Banda Sea surface-layer divergence

Sea-surface temperature (SST) within the Banda Sea varies from a low of 26.5 °C in August to a high of 29.5 °C in December and May. Ekman upwelling reaches a maximum in May and June of approximately 2.5 Sv (Sv=10⁶ m³ s^?1) with Ekman downwelling at a maximum in February of approximately 1.0 Sv. The Ekman pumping annual average is 0.75 Sv upwelling. During the upwelling period, from April through December the average Ekman upwelling velocity is 2.36 × 10^?6 m s^?1 (1.27 Sv). ENSO modulation is generally within 0.5 Sv of the mean Ekman curve, with weaker (stronger) July to October upwelling during El Niño (La Niña). Combined TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1993–1999 altimeter data reveal a 33 cm maximum range of sea level. Steric effects are minor, with well over 80% of the sea level change due to mass divergence (some bias due to unresolved tidal aliasing may still be present). The annual and interannual sea level behavior follows the monsoonal and ENSO phenomena, respectively. Lower (higher) sea level occurs in the southeast (northwest) monsoon and during El Niño (La Niña) events. The surface-layer volume anomaly and the surface-layer divergence, assuming a two-layer ocean, are estimated. Maximum divergence is attained during the transitional monsoon months of October/November: 1.7 Sv gain (convergence), with matching loss (divergence) in the April/May. During the El Niño growth period of 1997 the surface layer is divergent, but in 1998 when the El Niño was on the wane, the average rate of change is convergent. Surface-layer divergence attains values as high as 4 Sv. Banda Sea surface-water divergence correlates reasonably well with the 3-month lagged export of surface (upper 100?m) water into the Indian Ocean as estimated by a shallow pressure gauge array. It is concluded that the Banda Sea surface-layer divergence influences the timing and transport profile of the Indonesian throughflow export into the Indian Ocean, as proposed by Wyrtki in 1958, and that satellite altimetry may serve as an effective means of monitoring this phenomena.     

Influences of Indian Ocean interannual variability on different stages of El Nio: A FOAM1.5 model approach

Both the tropical Indian and tropical Pacific Oceans are active atmosphere-ocean interactive regions with robust interannual variability, which also constitutes a linkage between the two basins in the mode of variability. Using a global atmosphereocean coupled model, we conducted two experiments(CTRL and PC) to explore the contributions of Indian Ocean interannual sea surface temperature(SST) modes to the occurrence of El Ni?o events. The results show that interannual variability of the SST in the Indian Ocean induces a rapid growth of El Ni?o events during the boreal autumn in an El Ni?o developing year. However, it weakens El Ni?o events or even promotes cold phase conversions in an El Ni?o decaying year. Therefore, the entire period of the El Ni?o is shortened by the interannual variations of the Indian Ocean SST. Specifically, during the El Ni?o developing years, the positive Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) events force an anomalous Walker circulation, which then enhances the existing westerly wind anomalies over the west Pacific. This will cause a warmer El Ni?o event, with some modulations by ocean advection and oceanic Rossby and Kelvin waves. However, with the onset of the South Asian monsoon, the Indian Ocean Basin(IOB) warming SST anomalies excite low level easterly wind anomalies over the west tropical Pacific during the El Ni?o decaying years. As a result, the El Ni?o event is prompted to change from a warm phase to a cold phase. At the same time, an associated atmospheric anticyclone anomaly appears and leads to a decreasing precipitation anomaly over the northwest Pacific. In summary, with remote forcing in the atmospheric circulation, the IOD mode usually affects the El Ni?o during the developing years, whereas the IOB mode affects the El Ni?o during the decaying years.     

