Ocean Model Simulation of Southern Indian Ocean Surface Currents

The dynamic importance of the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO) lies in the fact that it connects the three major world oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Modeling study has been used to understand the circulation pattern of this very important region. Simulation of SIO (10°N-60°S and 30°E-120°E) is performed with z-coordinate Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) viz; MOM3.0 and the results have been compared with observed ship drift data. It is found that except near coastal boundaries and in equatorial region, the simulated current reproduce most well known current pattern such as Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), South Equatorial Current (SEC) etc. and bears a resemblance to that of the observed data; however the magnitude of the surface current is weaker in model than the observed data, which may be due to deficiency in the forcing field and boundary condition and problem with observed data. The annual mean wind stress curl computed over the oceanic domain reveals about ACC and its similar importance. The way in which the ocean responds to the windstress and vertically integrated transport using model output is fascinating and rather good.     

Fronts and surface zonal geostrophic current along 115°E in the southern Indian Ocean

Altimeter and in situ data are used to estimate the mean surface zonal geostrophic current in the section along 115°E in the southern Indian Ocean,and the variation of strong currents in relation to the major fronts is studied.The results show that,in average,the flow in the core of Antarctic Circumpolar Current(ACC) along the section is composed of two parts,one corresponds to the jet of Subantarctic Front(SAF) and the other is the flow in the Polar Front Zone(PFZ),with a westward flow between them.The mean surface zonal geostrophic current corresponding to the SAF is up to 49 cm · s-1 at 46°S,which is the maximal velocity in the section.The eastward flow in the PFZ has a width of about 4.3 degrees in latitudes.The mean surface zonal geostrophic current corresponding to the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front(SACCF) is located at 59.7 °S with velocity less than 20 cm · s-1.The location of zonal geostrophic jet corresponding to the SAF is quite stable during the study period.In contrast,the eastward jets in the PFZ exhibit various patterns,i.e.,the primary Polar Front(PF1) shows its strong meridional shift and the secondary Polar Front(PF2) does not always coincide with jet.The surface zonal geostrophic current corresponding to SAF has the significant periods of annual,semi-annual and four-month.The geostrophic current of the PFZ also shows significant periods of semi-annual and four-month,but is out of phase with the periods of the SAF,which results in no notable semi-annual and fourmonth periods in the surface zonal geostrophic current in the core of the ACC.In terms of annual cycle,the mean surface zonal geostrophic current in the core of the ACC shows its maximal velocity in June.     

Climatic variability of transport in the upper layer of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current from hydrological and satellite data

Based on the satellite altimetry dataset of sea level anomalies, the climatic hydrological database World Ocean Atlas-2009, ocean reanalysis ECMWF ORA-S3, and wind velocity components from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, the interannual variability of Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) transport in the ocean upper layer is investigated for the period 1959–2008, and estimations of correlative connections between ACC transport and wind velocity components are performed. It has been revealed that the maximum (by absolute value) linear trends of ACC transport over the last 50 years are observed in the date-line region, in the Western and Eastern Atlantic and the western part of the Indian Ocean. The greatest increase in wind velocity for this period for the zonal component is observed in Drake Passage, at Greenwich meridian, in the Indian Ocean near 90° E, and in the date-line region; for the meridional component, it is in the Western and Eastern Pacific, in Drake Passage, and to the south of Africa. It has been shown that the basic energy-carrying frequencies of interannual variability of ACC transport and wind velocity components, as well as their correlative connections, correspond to the periods of basic large-scale modes of atmospheric circulation: multidecadal and interdecadal oscillations, Antarctic Circumpolar Wave, Southern Annual Mode, and Southern Oscillation. A significant influence of the wind field on the interannual variability of ACC transport is observed in the Western Pacific (140° E–160° W) and Eastern Pacific; Drake Passage and Western Atlantic (90°–30° W); in the Eastern Atlantic and Western Indian Ocean (10°–70° E). It has been shown in the Pacific Ocean that the ACC transport responds to changes of the meridional wind more promptly than to changes of the zonal wind.     

