Abstract
This paper presents the results of an investigation of low-frequency variability in the Indian Ocean (IO) primarily using satellite altimeter sea surface height (SSH) observations and expendable bathy-thermograph (XBT) data. We found that in most regions of the IO the low-frequency part of the SSH spectra (corresponding to signals with periods of a few months or longer) is concentrated in four frequency bands separated by substantial spectral gaps. These bands correspond to periods of approximately 6 months, 12 months, 18–20 months and more than 30 months (hereafter referred to as the 30-month band). For both 18–20-month and 30-month bands the spectral density shows a dipole-like pattern with some degree of similarity; however, analysis of the spatial-temporal evolution of these signals suggests that the 18–20-month signal is an internal mode of the IO, while that of the 30-month component propagates from the Pacific Ocean, in particular with a much stronger signal during the period from 1998 to 2003.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Behera, S. K., P. S. Salvekar, et al. (2000) Simulation of inter-annual SST variability in the tropical Indian Ocean. Journal of Climate vol.13, no.19: 3487–3499.
Birol, F. and R. Morrow (2001) Source of the baroclinic waves in the southeast Indian Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research 106(C5): 9145–9160.
Born, G. H. (2003) Jason-1 calibration/validation. Special issue. Source: Marine Geodesy; 26(3–4): 129–421.
Clarke, A. J. and X. Liu (1993) Observations and dynamics of semiannual and annual sea levels near the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean boundary. Journal of Physical Oceanography 23(2): 386–399.
Emery, W. J. and R. E. Thomson (1997). Data analysis methods in physical oceanography, Pergamon.
Feng, M. and G. Meyers (2003) Interannual variability in the tropical Indian Ocean: a two-year time-scale of Indian Ocean dipolc. Deep-Sea Research Part Ii-Topical Studies in Oceanography 50(12–13): 2263–2284.
Fu, L. and A. Cazenave (2001) Satellite altimetry and Earth sciences. A handbook of techniques and applications. International Geophysics Scries, 69. Academic Press, San Diego.
Masumoto, Y. and G. Meyers (1998) Forced Rossby waves in the southern tropical Indian Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans 103(C12): 27589–27602.
Meyers, G. (1996) Variation of Indonesian throughflow and the El Nino Southern Oscillation. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans 101(C5): 12255–12263.
Meyers, G. and L. Pigot (1999) Analysis of frequently repeated XBT lines in the Indian Ocean. CSIRO Marine Laboratories Report, Hobart, Australia: 43pp.
Murtugudde, R. and A. J. Busalacchi (1999) Interannual variability of the dynamics and thermodynamics of the tropical Indian Ocean. Journal of Climate 12(8): 2300–2326.
Perigaud, C. and P. Delecluse (1993) Interannual sea level variations in the tropical Indian Ocean from Geosat and shallow water simulations. Journal of Physical Oceanography vol.23, no.9: 1916–1934.
Rao, S. A., S. K. Behera, et al. (2002) Interannual subsurface variability in the tropical Indian Ocean with a special emphasis on the Indian Ocean Dipole. Deep-Sea Research Part li-Topical Studies in Oceanography 49(7–8): 1549–1572.
Saji, N. H., B. N. Goswami, et al. (1999) A dipole mode in the tropical Indian Ocean. Nature 401(6751): 360–363.
Schiller, A., J. S. Godfrey, et al. (2000) Interannual dynamics and thermodynamics of the Indo-Pacific oceans. Journal of Physical Oceanography 30(5): 987–1012.
Shankar, D., P. N. Vinayachandran, et al. (2002) The monsoon currents in the north Indian Ocean. Progress in Oceanography 52(1): 63–120.
Tourre, Y. M. and W. B. White (1995) ENSO signals in global upper-ocean temperature. Journal of Physical Oceanography
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sakova, I.V., Meyers, G., Coleman, R. (2007). On the low-frequency variability in the Indian Ocean. In: Tregoning, P., Rizos, C. (eds) Dynamic Planet. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 130. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49350-1_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49350-1_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-49349-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49350-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)