Satellite-derived variability of the Aegean Sea ecohydrodynamics

Eight years of AVHRR-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and SeaWiFS-derived surface chlorophyll (Chl) data (1998–2005) are used to investigate key processes affecting the spatial and temporal variability of the two parameters in the Aegean Sea. Seasonal mean SST and Chl maps are constructed using daily data to study seasonal dynamics whereas empirical orthogonal function (EOF) and correlational analysis is applied to the 8-day composite SST and Chl anomaly time-series in order to study the variability and co-variability of the two parameters from subseasonal to interannual time-scales. The seasonal mean fields show that Black Sea cold and chlorophyll-rich waters enter through the Dardanelles Strait and they are accumulated in the north-eastern part of the Aegean Sea, steered by the Samothraki anticyclone. Large chlorophyll concentrations are encountered in the hydrological front off the Dardanelles Strait as well as in coastal areas affected by large riverine/anthropogenic nutrient loads. The SST seasonal mean patterns reveal strong cooling that is associated with upwelling along the eastern boundary of the basin during summer due to strong northerly winds, a process which is not present in the surface chlorophyll climatology. The Chl dataset presents much stronger sub-seasonal variability than SST, with large variations in the phase and strength of the phytoplankton seasonal cycles. EOF analysis of the anomaly time-series shows that SST non-seasonal variability is controlled by synoptic weather variations and anomalies in the north–south wind-stress component regulating the summer coastal upwelling regime. Mean SST and Chl patterns, and their associated variations, are not closely linked implying that Black Sea and riverine inputs mainly control the intra-annual and interannual variability of the surface chlorophyll in the Aegean Sea rather than mixing and/or upwelling processes.     

The relationship between significant wave height and Indian Ocean Dipole in the equatorial North Indian Ocean

Based on reanalysis data, we find that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) plays an important role in the variability of wave climate in the equatorial Northern Indian Ocean (NIO). Significant wave height (SWH) in the equatorial NIO, especially over the waters southeast to Sri Lanka, exhibits strong interannual variations. SWH anomalies in the waters southeast to Sri Lanka correlate well with dipole mode index (DMI) during both summer and autumn. Negative SWH anomalies occur over the oceanic area southeast to Sri Lanka during positive IOD events and vary with different types of IOD. During positive prolonged (unseasonable) IOD, the SWH anomalies are the strongest in autumn (summer); while during positive normal IOD, the SWH anomalies are weak in both summer and autumn. Strong easterly wind anomalies over the southeast oceanic area of Sri Lanka during positive IOD events weaken the original equatorial westerly wind stress, which leads to the decrease in wind-sea waves. The longer wave period during positive IOD events further confirms less wind-sea waves. The SWH anomaly pattern during negative IOD events is nearly opposite to that during positive IOD events.     

南海夏季风爆发与南大洋海温变化之间的联系

利用1979-2009年NCEP第二套大气再分析资料和ERSST海温资料,分析南海夏季风爆发时间的年际和年代际变化特征,考察南海夏季风爆发早晚与南大洋海温之间的联系.主要结果为:(1)南海夏季风爆发时间年际和年代际变化明显,1979-1993年与1994-2009年前后两个阶段爆发时间存在阶段性突变;(2)南海夏季风爆发时间与前期冬季(12-1月)印度洋-南大洋(0-80°E,75°S-50°S)海温、春季(2-3月)太平洋-南大洋(170°E -80°W,75°S-50°S)海温都存在正相关关系,当前期冬、春季南大洋海温偏低(高)时,南海夏季风爆发偏早(晚).南大洋海温信号,无论是年际还是年代际变化,都对南海夏季风爆发具有一定的预测指示作用;(3)南大洋海温异常通过海气相互作用和大气遥相关影响南海夏季风爆发的迟早.当南大洋海温异常偏低(偏高)时,冬季南极涛动偏强(偏弱),同时通过遥相关作用使热带印度洋-西太平洋地区位势高度偏低(偏高)、纬向风加强(减弱),热带大气这种环流异常一直维持到春季4、5月份,位势高度和纬向风异常范围逐步向北扩展并伴随索马里越赤道气流的加强(减弱),从而为南海夏季风爆发偏早(偏晚)提供有利的环流条件.初步分析认为,热带大气环流对南大洋海气相互作用的遥响应与半球际大气质量重新分布引起的南北涛动有关.     

