Hydrography and circulation off the Antarctica in the Indian Ocean region

The hydrography and circulation pattern off Antarctica in the Indian Ocean region are studied using vertical sections of temperature, salinity and oxyty approximately along 20°E, 77°E and 90°E, and the dynamic topography of the sea surface with reference to 1000 db. Based on the oceanographic characteristics, the whole region under study can be divided into three zones, the extreme ends being characterised by the frontal structure. The dicothermal layer is conspicuous during summer south of 50°S. The surface flow around Antarctica is mainly zonal. The East Wind Drift, found as a narrow westward flow near Antarctica, is observed at a lower latitude in the eastern Indian Ocean where the land extends northword. Contrary to expectation there is evidence of a westward flowing surface current at about 35°S between 45°E and 65°E.     

Environmental reconstructions of the upper 500 m of the southern Indian Ocean over the last 40 ka using Radiolarian (Protista) proxies

In 2007, we demonstrated that radiolarians are proxies for a wide range of oceanic physico-chemical properties from the surface to depths of up to 500 m below sea level. In this study, our results are refined and Correspondence Analysis (CA) scores derived from census counts of radiolarian subfossils from southern Indian Ocean core-tops are correlated with the physico-chemical properties of the region obtained from the 2005 World Ocean Database.Calibration and regression techniques are employed to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental conditions spanning the last 40 ka for four Indian Ocean cores MD88-769 [46°04′S 90°06′E], MD88-770 [46°01′S 96°27′E], MD94-102 [43°30′S 79°50′E], and MD94-103 [45°35′S 86°31′E], all from close to the Southeast Indian Ridge. For the first time, reconstructions of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and the silicate, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations for a range of water depths are proved possible.Changes of the oceanic environment and the movement of water masses over the last 40 ka, as suggested by these reconstructions, are discussed. During Marine Isotope Stages 2 and 3 (MIS-2 and MIS-3), the water column at some of the core sites has similar characteristics to the waters south of the Polar Front today. At the MIS-1/MIS-2 transition, the development of the Subantarctic Mode Water is apparent. Temperature reconstructions include evidence of the Antarctic Cold Reversal and the Holocene Optimum.     

Moisture rainout fraction over the Indian Ocean during austral summer based on $$^{18}\hbox {O}/{}^{16}\hbox {O}$$ ratios of surface seawater,rainwater at latitude range of 10°N–60°S

Oxygen isotope ratios (\(^{18}\hbox {O}/^{16}\hbox {O}\)) of surface seawater and rainwater samples from the Indian Ocean region (10°N–60°S) during austral summer collected onboard ORV Sagar Nidhi during 2011–2013 have been measured along with salinity, sea surface temperature and relative humidity. The rainwater is isotopically lighter (by \(4.6\pm 2.7\permille )\) compared to the equilibrium condensation of the vapour arising from the seawater at the ambient condition. The isotopic composition of the vapour at high altitude responsible for the rain formation at the sampling location is estimated from a global atmospheric water isotope model (IsoGSM2). The apparent deficit of \(\sim \)5\(\permille \) can be explained by invoking a high degree of rainout (on average, about 70% of the overhead atmospheric moisture) during transport of the source vapour to the sampling location undergoing a Rayleigh fractionation. The required rainout fraction is higher (\(\sim \)80%) in the latitude belt 40°–60°S compared to the equatorial belt (\(\sim \)60%). The pattern of variation in the rainout fraction with latitude is consistent with the well-known evaporation/precipitation processes in the Indian Ocean.     

Equatorial Currents in the Indian Ocean Based on Measurements in February 2017

We analyze the results of measurements of the Tareev equatorial undercurrent in the Indian Ocean in February 2017. Sections from 3° S to 3°45′ N along 68° and 65° E crossed the current with measurements of the temperature, salinity, and current velocity at oceanographic stations. The maximum velocity of this eastward flow was recorded precisely at the equator. The velocity at a depth of 50 m was approximately 60 cm/s. The transport of the Tareev Current was estimated at 9.8 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³/s).     