Evaluation of GODAS Using RAMA Mooring Observations from the Indian Ocean

We present a comparison of the Global Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) five-day ocean analyses against in situ daily data from Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) moorings at locations 90°E, 12°N; 90°E, 8°N; 90°E, 0°N and 90°E, 1.5°S in the equatorial Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal during 2002–2008. We find that the GODAS temperature analysis does not adequately capture a prominent signal of Indian Ocean dipole mode of 2006 seen in the mooring data, particularly at 90°E 0°N and 90°E 1.5°S in the eastern India Ocean. The analysis, using simple statistics such as bias and root-mean-square deviation, indicates that standard GODAS temperature has definite biases and significant differences with observations on both subseasonal and seasonal scales. Subsurface salinity has serious deficiencies as well, but this may not be surprising considering the poorly constrained fresh water forcing, and possible model deficiencies in subsurface vertical mixing. GODAS reanalysis needs improvement to make it more useful for study of climate variability and for creating ocean initial conditions for prediction.     

Fronts and strong currents of the upper southeast Indian Ocean

1 IntroductionBaroclinic component is the dominant part ofAntarcticCircum polarCurrent (ACC) (FandryandPillsbury,1979),and a baroclinictransportation asso-ciatedwithfrontsmakesupthem ajoritypartoftheto-talbaroclinictransportation oftheACC (Nowlin andCliff…     

北印度洋半日潮波的数值模拟研究

基于FVCOM(Finite Volume Coast and Ocean Model)模型,建立北印度洋海域(31^°~102^°E,16^°S~31^°N)的M₂和S₂分潮潮波数值模式,研究北印度洋半日潮潮汐、潮流分布特征。对底摩擦系数进行数值试验,利用代价函数梯度下降法,得到分潮调和常数向量均方根偏差(RMSE)的变化曲线,逼近并确定最优的底摩擦系数。将采用该系数的模拟结果与TOPEX/Poseidon卫星高度计交叉点的调和常数数据、国际海道测量组织(IHO)及部分文献中的验潮站数据进行比较与验证,一致性较好。其中对比卫星数据的振幅偏差为2~4 cm、迟角偏差为7^°~8^°,与验潮站数据的振幅偏差为3~6 cm、迟角偏差为8^°~9^°。根据模拟结果,分析了北印度洋海域M₂和S₂分潮潮波传播特征和潮流椭圆的空间分布特征等。M₂分潮潮波在阿拉伯海南部有1个无潮点,在波斯湾内有2个无潮点,最大振幅超过80 cm;潮流在西北印度洋和孟加拉湾中部大多为顺时针旋转,其余海域大多为逆时针旋转;流速在阿拉伯海东北部、安达曼海、波斯湾和孟加拉湾北部较大,最大流速为160 cm/s,其他海域较小。S₂分潮的潮波传播特征、无潮点的位置和潮流椭圆的空间分布特征等都与M₂分潮类似,但潮波振幅和潮流流速等都相对M₂分潮较小。研究完善了北印度洋海域2个主要半日分潮M₂和S₂的整体特征。     

Upper Ocean Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal

A regional ocean circulation model with four-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme is configured to study the ocean state of the Indian Ocean region (65°E–95°E; 5°N–20°N) covering the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB). The state estimation setup uses 10 km horizontal resolution and 5 m vertical resolution in the upper ocean. The in-situ temperature and salinity, satellite-derived observations of sea surface height, and blended (in-situ and satellite-derived) observations of sea surface temperature alongwith their associated uncertainties are used for data assimilation with the regionally configured ocean model. The ocean state estimation is carried out for 61 days (1 June to 31 July 2013). The assimilated fields are closer to observations compared to other global state estimates. The mixed layer depth (MLD) of the region shows deepening during the period of assimilation with AS showing higher MLD compared to the BoB. An empirical forecast equation is derived for the prediction of MLD using the air–sea forcing variables as predictors. The surface and sub-surface (50 m) heat and salt budget tendencies of the region are also investigated. It is found that at the sub-surface, only the advection and diffusion temperature and salt tendencies are important.     