Interannual variability in the Biannual Rossby waves in the tropical Indian Ocean and its relation to Indian Ocean Dipole and El Nino forcing

The interannual variability of the tropical Indian Ocean is studied using Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) and Hadley Centre Ice Sea Surface Temperature anomalies. Biannual Rossby waves (BRW) were observed along the 1.5° S and 10.5° S latitudes during the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) years. The SODA SSHA and its BRW components were comparable with those of Topex/Poseidon. The phase speed of BRW along 1.5° S is −28 cm/s, which is comparable with the theoretical speed of first mode baroclinic (equatorially trapped) Rossby waves. This is the first study to show that no such propagation is seen along 1.5° S during El Nino years in the absence of IOD. Thus the westward propagating downwelling BRW in the equatorial Indian Ocean is hypothesized as a potential predictor for IOD. These waves transport heat from the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean to west, long before the dipole formation. Along 10.5° S, the BRW formation mechanisms during the El Nino and IOD years were found to be different. The eastern boundary variations along 10.5° S, being localized, do not influence the ocean interior considerably. Major portion of the interannual variability of the thermocline, is caused by the Ekman pumping integrated along the characteristic lines of Rossby waves. The study provides evidence of internal dynamics in the IOD formation. The positive trend in the downwelling BRW (both in SODA and Topex/Poseidon) is of great concern, as it contributes to the Indian Ocean warming.     

Investigation of tropical Pacific upper-ocean variability using cyclostationary EOFs of assimilated data

Variability of the subsurface temperature, current, and heat content in the tropical Pacific Ocean has been extracted in association with the two dominant modes of the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA): the low-frequency mode and the biennial mode. In a recent paper, these two modes were identified as the major modes of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The low-frequency mode, which explains about 36% of the total SSTA variability, represents the dominant component of SSTA variability in the tropical Pacific, and is associated not with a fast physical evolution but with a slow stochastic undulation. The biennial mode, which is the second dominant component and explains about 12% of the total variability exhibits, on the other hand, a strong physical evolution. The space–time patterns of the subsurface variability were derived from an assimilated data set via a cyclostationary empirical orthogonal functions (CSEOF) analysis and the regression of the resulting principal component (PC) time series on the target PC time series of the surface modes. Extracted space–time patterns describe the detailed evolution of the physical changes in the upper ocean of the tropical Pacific that are associated with the corresponding surface modes. Specifically, they clearly show the surface and subsurface connection of the physical changes during ENSO events, and the role of equatorial waves in the manifestation of physical changes at the surface. The derived patterns of heat content, subsurface temperature, and zonal current anomalies realistically depict the detailed temporal changes of those variables and are consistent with our understanding of the physics in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The biennial mode appears to depict faithfully the phase progression of El Niño and La Niña. The propagation of equatorial Kelvin waves along the thermocline is clearly visible during El Niño and La Niña events in the cyclostationary representation of the physical modes in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Although the low-frequency mode explains three times more SSTA variability than the biennial mode, the former does not induce strong equatorial wave activity. This observation is significant considering that both El Niño or La Niña are often viewed simply in terms of a significant SST change in the tropical Pacific. The results of the present study indicate: (1) that the two ENSO modes represent significantly different physical evolutions; (2) that the amount of SST warming or cooling does not dictate the physical evolution of ENSO; and (3) that the two modes play essentially different dynamical roles including the generation of equatorial waves.Responsible Editor: John Wilkin     

Geochemistry of coral from Papua New Guinea as a proxy for ENSO ocean–atmosphere interactions in the Pacific Warm Pool

A Porites sp. coral growing offshore from the Sepik and Ramu Rivers in equatorial northern Papua New Guinea has yielded an accurate 20-year history (1977–1996) of sea surface temperature (SST), river discharge, and wind-induced mixing of the upper water column. Depressions in average SSTs of about 0.5–1.0 °C (indicated by coral Sr/Ca) and markedly diminished freshwater runoff to the coastal ocean (indicated by coral δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C and UV fluorescence) are evident during the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events of 1982–1983, 1987 and 1991-1993. The perturbations recorded by the coral are in good agreement with changes in instrumental SST and river discharge/precipitation records, which are known to be diagnostic of the response of the Pacific Warm Pool ocean–atmosphere system to El Niño. Consideration of coastal ocean dynamics indicates that the establishment of northwest monsoon winds promotes mixing of near-surface waters to greater depths in the first quarter of most years, making the coral record sensitive to changes in the Asian–Australian monsoon cycle. Sudden cooling of SSTs by 1°C following westerly wind episodes, as indicated by the coral Sr/Ca, is consistent with greater mixing in the upper water column at these times. Furthermore, the coral UV fluorescence and oxygen isotope data indicate minimal contribution of river runoff to surface ocean waters at the beginning of most years, during the time of maximum discharge. This abrupt shift in flood-plume behaviour appears to reflect the duration and magnitude of northwest monsoon winds, which tend to disperse flood plume waters to a greater extent in the water column when wind-mixing is enhanced. Our results suggest that a multi-proxy geochemical approach to the production of long coral records should provide comprehensive reconstructions of tropical paleoclimate processes operating on interannual timescales.     

