scholarly journals Zonal Current Characteristics in the Southeastern Tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nining Sari Ningsih ◽  
Sholihati Lathifa Sakina ◽  
Raden Dwi Susanto ◽  
Farrah Hanifah

Abstract. Zonal current characteristics in the Southeastern Tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) adjacent to the southern Sumatra-Java coasts have been studied using 64 years (1950–2013) data derived from simulated results of a 1/8° global version of the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). This study has revealed distinctive features of zonal currents in the South Java Current (SJC) region, the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF)/South Equatorial Current (SEC) region, and the transition zone between the SJC and ITF/SEC regions. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis is applied to investigate explained variance of the current data and give results for almost 95–98 % of total variance. The first temporal mode of EOF is then investigated by using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) for distinguishing the signals. The EEMD analysis shows that zonal currents in the SETIO vary considerably from intraseasonal to interannual timescales. In the SJC region, the zonal currents are consecutively dominated by semiannual (0.140 power/year), intraseasonal (0.070 power/year), and annual (0.038 power/year) signals, while semiannual (0.135 power/year) and intraseasonal (0.033 power/year) signals with pronounced interannual variations (0.012 power/year) of current appear consecutively to be dominant modes of variability in the transition zone between the SJC and ITF/SEC regions. In contrast, there exist dominant interannual signal (0.017 power/year) with prominent intraseasonal variability (0.012 power/year) of the current in the ITF/SEC region. In response to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, El Niño (La Niña) events are favourable for an eastward (westward) zonal current. Meanwhile, an eastward (westward) anomaly of the current exists during negative (positive) Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which is associated with the presence of anomalous surface winds over the study area during those events. This work may contribute to further understanding of the variability of zonal current characteristics in the SETIO both in space and time as well as identification of its dominant time scales.

Ocean Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1115-1140
Author(s):  
Nining Sari Ningsih ◽  
Sholihati Lathifa Sakina ◽  
Raden Dwi Susanto ◽  
Farrah Hanifah

Abstract. Detailed ocean currents in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean adjacent to southern Sumatran and Javan coasts have not been fully explained because of limited observations. In this study, zonal current characteristics in the region have been studied using simulation results of a 1/8∘ global hybrid coordinate ocean model from 1950 to 2013. The simulated zonal currents across three meridional sections were then investigated using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF), where the first three modes account for 75 %–98 % of the total variance. The first temporal mode of EOF is then investigated using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) to distinguish the signals. This study has revealed distinctive features of currents in the South Java Current (SJC) region, the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF)–South Equatorial Current (SEC) region, and the transition zone between these regions. The vertical structures of zonal currents in southern Java and offshore Sumatra are characterized by a one-layer flow. Conversely, a two-layer flow is observed in the nearshore and transition regions of Sumatra. Current variation in the SJC region has peak energies that are sequentially dominated by semiannual, intraseasonal, and annual timescales. Meanwhile, the transition zone is characterized by semiannual and intraseasonal periods with pronounced interannual variations. In contrast, interannual variability associated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) modulates the prominent intraseasonal variability of current in the ITF–SEC region. ENSO has the strongest influence at the outflow ITF, while the IOD's strongest influence is in southwestern Sumatra, with the ENSO (IOD) leading the current by 4 months (1 month). Moreover, the contributions (largest to smallest) of each EEMD mode at the nearshore of Java and offshore Sumatra are intraseasonal, semiannual, annual, interannual, and long-term fluctuations. The contribution of long-term variation (19.2 %) in the far offshore eastern Indian Ocean is larger than the interannual (16.3 %) and annual (14.7 %) variations. Future studies should be conducted to investigate this long-term variation.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1605
Author(s):  
Mary T. Kayano ◽  
Wilmar L. Cerón ◽  
Rita V. Andreoli ◽  
Rodrigo A. F. Souza ◽  
Itamara P. Souza

Contrasting effects of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans on the atmospheric circulation and rainfall interannual variations over South America during southern winter are assessed considering the effects of the warm Indian Ocean basin-wide (IOBW) and El Niño (EN) events, and of the cold IOBW and La Niña events, which are represented by sea surface temperature-based indices. Analyses are undertaken using total and partial correlations. When the effects of the two warm events are isolated from each other, the contrasts between the associated rainfall anomalies in most of South America become accentuated. In particular, EN relates to anomalous wet conditions, and the warm IOBW event to opposite conditions in extensive areas of the 5° S–25° S band. These effects in the 5° S–15° S sector are due to the anomalous regional Hadley cells, with rising motions in this band for the EN and sinking motions for the warm IOBW event. Meanwhile, in subtropical South America, the opposite effects of the EN and warm IOBW seem to be due to the presence of anomalous anticyclone and cyclone and associated moisture transport, respectively. These opposite effects of the warm IOBW and EN events on the rainfall in part of central South America might explain the weak rainfall relation in this region to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Our results emphasize the important role of the tropical Indian Ocean in the South American climate and environment during southern winter.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1437
Author(s):  
Mary T. Kayano ◽  
Wilmar L. Cerón ◽  
Rita V. Andreoli ◽  
Rodrigo A. F. Souza ◽  
Itamara P. Souza ◽  
...  