Mixed Layer Depth and its Variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean as Revealed by Observations and Model Simulations

Mixed layer depth (MLD) variability in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean (EEIO) from a hindcast run of an Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) forced by daily winds and radiative fluxes from NCEP-NCAR reanalysis from 2004 to 2006 is investigated. Model MLD compares well with the ～20,000 observations from Argo floats and a TRITON buoy (1.5°S and 90°E) in the Indian Ocean. Tests with a one-dimensional upper ocean model were conducted to assess the impact on the MLD simulations that would result from the lack of the diurnal cycle in the forcing applied to the OGCM. The error was of the order of ～12 m. MLD at the TRITON buoy location shows a bimodal pattern with deep MLD during May–June and December–January. MLD pattern during fall 2006 was significantly different from the climatology and was rather shallow during December–January both in the model and observation. An examination of mixed layer heat and salt budget suggested salinity freshening caused by the advective and vertical diffusive mixing to be the cause of shallow MLD.     

Interaction of an anticyclonic eddy with sea ice in the western Arctic Ocean: an eddy-resolving model study

The dramatic decline of summer sea ice extent and thickness has been witnessed in the western Arctic Ocean in recent decades, which hasmotivated scientists to search for possible factors driving the sea ice variability. An eddy-resolving, ice-ocean coupled model covering the entire Arctic Ocean is implemented, with focus on the western Arctic Ocean. Special attention is paid to the summer Alaskan coastal current (ACC), which has a high temperature (up to 5℃ ormore) in the upper layer due to the solar radiation over the open water at the lower latitude. Downstream of the ACC after Barrow Point, a surface-intensified anticyclonic eddy is frequently generated and propagate towards the Canada Basin during the summer season when sea ice has retreated away from the coast. Such an eddy has a warm core, and its source is high-temperature ACC water. A typical warm-core eddy is traced. It is trapped just below summer sea ice melt water and has a thickness about 60 m. Temperature in the eddy core reaches 2-3℃, and most water inside the eddy has a temperature over 1℃. With a definition of the eddy boundary, an eddy heat is calculated, which can melt 1 600 km² of 1mthick sea ice under extreme conditions.     

Western Indian Ocean SST signal and anomalous Antarctic sea-ice concentration variation

Teleconnection between El Nino/La Nina-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon and anomalous Antarctic sea-ice variation has been studied extensively.In this study,impacts of sea surface temperature in the Indian Ocean on Antarctic sea-ice change were investigated during Janaury 1979 and October 2009.Based on previous research results,sea areas in the western Indian Ocean (WIO;50°–70°E,10 °–20 °S) are selected for the resreach.All variables showed 1-10 year interannual timescales by Fast Founer Tranaform (FFT) transformation.Results show that i) strong WIO signals emerged in the anomalous changes of Antarctic sea-ice concentration;ii) significant positive correlations occurred around the Antarctic Peninsula,Ross Sea and its northwest peripheral sea region iii) negative correlation occurred in the Indian Ocean section of the Southern Ocean,Amundsen Seas,and the sea area over northern Ross Sea;and iv) the atmospheric anomalies associated with the WIO including wind,meridional heat flux,and surface air temperature over southern high latitudes were the possible factors for the teleconnection.     

印度洋波浪诱导的水体输运效应及其对赤道SST异常的影响

波浪诱导的水体输运会对海洋产生大尺度影响。结合波浪大尺度效应的研究现状和印度洋涌浪分布的事实,利用ECMWF-CERA20的波浪、海表面温度(SST)及风场数据,采用多种统计分析方法,研究了波浪输运与赤道印度洋SST的潜在关系。结果显示:中高纬度波浪输运异常的低频信号在空间、周期上与赤道SST异常均有高度相似性;Stokes漂流纬向、经向异常呈现出南—北、东—西的振荡,其第二模态时间序列与印度洋偶极子(Indian Ocean Dipole,IOD)指数存在强相关性并在La Ni a次年的负IOD事件中达到最高:相关系数在ACC区域纬向异常超前6个月时接近0.6,中纬度区域经向异常在超前3个月时达到0.7。在La Ni a次年的负IOD中,波浪经向输运异常的相位(超前三个月)与赤道SST异常相位呈全年反相位,经向浪致输运异常造成的东—西热量输运差异对赤道SST异常分布有不可忽略的贡献。     