The role of initial signals in the tropical Pacific Ocean in predictions of negative Indian Ocean Dipole events

Using reanalysis data, the role of initial signals in the tropical Pacific Ocean in predictions of negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events were analyzed. It was found that the summer predictability barrier (SPB) phenomenon exists in predictions, which is closely related to initial sea temperature errors in the tropical Pacific Ocean, with type-1 initial errors presenting a significant west-east dipole pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and type-2 initial errors showing the opposite spatial pattern. In contrast, SPB-related initial sea temperature errors in the tropical Indian Ocean are relatively small. The initial errors in the tropical Pacific Ocean induce anomalous winds in the tropical Indian Ocean by modulating the Walker circulation in the tropical oceans. In the first half of the prediction year, the anomalous winds, combined with the climatological winds in the tropical Indian Ocean, induce a basin-wide mode of sea surface temperature (SST) errors in the tropical Indian Ocean. With the reversal of the climatological wind in the second half of the prediction year, a west-east dipole pattern of SST errors appears in the tropical Indian Ocean, which is further strengthened under the Bjerknes feedback, yielding a significant SPB. Moreover, two types of precursors were also identified: a significant west-east dipole pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean and relatively small temperature anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean. Under the combined effects of temperature anomalies in the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans, northwest wind anomalies appear in the tropical Indian Ocean, which induce a significant west-east dipole pattern of SST anomalies, and yield a negative IOD event.     

赤道MJO活动对南海夏季风爆发的影响

利用1979—2013年NCEP/DOE再分析资料的大气多要素日平均资料、美国NOAA日平均向外长波辐射资料和ERSST月平均海温资料,分析赤道大气季节内振荡(简称MJO)活动对南海夏季风爆发的影响及其与热带海温信号等的协同作用.结果表明,赤道MJO活动与南海夏季风爆发密切联系,MJO的湿位相(即对流活跃位相)处于西太平洋位相时,有利于南海夏季风爆发,而MJO湿位相处于印度洋位相时,则不利于南海夏季风爆发.赤道MJO活动影响南海夏季风爆发的物理过程主要是大气对热源响应的结果,当MJO湿位相处于西太平洋位相时,一方面热带西太平洋对流加强使潜热释放增加,导致处于热源西北侧的南海—西北太平洋地区对流层低层由于Rossby响应产生气旋性环流异常,气旋性环流异常则有利于西太平洋副热带高压的东退,另一方面菲律宾附近热源促进对流层高层南亚高压在中南半岛和南海北部的建立,使南海地区高层为偏东风,从而有利于南海夏季风建立;当湿位相MJO处于印度洋位相时,热带西太平洋对流减弱转为大气冷源,情况基本相反,不利于南海夏季风建立.MJO活动、孟加拉湾气旋性环流与年际尺度海温变化协同作用,共同对南海夏季风爆发迟早产生影响,近35年南海夏季风爆发时间与海温信号不一致的年份,基本上是由于季节转换期间的MJO活动特征及孟加拉湾气旋性环流是否形成而造成,因此三者综合考虑对于提高季风爆发时间预测水平具有重要意义.     

The influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles on wave-driven sea-floor sediment mobility along the central California continental margin

Ocean surface waves are the dominant temporally and spatially variable process influencing sea floor sediment resuspension along most continental shelves. Wave-induced sediment mobility on the continental shelf and upper continental slope off central California for different phases of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events was modeled using monthly statistics derived from more than 14 years of concurrent hourly oceanographic and meteorologic data as boundary input for the Delft SWAN wave model, gridded sea floor grain-size data from the usSEABED database, and regional bathymetry. Differences as small as 0.5 m in wave height, 1 s in wave period, and 10° in wave direction, in conjunction with the spatially heterogeneous unconsolidated sea-floor sedimentary cover, result in significant changes in the predicted mobility of continental shelf surficial sediment in the study area. El Niño events result in more frequent mobilization on the inner shelf in the summer and winter than during La Niña events and on the outer shelf and upper slope in the winter months, while La Niña events result in more frequent mobilization on the mid-shelf during spring and summer months than during El Niño events. The timing and patterns of seabed mobility are addressed in context of geologic and biologic processes. By understanding the spatial and temporal variability in the disturbance of the sea floor, scientists can better interpret sedimentary patterns and ecosystem structure, while providing managers and planners an understanding of natural impacts when considering the permitting of offshore activities that disturb the sea floor such as trawling, dredging, and the emplacement of sea-floor engineering structures.     

