scholarly journals Improved Prediction of the Indian Ocean Dipole Mode by Use of Subsurface Ocean Observations

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (19) ◽  
pp. 7953-7970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Doi ◽  
Andrea Storto ◽  
Swadhin K. Behera ◽  
Antonio Navarra ◽  
Toshio Yamagata

Abstract The numerical seasonal prediction system using the Scale Interaction Experiment–Frontier version 1 (SINTEX-F) ocean–atmosphere coupled model has so far demonstrated a good performance for prediction of the Indian Ocean dipole mode (IOD) despite the fact that the system adopts a relatively simple initialization scheme based on nudging only the sea surface temperature (SST). However, it is to be expected that the system is not sufficient to capture in detail the subsurface oceanic precondition. Therefore, the authors have introduced a new three-dimensional variational ocean data assimilation (3DVAR) method that takes three-dimensional observed ocean temperature and salinity into account. Since the new system has successfully improved IOD predictions, the present study is showing that the ocean observational efforts in the tropical Indian Ocean are decisive for improvement of the IOD predictions and may have a large impact on important socioeconomic activities, particularly in the Indian Ocean rim countries.

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu Na ◽  
Jia Zhen ◽  
Chen Hongxia ◽  
Hua Feng ◽  
Li Yunfang

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 695-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Du ◽  
Yuhong Zhang

Abstract This study investigates sea surface salinity (SSS) variations in the tropical Indian Ocean (IO) using the Aquarius/Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D (SAC-D) and the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite data and the Argo observations during July 2010–July 2014. Compared to the Argo observations, the satellite datasets generally provide SSS maps with higher space–time resolution, particularly in the regions where Argo floats are sparse. Both Aquarius and SMOS well captured the SSS variations associated with the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) mode. Significant SSS changes occurred in the central equatorial IO, along the Java–Sumatra coast, and south of the equatorial IO, due to ocean circulation variations. During the negative IOD events in 2010, 2013, and 2014, westerly wind anomalies strengthened along the equator, weakening coastal upwelling off Java and Sumatra and decreasing SSS. South of the equatorial IO, an anomalous cyclonic gyre changed the tropical circulation, which favored the eastward high-salinity tongue along the equator and the westward low-saline tongue in the south. An upwelling Rossby wave favored the increase of SSS farther to the south. During the positive IOD events in 2011 and 2012, the above-mentioned processes reversed, although the decrease of SSS was weaker in magnitude.


MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-172
Author(s):  
INDU BALA ◽  
O. P. SINGH

Utilizing the Indian Ocean Dipole Mode (IODM) and Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) data for the period 1960-2002 the relationships between the IODM and monsoon onset over Kerala and rainfall distribution over the country have been studied. It has been found that stronger/weaker western pole during April-May is associated with delayed/early monsoon onset over Kerala. Stronger eastern pole during March-April seems to be associated with enhanced seasonal (June-September) rainfall over peninsular India. The IODM index of July-August can provide good indications of summer monsoon activity over peninsular India during the withdrawal phase of the  monsoon, i.e., during September.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2564-2583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Cowan ◽  
Wenju Cai ◽  
Benjamin Ng ◽  
Matthew England

Abstract The tropical Indian Ocean has experienced a faster warming rate in the west than in the east over the twentieth century. The warming pattern resembles a positive Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) that is well captured by climate models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), forced with the two main anthropogenic forcings, long-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs), and aerosols. However, much less is known about how GHGs and aerosols influence the IOD asymmetry, including the negative sea surface temperature (SST) skewness in the east IOD pole (IODE). Here, it is shown that the IODE SST negative skewness is more enhanced by aerosols than by GHGs using single-factor forcing experiments from 10 CMIP5 models. Aerosols induce a greater mean zonal thermocline gradient along the tropical Indian Ocean than that forced by GHGs, whereby the thermocline is deeper in the east relative to the west. This generates strong asymmetry in the SST response to thermocline anomalies between warm and cool IODE phases in the aerosol-only experiments, enhancing the negative IODE SST skewness. Other feedback processes involving zonal wind, precipitation, and evaporation cannot solely explain the enhanced SST skewness by aerosols. An interexperiment comparison in one model with strong skewness confirms that the mean zonal thermocline gradient across the Indian Ocean determines the magnitude of the SST–thermocline asymmetry, which in turn controls the SST skewness strength. The findings suggest that as aerosol emissions decline and GHGs increase, this will likely contribute to a future weakening of the IODE SST skewness.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (13) ◽  
pp. 2961-2977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hae-Kyung Lee Drbohlav ◽  
Silvio Gualdi ◽  
Antonio Navarra

Abstract The Indian Ocean dipole mode (IODM) is examined by comparing the characteristics of oceanic and atmospheric circulations, heat budgets, and possible mechanisms of IODM between El Niño and non–El Niño years. Forty-year ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) data, Reynolds SST data, and ocean assimilation data from the Modular Ocean Model are used to form composites of the IODM that occur during El Niño (1972, 1982, and 1997) and non–El Niño (1961, 1967, and 1994) years. In El Niño years, two off-equatorial, anticyclonic circulations develop, associated with the increased pressure over the eastern Indian Ocean. The anticyclonic circulation over the Northern Hemisphere enhances the easterly component of the winds in the northwestern Indian Ocean. This enhanced easterly component increases the mixed layer temperature by inducing an anomalous westward ocean current that advects the warm mean mixed layer from the central to the western Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the anticyclonic circulation over the southeastern Indian Ocean strengthens southeasterlies, thereby causing oceanic meridional and vertical advection of the cold mean temperature. Consequently, the IODM in El Niño years is characterized by the warming in the northwestern and the cooling in the southeastern Indian Ocean. In non–El Niño years, a monsoonlike wind flow increases the westerly and southeasterly components of the wind over the northwestern and southeastern Indian Ocean, respectively. Oceanic currents induced by these winds result in anomalous cold advection in both of these regions. In addition, the monsoonlike wind flow over the southeastern Indian Ocean enhances the anomalous latent and sensible heat fluxes in non–El Niño years. Hence, the cooling of the eastern tropical Indian Ocean, rather than the warming of the western Indian Ocean, becomes the major feature of the IODM during non–El Niño years.


2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurelie P. Harou ◽  
Robert F. Lajoie ◽  
Dominic R. Kniveton ◽  
Michael R. Frogley

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