南印度洋偶极子及其影响研究进展

回顾了对南印度洋副热带海气相互作用的研究,总结了南印度洋偶极子事件背景下的气候变化。印度洋海表温度的方差表明南印度洋是整个印度洋海温变率最强的区域,年际海温变化最显著的特征就是海温呈现西南—东北向的偶极子型分布,被称为南印度洋偶极子(Southern Indian Ocean Dipole, SIOD)。南印度洋海温偶极子的形成主要是受大尺度大气环流调整的影响。南印度洋副热带反气旋环流异常引起了印度洋热带东风异常和副热带西风异常的变化,影响了潜热通量、上升流和Ekman热输送,进而引起了海温变化。SIOD对热带和热带外大气环流也有影响,尤其会影响亚洲夏季风降水异常,例如我国的降水异常和南印度洋偶极子海温异常具有显著相关关系。此外,SIOD模态所引起的经向环流异常与南海、菲律宾地区的反气旋环流异常也有紧密联系。     

赤道印度洋中部断面东西水交换的季节变化及其区域差异

采用海洋再分析资料和实测资料研究了热带印度洋中部东西水交换特征。结果表明存在两个相互独立的过程,即北印度洋过程(4°~6°N)和赤道过程(2°S-2°N)。北印度洋过程受季风影响显著,11月至翌年3月冬季风期间表现出很强的低盐水向西输送,5-9月夏季风期间则为高盐水向东输送;由于冬季风期间的输送较强,年平均表现为低盐水向西输送。赤道过程分为表层过程和次表层过程。表层赤道过程受局地风场驱动,有明显的半年周期;4-5月和10-11月的东向流将赤道西印度洋的高盐水向东输送,其余月份相反;向东的输送较强,年平均表现为净高盐水向东输送。在次表层赤道过程没有明显的季节变化,海流全年一致向东,将海盆西部的高盐水向东输送。     

Spreading of Antarctic Bottom Water and its effects on the floor of the Indian Ocean inferred from bottom-water potential temperature,turbidity, and sea-floor photography

Data on bottom-water potential temperature, turbidity and current indications show that in the Southern Ocean west of the Kerguelen Plateau, Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) of Weddell Sea origin spreads northwards from the Atlantic—Indian Basin in two directions: (1) AABW enters the Agulhas Basin through relatively deep areas in the Mid-Indian Ridge at 20–25°E and possibly at 35°E, and flows northwards into the Mozambique Basin as far as its northern limits; (2) a more easterly spreading path extends from the Atlantic—Indian Basin through the Crozet into the Madagascar, Mascarene, Somali and Arabian Basins. The passage in the western branch of the Indian Ridge for the AABW spreading from the Crozet into the Madagascar Basin appears to be at 29-26°S and 60–64°E.East of the Kerguelen Plateau in the South Indian Basin, the bottom water formed mainly along the Adélie Coast and Ross Sea travels west towards the Kerguelen Plateau and then parallel to it. This water finally flows eastwards hugging the Southeast Indian Ridge. Significant deviations from this general circulation pattern occur due to local topographic effects. Some AABW in the South Indian Basin exits through a passage at 120–125°E in the region of the Australian—Antarctic discordance in the Southeast Indian Ridge and enters the South Australian Basin and subsequently the Wharton Basin. This passage is clearly indicated by the northward extension of a cold, bottom-water tongue as shown by the temperature distribution in the region; the bottom-water effects in the passage are reflected in the high turbidity and current lineations on the sea floor.In the Southern Ocean basins, bottom-water turbidity is generally high, reflecting in part the strong bottom-water activity. The effects of AABW circulation on the sea floor—in the form of well-developed small- or large-scale current ripples and erosional/depositional features, manganese-nodule formations, and unconformities and reworking of sediments observed in cores — are also marked in these basins. Even though the AABW in the Wharton Basin is cold, its spreading effects on the sea floor are minimal in this basin in contrast to the basins west of the Mid-Indian Ridge at comparable latitudes.     