南印度洋副热带偶极模在ENSO事件中的作用

南印度洋副热带偶极模（Subtropical Dipole Pattern,SDP）是印度洋存在的另一种很明显的偶极型海温差异现象,在年际和年代际尺度上均有十分明显的表现.而目前有关印度洋海气相互作用的研究主要集中在赤道印度洋地区,针对南印度洋地区的工作还比较少,特别是有关南印度洋海温与ENSO（El NiDo-Southern Oscillation）事件关系的研究.本文初步探讨了年际尺度上南印度洋副热带偶极型海温变化差异与ENSO事件的关系,发现SDP与ENSO事件有密切的联系,SDP事件就像连接正负ENSO位相转换的一个中间环节,SDP事件前后期ENSO的位相刚好完全相反.进一步,本文通过分析SDP事件前后期海温、高低层风、低层辐合辐散、高空云量和辐射等的变化特征研究了南印度洋偶极型海温异常在ENSO事件中的作用,结果表明：SDP在ENSO事件中的作用不仅涉及海气相互作用的正负反馈过程,还与热带和副热带大气环流之间的相互作用有关,特别是与东南印度洋海温变化所引起的异常纬向风由赤道印度洋向赤道太平洋传播的过程等有十分直接的关系;同时,SDP对ENSO事件的影响在很大程度上还依赖于大尺度平均气流随季节的变换.     

The Southland Front,New Zealand: Variability and ENSO correlations

A detailed analysis of the Southland Front, a shelf-break system off the southeast coast of South Island, New Zealand is presented. The position, temperature, temperature range and width of the front are determined using a new statistical front detection algorithm and 21 years worth of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data. Overall, the front is strongest (highest SST gradients) in the summer and winter, and the across front gradient decreases northward in all seasons, consistent with an equatorward decrease in stability and divergence of isobaths. The surface expression of the front moves further offshore during the winter months and is found closest inshore in the summer. Seasonality of the front is strongly controlled by the annual cycle of subtropical and subantarctic water mass temperatures. Both the temperature and strength of the front are interannually variable, and correlated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO); they both decrease during El Niño, and increase during La Niña events. ENSO indices lead changes in the fronts temperature by up to 6 months. Conversely, the gradient may change up to 6 months in advance of peak ENSO indices. The strength and sign of correlations is seasonally dependent.     

ENSO and the natural variability in the flow of tropical rivers

This paper examines the relationship between the annual discharges of the Amazon, Congo, Paran á, and Nile rivers and the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies of the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, an index of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Since river systems are comprehensive integrators of rainfall over large areas, accurate characterization of the flow regimes in major rivers will increase our understanding of large-scale global atmospheric dynamics. Results of this study reveal that the annual discharges of two large equatorial tropical rivers, the Amazon and the Congo, are weakly and negatively correlated with the equatorial Pacific SST anomalies with 10% of the variance in annual discharge explained by ENSO. Two smaller subtropical rivers, the Nile and the Paraná, show a correlation that is stronger by about a factor of 2. The Nile discharge is negatively correlated with the SST anomaly, whereas the Paraná river discharge shows a positive relation. The tendency for reduced rainfall/discharge over large tropical convection zones in the ENSO warm phase is attributed to global scale subsidence associated with major upwelling in the eastern Pacific Ocean.     

