- Dona Paula, Goa, India.
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- iiosc2020[at]nio[dot]org
Abstract Submission No. | ABS-2022-03-0118 |
Title of Abstract | Ocean response to atmospheric variability in the Eastern Indian Ocean |
Authors | Kelvin Richards*, Yanli Jia, Wei-Ching Hsu, Takanori Horii, Qoosaki Moteki, Sataro Yokoi |
Organisation | IPRC, University of Hawaii at Manoa |
Address | IPRC/SOEST, 1680 East West Road Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Pincode: 96822 Mobile: 8083878480 E-mail: rkelvin@hawaii.edu |
Country | United States |
Presentation | Oral |
Abstract | Knowing how the ocean responds to atmospheric variability on diurnal to subseasonal timescales is essential in determining the role the ocean may have in phenomena such as the MJO. The stratification of the upper ocean plays an important role. In the Indo-Pacific warm pool that stratification is often dominated by the concomitant fresher surface waters. The extent of these fresher waters is seen from satellite measurements to be variable on a range of timescales particularly along the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean and along the thermocline ridge in the tropical southern Indian Ocean. A key factor is the stratification at the base of the fresh/warm surface layer. In situ observations from CINDY/DYNAMO and YMC cruises show the highly variable nature of the response of the upper ocean to the changing atmosphere ranging from strong diurnal warming to deeper mixing by wind and convection. The depth of mixing is very much restricted by the presence of a very sharp pynocline that inhibits entrainment of the cooler waters below. The stratification is strengthened or weakened depending on whether mixing is induced from the surface (and extending down to the base) or within the pycnocline (induced by breaking internal waves), with evidence of substantial weakening occurring in one instance. We will also delve deeper into the ocean to see the mixing induced by breaking wind-generated internal waves that links the scale interactions between the MJO, ocean mixing and larger scale ocean/atmosphere interactions. |