The Indian Ocean HydroBase: A high-quality climatological dataset for the Indian Ocean

The present study developed a high-quality climatological dataset for the Indian Ocean - the Indian Ocean HydroBase (IOHB) - from a combined dataset including the World Ocean Database 1998 version 2 (WOD98v2). Methods are similar to those used by previous studies for other oceans. Japanese data for the IOHB originated from the Japanese datasets MIRC (Marine Information Research Center) Ocean Dataset 2001 and Far Seas Collection; these datasets contain more Japanese observations than WOD98v2. Water mass properties in the IOHB climatology are consistent with previous studies. Seasonal patterns of properties near the sea surface are well reproduced, and deep-layer properties are consistent with the Reid-Mantyla climatology that is derived from high-quality observations. The isopycnal climatology of the IOHB differs from the World Ocean Atlas 2001 (WOA01) along the fronts associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). The WOA01 shows a warm and saline intermediate water intrusion from South Africa to the east along the northern edge of the front. Such an intrusion is absent in IOHB where less saline intermediate water extends continuously northward from the southern ocean. The WOA01 shows a continuous belt of low potential vorticity along the ACC. This feature is less distinct in the IOHB climatology and in the Reid-Mantyla climatology. The IOHB consists of a 1° × 1° gridded climatology and the datasets of raw and quality-controlled hydrographic stations. The latter is valuable for quality control of the Argo float salinity data as climatological reference. These datasets are available freely via the Internet.     

关于印度洋副热带模态水的研究:潜沉率及其水体性质

The annual subduction rate in the South Indian Ocean was calculated by analyzing Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA) outputs in the period of 1950–2008. The subduction rate census for potential density classes showed a peak corresponding to Indian Ocean subtropical mode water(IOSTMW) in the southwestern part of the South Indian Ocean subtropical gyre. The deeper mixed layer depth, the sharper mixed-layer fronts and the associated relatively faster circulation in the present climatology resulted in a larger lateral induction, which primarily dominants the IOSTMW subduction rate, while with only minor contribution from vertical pumping.Without loss of generality, through careful analysis of the water characteristics in the layer of minimum vertical temperature gradient(LMVTG), the authors suggest that the IOSTMW was identified as a thermostad, with a lateral minimum of low potential vorticity(PV, less than 200×10~(–12) m~(–1)·s~(–1)) and a low d T?dz(less than 1.5°C/(100m)). The IOSTMW within the South Indian Ocean subtropical gyre distributed in the region approximately from25° to 50° E and from 30° to 39°S. Additionally, the average characteristics(temperature, salinity, potential density)of the mode water were estimated about(16.38 ± 0.29)°C,(35.46 ± 0.04),(26.02 ± 0.04) σ_θ over the past 60 years.     

南印度洋中尺度涡统计特征及三维合成结构研究

南印度洋是海洋中尺度涡的多发区域。本文利用卫星高度计资料及Argo浮标资料,对南印度洋（10°~35°S, 50°~120°E）区域中尺度涡的分布、表观特征等进行了统计分析,采用合成方法,构建了该区域中尺度涡的三维温盐结构。结果表明,涡旋频率呈明显的纬向带状分布,在18°~30°S存在一个明显的涡旋频率带状高值区;涡旋半径具有由南至北逐渐增大的趋势;长周期涡旋在其生命周期内,半径、涡动能、涡能量密度、涡度等性质均经历了先增大而后减小的过程;涡旋以西向运动为主,在经向上移动距离较小,长周期气旋（反气旋）涡具有明显的偏向极地（赤道）移动的倾向;涡旋平均移动速度为5.9 cm/s,速度大小大致沿纬向呈带状分布。在混合层以下,气旋涡（反气旋涡）内部分别呈现明显的温度负（正）异常,且分别存在两个位温负（正）异常的冷（暖）核结构;气旋涡（反气旋涡）整体上呈现"正-负"（"负-正"）上下层相反的盐度异常结构。中尺度涡对温盐的平均影响深度可达1 000×104 Pa以上。     