Ocean circulation on the North Australian Shelf

The ocean circulation on Australia's Northern Shelf is dominated by the Monsoon and influenced by large-scale interannual variability. These driving forces exert an ocean circulation that influences the deep Timor Sea Passage of the Indonesian Throughflow, the circulation on the Timor and Arafura Shelves and, further downstream, the Leeuwin Current. Seasonal maxima of northeastward (southwestward) volume transports on the shelf are almost symmetric and exceed 10⁶ m³/s in February (June). The associated seasonal cycle of vertical upwelling from June to August south of 8.5°S and between 124°E and 137.5°E exceeds 1.5×10⁶ m³/s across 40 m depth. During El Niño events, combined anomalies from the seasonal means of high regional wind stresses and low inter-ocean pressure gradients double the northeastward volume transport on the North Australian Shelf to 1.5×10⁶ m³/s which accounts for 20% of the total depth-integrated transport across 124°E and reduce the total transport of the Indonesian Throughflow. Variability of heat content on the shelf is largely determined by Pacific and Indian Ocean equatorial wind stress anomalies with some contribution from local wind stress forcing.     

Displacements and transformations of nitrate-rich and nitrate-poor water masses in the tropical Pacific during the 1997 El Niño

A Lagrangian analysis was applied to the outputs of a coupled physical-biogeochemical model to describe the redistribution of nitrate-rich and nitrate-poor surface water masses in the tropical Pacific throughout the major 1997 El Niño. The same tool was used to analyze the causes of nitrate changes along trajectories and to investigate the consequences of the slow nitrate uptake in the high nutrient low chlorophyll (HNLC) region during the growth phase of the event. Three patterns were identified during the drift of water masses. The first mechanism is well known along the equator: oligotrophic waters from the western Pacific are advected eastward and retain their oligotrophic properties along their drift. The second concerns the persistent upwelling in the eastern basin. Water parcels have complex trajectories within this retention zone and remain mesotrophic. This study draws attention to the third process which is very specific to the HNLC region and to the El Niño period. During the 1997 El Niño, horizontal and vertical inputs of nitrate decreased so dramatically that nitrate uptake by phytoplankton became the only mechanism driving nitrate changes along pathways. The study shows that because of the slow nitrate uptake characteristic of the tropical Pacific HNLC system, nitrate in the pre-El Niño photic layer can support biological production for a period of several months. As a consequence, the slow nitrate uptake delays the gradual onset of oligotrophic conditions over nearly all the area usually occupied by upwelled waters. Owing to this process, mesotrophic conditions persist in the tropical Pacific during El Niño events.     

Monsoon-induced upwelling off the Vietnamese coast

During the southwest monsoon from July 8 to 28, 2003, an interdisciplinary cruise took place in the central area of Vietnamese upwelling with “MV Nghien Cuu Bien” in the South China Sea. Physical observations in the upwelling area are analyzed with respect to local/regional wind forcing and far field forcing. Nutrients and phytoplankton measurements are discussed with respect to exchange processes between different water masses. The wind-induced coastal upwelling by local wind forcing is much weaker than in the previous years due to weaker-than-normal winds. This can be attributed to the far field forcing of the 2002/2003 El Niño event which modulates the upwelling intensity. The atmospheric conditions reflect the typical situation after an El Niño event which weakens the wind-induced coastal upwelling, reduces the latent heat flux, and results in higher-than-normal sea-surface temperatures. The general circulation pattern during SW monsoon is driven by the spatial asymmetry in the monsoon forcing. The flow pattern is characterized by an upwelling-induced northward undercurrent and a recently detected southward countercurrent. The resulting stretching deformation of this flow pattern forms an offshore jet between ～12°N and 12.5°N and causes a local enhancement of the upwelling intensity. The upwelling due to stretching deformation is a peculiarity, which makes the Vietnamese upwelling area different to other upwelling areas. A budget of the upwelling components is presented: the strongest contribution in 2003 to the Vietnamese upwelling is the dynamical upwelling due to the clockwise rotation of the northward undercurrent. The internal radius of deformation separates the upwelling area from the offshore area as well as different water masses. Mekong River and the Gulf of Thailand waters which are offshore show nutrient depletion. Therefore, high chlorophyll maxima cannot be explained by nutrient supply from river runoff. The dynamical upwelling brings in nutrient-rich Maximum Salinity Water into the euphotic zone. This causes a subsurface chlorophyll maximum between 20 and 40 m water depth along the northward undercurrent. Deflection from the Redfield ratio in the C:N ratio and negative excess nitrogen identifies the region as nitrogen-limited which may favor cyanobacteria blooms. The consequence is a unique feature in new production: in the upwelling area, new production is based on upwelled nitrate, whereas offshore in the nutrient-depleted Mekong and Gulf of Thailand water, new production is based in addition on nitrogen fixation.     