This paper examines the effects of the tropical Pacific Ocean (TPO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) modes in the interannual variations of austral spring rainfall over South America (SA). The TPO mode refers to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The isolated effects between IOD and TPO were estimated, events were chosen from the residual TPO (R-TPO) or residual IOD (R-IOD), and the IOD (TPO) effects for the R-TPO (R-IOD) composites were removed from the variables. One relevant result was the nonlinear precipitation response to R-TPO and R-IOD. This feature was accentuated for the R-IOD composites. The positive R-IOD composite showed significant negative precipitation anomalies along equatorial SA east of 55° W and in subtropical western SA, and showed positive anomalies in northwestern SA and central Brazil. The negative R-IOD composite indicated significant positive precipitation anomalies in northwestern Amazon, central–eastern Brazil north of 20° S, and western subtropical SA, and negative anomalies were found in western SA south of 30° S. This nonlinearity was likely due to the distinct atmospheric circulation responses to the anomalous heating sources located in longitudinally distinct regions: the western tropical Indian Ocean and areas neighboring Indonesia. The results obtained in this study might be relevant for climate monitoring and modeling studies.


2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (19) ◽  
pp. 5294-5304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Huang ◽  
Kaiming Hu ◽  
Shang-Ping Xie

Abstract The correlation of northwest (NW) Pacific climate anomalies during summer with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the preceding winter strengthens in the mid-1970s and remains high. This study investigates the hypothesis that the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) response to ENSO is key to this interdecadal change, using a 21-member ensemble simulation with the Community Atmosphere Model, version 3 (CAM3) forced by the observed history of sea surface temperature (SST) for 1950–2000. In the model hindcast, the TIO influence on the summer NW Pacific strengthens in the mid-1970s, and the strengthened TIO teleconnection coincides with an intensification of summer SST variability over the TIO. This result is corroborated by the fact the model’s skills in simulating NW Pacific climate anomalies during summer increase after the 1970s shift. During late spring to early summer, El Niño–induced TIO warming decays rapidly for the epoch prior to the 1970s shift but grows and persists through summer for the epoch occurring after it. This difference in the evolution of the TIO warming determines the strength of the TIO teleconnection to the NW Pacific in the subsequent summer. An antisymmetric wind pattern develops in spring across the equator over the TIO, and the associated northeasterly anomalies aid the summer warming over the north Indian Ocean by opposing the prevailing southwest monsoon. In the model, this antisymmetric spring wind pattern is well developed after but absent before the 1970s shift.


2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (18) ◽  
pp. 7240-7266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Du ◽  
Shang-Ping Xie ◽  
Ya-Li Yang ◽  
Xiao-Tong Zheng ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract This study evaluates the simulation of the Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) mode and relevant physical processes in models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Historical runs from 20 CMIP5 models are available for the analysis. They reproduce the IOB mode and its close relationship to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Half of the models capture key IOB processes: a downwelling oceanic Rossby wave in the southern tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) precedes the IOB development in boreal fall and triggers an antisymmetric wind anomaly pattern across the equator in the following spring. The anomalous wind pattern induces a second warming in the north Indian Ocean (NIO) through summer and sustains anticyclonic wind anomalies in the northwest Pacific by radiating a warm tropospheric Kelvin wave. The second warming in the NIO is indicative of ocean–atmosphere interaction in the interior TIO. More than half of the models display a double peak in NIO warming, as observed following El Niño, while the rest show only one winter peak. The intermodel diversity in the characteristics of the IOB mode seems related to the thermocline adjustment in the south TIO to ENSO-induced wind variations. Almost all the models show multidecadal variations in IOB variance, possibly modulated by ENSO.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 3073-3092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feiyan Guo ◽  
Qinyu Liu ◽  
S. Sun ◽  
Jianling Yang

Abstract Using observational data and phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) model outputs [the preindustrial (PI) control run of the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) and historical simulations of 17 CMIP5 models], Indian Ocean dipoles (IODs) with a peak in fall are categorized into three types. The first type is closely related to the development phase of El Niño/La Niña. The second type evolves from the basinwide warming (cooling) in the tropical Indian Ocean (IO), usually occurring in the year following El Niño (La Niña). The third type is independent of El Niño and La Niña. The dominant trigger condition for the first (third) type of IOD is the anomalous Walker circulation (anomalous cross-equatorial flow); the anomalous zonal sea surface temperature (SST) gradient in the tropical IO is the trigger condition for the second type. The occurrence of anomalous ocean Rossby waves during the forming stage of IO basinwide mode and their effect on SST in the southwestern IO during winter and spring are critical for early development of the second type of IOD. Although most models simulate a stronger El Niño–Southern Oscillation and IOD compared to the observations, this does not influence the phase-locking and classification of the IOD peaking in the fall.