印度洋海温异常对西北太平洋台风的影响及机制研究

基于近40 a NCEP/NCAR再分析月平均高度场、风场、涡度场、垂直速度场以及NOAA重构的海面温度(sea surface temperature,SST)资料和美国联合台风预警中心(Joint Typhoon Warning Center,JTWC)热带气旋最佳路径资料,利用合成分析方法,研究了前期春季及同期夏季印度洋海面温度同夏季西北太平洋台风活动的关系。结果表明:1)前期春季印度洋海温异常(sea surface temperature anomaly,SSTA)尤其是关键区位于赤道偏北印度洋和西南印度洋地区对西北太平洋台风活动具有显著的影响,春季印度洋海温异常偏暖年,后期夏季,110°～180°E的经向垂直环流表现为异常下沉气流,对应风场的低层低频风辐散、高层辐合的形势,这种环流形势使得低层水汽无法向上输送,对流层中层水汽异常偏少,纬向风垂直切变偏大,从而夏季西北太平洋台风频数偏少、强度偏弱,而异常偏冷年份则正好相反。2)春季印度洋异常暖年,西北太平洋副热带高压加强、西伸;而春季印度洋异常冷年,后期夏季西北太平洋副热带高压减弱、东退,这可能是引起夏季西北太平洋台风变化的另一原因。     

热带西南印度洋上升流区季节和年际变化研究及与印太系统海气相互作用

用59年Ishii再分析温度资料,讨论了热带西南印度洋(SWTIO)上升流区的季节和年际变化以及与上升流区有关的温度距平的变化,同时分析了其与热带印太海气系统的关系,结果显示SWTIO 上升流在南半球冬、夏季比较强,春季最弱。它的范围在5°~1°S,在东西向从50°E可以伸展到90°E。该上升流区的变化与温跃层的温度距平有密切的关系,并存在明显的5 a振荡周期。SWTIO上升流区温度距平的5 a周期振荡是由热带东印度洋温度距平在最大垂直温度距平曲面(MTAL)上向西沿着11.5°~6.5°S传播过来的,它与热带太平洋的温度距平传播方式不同。SWTIO上升流是热带印太海气系统的一个重要组成部分,印度洋偶极子 超前SWTIO上升流区温度变化5个月,最大相关系数达到0.57,NINO3区指数超前SWTIO上升流区指数2个月达到0.49。当热带印太区域的大气风场改变,影响热带太平洋和印度洋表层SSTA,出现ENSO和DIPOLE,进一步向西传播到SWTIO次表层,导致SWTIO上升流区出现改变。     

Ocean variability along the southern coast of Java and Lesser Sunda Islands

The sea surface height data from 1992 through 2012 in the Eastern Indian Ocean, the 6 sets of hydrographic data sparsely spanning 1990–2001 in water south of Java–Bali, and the 24 shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data across the Ombai Strait during 1997–2000 were used as a combined dataset to understand sea level and current variability along the southern coast of Java and Lesser Sunda Islands. The first two dominant empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes capture combined seasonal with interannual and seasonal variability that account for 44.5 and 19.9 % of the total variances caused by El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole events, and by the seasonal change of the Asian monsoon, respectively. The geostrophic current and ADCP data show that the eastward and westward currents are distinguishable via the vertical profiles of current velocity. The eastward-flowing South Java Current (SJC) is characterized by a large vertical shear and shallower diminishing depth of about 150 m and it is increased to 300 m in the presence of the Indian Ocean Kelvin Waves (IOKWs). In contrast, the westward current is dominated by the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) with no vertical shear and has uniform current in the upper 300 m layer. The coastally trapped SJC and IOKWs are responsible for the eastward current. The SJC is not observed in the westward current because of non-existence of coastally trapped modes. The ITF and SJC generate persistent cyclonic (cold) and anticyclonic (warm) mesoscale eddies, respectively, in waters south of eastern Java.