Isotopic variations in precipitation at Bangkok and their climatological significance

The stable isotopic composition of precipitation from low to mid latitudes contains information about changes of some climatic factors, such as temperature, precipitation and atmospheric circulation patterns. However, the isotopic variations in the area are very complicated because of the combined influences of these factors. Proper interpretation of the patterns of isotopic variations for palaeoclimate reconstructions in this area requires a detailed understanding of these complex stable isotope controls. The isotopic data (δ¹⁸O and δ²D) in precipitation at the International Atomic Energy Agency–World Meteorological Organization Bangkok station were collected and analysed because of the relatively long and unbroken isotopic records and the particular geographical location. The isotopic variations at Bangkok have strong seasonal patterns owing to distinct source regions in different seasons. In summer, the remote sources of water there can influence the δ¹⁸O values significantly, which is verified by the simple Rayleigh model. In winter, the mixing of isotopically distinct air masses with different origins, i.e. the continental and oceanic air masses, accounts for the isotopic variations. In the transition periods of the Asia–Australia monsoon, namely in May and October, the local vapour contribution may play a role in the isotopic ratios. On the interannual time‐scale, the influences of El Niño–southern oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) on isotopic composition are examined. The indications are that both the ENSO and IOD indices have a significant correlation with the δ¹⁸O ratios, and that the δ¹⁸O ratio in summer rains is significantly more enriched (depleted) during the warm (cold) phase of ENSO/IOD events. All the results suggest that it is useful for us in understanding the water cycling process and may be helpful in palaeoclimate reconstruction in this monsoon region. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regional characteristics of the effects of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation on the sea level in the China Sea

Based on coastal tide level, satellite altimetry, and sea surface temperature (SST) data of offshore areas of China’s coast and the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the regional characteristics of the effects of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the sea level in the China Sea were investigated. Singular value decomposition results show a significant teleconnection between the sea level in the China Sea and the SST of the tropical Pacific Ocean; the correlation coefficient decreases from south to north. Data from tide gauges along China’s coast show that the seasonal sea-level variations are significantly correlated with the ENSO. In addition, China’s coast was divided into three regions based on distinctive regional characteristics. Results obtained show that the annual amplitude of sea level was low during El Niño developing years, and especially so during the El Niño year. The ENSO intensity determined the response intensity of the annual amplitude of the sea level. The response region (amplitude) was relatively large for strong ENSO intensities. Significant oscillation periods at a timescale of 4–7 years existed in the sea level of the three regions. The largest amplitude of oscillation was 1.5 cm, which was the fluctuation with the 7-year period in the South China Sea. The largest amplitude of oscillation in the East China Sea was about 1.3 cm. The amplitude of oscillation with the 6-year period in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea was the smallest (less than 1 cm).     

Role of interannual equatorial forcing on the subsurface temperature dipole in the Bay of Bengal during IOD and ENSO events

Role of equatorial forcing on the thermocline variability in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during positive and negative phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was investigated using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) simulations during 1988 to 2015. Two numerical experiments were carried out for (i) the Indian Ocean Model (IOM) with interannual open boundary conditions and (ii) the BoB Model (BoBM) with climatological boundary conditions. The first mode of Sea Surface Height Anomalies (SSHA) variability showed a west-east dipole nature in both IOM and altimetry observations around 11°N, which was absent in the BoBM. The vertical section of temperature along the same latitude showed a sharp subsurface temperature dipole with a core at ~ 100 m depth. The positive (negative) subsurface temperature anomalies were observed over the whole northeastern BoB during NIOD (PIOD) and LN (EN) composites due to stronger (weaker) second downwelling Kelvin Waves. During the negative phases of IOD and ENSO, the cyclonic eddy on the southwestern BoB strengthened due to intensified southward coastal current along the western BoB and local wind stress. The subsurface temperature dipole was at its peak during October–December (OND) with 1-month lag from IOD and was evident from the Argo observations and other reanalysis datasets as well. A new BoB dipole index (BDI) was defined as the normalized difference of 100-m temperature anomaly and found to be closely related to the frequency of cyclones and the surface chlorophyll-a concentration in the BoB.