2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1567-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lareef Zubair ◽  
C. F. Ropelewski

Abstract Recently, it was reported that the relationship of the Indian southwest monsoon rainfall with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has weakened since around 1980. Here, it is reported that in contrast, the relationship between ENSO and the northeast monsoon (NEM) in south peninsular India and Sri Lanka from October to December has not weakened. The mean circulation associated with ENSO over this region during October to December does not show the weakening evident in the summer and indeed is modestly intensified so as to augment convection. The intensification of the ENSO–NEM rainfall relationship is modest and within the historical record but stands in contrast to the weakening relationship in summer. The intensification of the circulation is consistent with the warming of surface temperatures over the tropical Indian Ocean in recent decades. There is modestly intensified convection over the Indian Ocean, strengthening of the circulation associated with ENSO (Walker circulation), and enhanced rainfall during El Niño episodes in a manner consistent with an augmented ENSO–NEM relationship.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-170
Author(s):  
Maike Leupold ◽  
Miriam Pfeiffer ◽  
Takaaki K. Watanabe ◽  
Lars Reuning ◽  
Dieter Garbe-Schönberg ◽  
...  

Abstract. The dominant modes of climate variability on interannual timescales in the tropical Indian Ocean are the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole. El Niño events have occurred more frequently during recent decades, and it has been suggested that an asymmetric ENSO teleconnection (warming during El Niño events is stronger than cooling during La Niña events) caused the pronounced warming of the western Indian Ocean. In this study, we test this hypothesis using coral Sr∕Ca records from the central Indian Ocean (Chagos Archipelago) to reconstruct past sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in time windows from the mid-Little Ice Age (1675–1716) to the present. Three sub-fossil massive Porites corals were dated to the 17–18th century (one coral) and the 19–20th century (two corals). Their records were compared with a published modern coral Sr∕Ca record from the same site. All corals were subsampled at a monthly resolution for Sr∕Ca measurements, which were measured using a simultaneous inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Wavelet coherence analysis shows that interannual variability in the four coral records is driven by ENSO, suggesting that the ENSO–SST teleconnection in the central Indian Ocean has been stationary since the 17th century. To determine the symmetry of El Niño and La Niña events, we compiled composite records of positive and negative ENSO-driven SST anomaly events. We find similar magnitudes of warm and cold anomalies, indicating a symmetric ENSO response in the tropical Indian Ocean. This suggests that ENSO is not the main driver of central Indian Ocean warming.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Mayer ◽  
Magdalena Alonso Balmaseda

AbstractThis study investigates the influence of the anomalously warm Indian Ocean state on the unprecedentedly weak Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and the unexpected evolution of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during 2014–2016. It uses 25-month-long coupled twin forecast experiments with modified Indian Ocean initial conditions sampling observed decadal variations. An unperturbed experiment initialized in Feb 2014 forecasts moderately warm ENSO conditions in year 1 and year 2 and an anomalously weak ITF throughout, which acts to keep tropical Pacific ocean heat content (OHC) anomalously high. Changing only the Indian Ocean to cooler 1997 conditions substantially alters the 2-year forecast of Tropical Pacific conditions. Differences include (i) increased probability of strong El Niño in 2014 and La Niña in 2015, (ii) significantly increased ITF transports and (iii), as a consequence, stronger Pacific ocean heat divergence and thus a reduction of Pacific OHC over the two years. The Indian Ocean’s impact in year 1 is via the atmospheric bridge arising from altered Indian Ocean Dipole conditions. Effects of altered ITF and associated ocean heat divergence (oceanic tunnel) become apparent by year 2, including modified ENSO probabilities and Tropical Pacific OHC. A mirrored twin experiment starting from unperturbed 1997 conditions and several sensitivity experiments corroborate these findings. This work demonstrates the importance of the Indian Ocean’s decadal variations on ENSO and highlights the previously underappreciated role of the oceanic tunnel. Results also indicate that, given the physical links between year-to-year ENSO variations, 2-year-long forecasts can provide additional guidance for interpretation of forecasted year-1 ENSO probabilities.


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