical profiles of transport are in reasonable agreement with observations but the model overestimates the near surface transport through the Lombok Strait and the dense overflow from the Pacific through the Lifamatola Strait into the deep Banda Sea. In both cases the crude representation of the passages by the model appears responsible. In the north the model shows, as expected, that the largest transport is via the Makassar Strait. However this is less than expected and instead there is significant flow via the Halmahera Sea. If Godfrey's Island Rule is correct and the throughflow is forced by the northward flow between Australia and South America, then the Halmahers Sea route should be important. It is the most southerly route around New Guinea to the Indian Ocean and there is no apparent reason why the flow should go further north in order to pass through the Makassar Strait. The model result thus raises the question of why in reality the Makassar Strait route appears to dominate the throughflow.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1339-1352 ◽  
Author(s):  
James T. Potemra ◽  
Niklas Schneider

Abstract The relationship between 3- and 10-yr variability in Indian Ocean temperatures and Indonesian throughflow (ITF) volume transport is examined using results from a 300-yr integration of the coupled NCAR Parallel Climate Model (PCM). Correlation and regression analyses are used with physical reasoning to estimate the relative contributions of changes in ITF volume transport and Indian Ocean surface atmospheric forcing in determining low-frequency temperature variations in the Indian Ocean. In the PCM, low-frequency variations in ITF transport are small, 2 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1), and have a minimal impact on sea surface temperatures (SSTs). Most of the low-frequency variance in Indian Ocean temperature (rms > 0.5°C) occurs in the upper thermocline (75–100 m). These variations largely reflect concurrent atmospheric forcing; ITF-induced temperature variability at this depth is limited to the outflow region between Java and Australia extending westward along a band between 10° and 15°S.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1094
Author(s):  
Mary T. Kayano ◽  
Rita V. Andreoli ◽  
Wilmar L. Cerón ◽  
Rodrigo A. F. Souza

This paper examines the relative role of the Indian Ocean basin-wide (IOBW) mode and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the atmospheric circulation and rainfall interannual variations over South America (SA) during southern summer of the 1951‒2016 period. The effects of the warm IOBW and El Niño (EN) events, and of the cold IOBW and La Niña (LN) events are examined using partial correlations. The ENSO and IOBW modes, through the associated large-scale and regional anomalous circulation patterns, induce contrasting effects on the rainfall in northeastern SA. The EN without the warm IOBW effect induces anomalously dry conditions over eastern Amazon and part of northeastern Brazil (NEB) through anomalous sinking motions of the EN-related anomalous Walker and Hadley cells and strong moisture divergence associated with a vigorous anticyclone over tropical South Atlantic (TSA) and SA. The warm IOBW without the EN effect induces anomalously wet conditions in NEB, which is marginally related to the anomalous Walker and Hadley cells but is modulated by an anticyclone over SA between the equator and 20° S, and a cyclone in the southwestern Atlantic between 20° S and 40° S. The results here might be relevant for climate monitoring and modeling studies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oceane Richet ◽  
Bernadette Sloyan ◽  
Bea Pena-Molino ◽  
Maxim Nikurashin

<p>The Indonesian seas play a fundamental role in the coupled climate system, featuring the only tropical exchange between ocean basins in the global thermohaline circulation. The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) carries Pacific Ocean warm pool waters through the Indonesian Seas, where they are cooled and freshened. The incoming Pacific waters are strongly modified via vertical mixing driven by numerous ocean processes and ocean-atmosphere fluxes. The result is a unique water mass that can be tracked across the Indian Ocean basin and beyond. With our high-resolution regional model of the Indonesian Seas, designed with the MITgcm, we focus our study on the impact of the barotropic tides on the ITF. In fact, the strong tides coming from the Pacific and Indian Oceans enter in the Indonesian Seas through narrow straits and interact with the complex topography of the region (sills, islands, deep seas). This interaction between the tides and the topography impacts directly the ITF by modifying the transport toward the Indian Ocean.</p>


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