Diversity of recent planktonic foraminifera in the southern Indian Ocean and Late Pleistocene paleotemperatures

Planktonic foraminiferal assemblages have been examined in 25 trigger core top samples and 51 piston core top samples collected between latitudes 28° S and 55° S and longitudes 79° E and 120° E from the southern Indian Ocean during cruises of the U.S.N.S. Eltanin. Samples taken from water depths exceeding 4000 m and/or showing evidence of calcium carbonate dissolution were eliminated from further analysis. The final piston core data set consists of 34 samples; the trigger core data set containing 21 samples. A close relationship exists between changes in the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages in the surface sediments and surface water temperatures. Species diversity values were computed for each of the core top assemblages using the Shannon-Wiener Index and the Brillouin Index, each of which takes into consideration the number of species and the proportionment of individuals among the species. The Shannon and Brillouin diversity values for all samples are positively correlated (correlation coefficient (r) = +.999). Regression analysis of latitude versus Shannon diversity values in the trigger core samples clearly shows a decrease in diversity with increasing latitude (r = ?.979). Furthermore, a strong correlation (r = +.977) exists between decreasing species diversity (Shannon) and decreasing average summer-winter temperature of the overlying surface waters. A paleotemperature equation derived from the relationship of diversity in trigger core samples and surface water temperature was used to generate paleotemperature curves for five trigger cores and a 6 m piston core of Late Pleistocene age, located beneath the present position of the Subtropical Convergence. A 7–8° C temperature range is suggested between the interglacial and glacial episodes in this Late Pleistocene sequence, and probably reflects latitudinal shifts of the Subtropical Convergence and Australasian Front during the Late Pleistocene.     

Entrainment of circumpolar water in the Indian Ocean region of the Antarctic

The net influx of the circumpolar water on the western (approximately along 10°E) and eastern (approximately 115°E) boundaries of the Indian Ocean, adopting the method of Montgomery and Stroup is computed on bivariate distribution of potential thermosteric anomaly and salinity to identify the characteristics of the flux. The zonal flux at both the boundaries indicates an alternate strong easterly and westerly flow between 36°S and 45°S, south of which the flow is mainly easterly but weak up to 56°S. At the western boundary the easterly flow is 146 Sv and westerly is 98.07 Sv, while at the eastern boundary (115°E) the corresponding fluxes are 123.46 Sv and 27.20 Sv respectively, indicating a net outflux of 48.33 Sv. This water should have been accounted by the melting of ice and influx of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean Water.     

Sea surface heights obtained from Modular Ocean Model simulation and comparison with Topex/Poseidon data for the Indian Ocean

The Modular Ocean Model (MOM) is perhaps the most versatile ocean model available today for the simulation of the large scale circulation of the ocean. The Topex/Poseidon altimeter which has been operating since September 1992 has been providing sea surface heights (SSH) of the accuracy of 5–10 cms with a repeat cycle of 10 days. We examine in this paper, the SSH in the Indian Ocean obtained from a global simulation of MOM with a resolution of 1° in the longitude, 1/3° in the latitude between 30°S and 30°N and 20 levels in the vertical with climatological windforcing and restoring conditions on temperature and salinity. They are compared with the SSH from the Topex/Poseidon altimeter after suitable filtering in the time domain to remove smaller time and length scales. In addition, unfiltered data from both sources are analysed by estimating the cross-spectral density to find the coherence and crossphase at different frequencies. The agreement between the two, over most of the Northern Indian Ocean, especially the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is quite good.     

Atmospheric phenomena deduced from radiosonde and GPS occultation measurements for various application related studies

The tropopause height and tropopause temperature are sensitive to temperature changes in troposphere and stratosphere. These are the measures of global climatic variability. Atmospheric profiles of temperature, refractivity and water vapour are always needed for communication, navigation and atmospheric modeling studies. The tropopause characteristics over the Indian region have been studied using radio occultation measurements (CHAMP) on the basis of cold point criterion. Tropopause height shows large variation in the latitude range ∼30°–40°N during winter. Tropopause temperature less than −82°C, assumed to facilitate troposphere to stratosphere air transport, is observed at a number of tropical Indian locations and no seasonal pattern is observed in its occurrence. The bias in temperature and refractivity deduced from radiosonde and radio occultation measurements is also presented.     

Incursion of the Pacific Ocean Water into the Indian Ocean

Using the data collected during the International Indian Ocean Expedition, maps showing the distribution of depth, acceleration potential, salinity and oxyty were prepared for the northeast monsoon for the four potential thermosteric anomaly surfaces: 160, 120, 80 and 60 cl/t. Zonal components of current along 84°E were computed from the geopotential dynamic heights. From such an analysis, it became clear that low-salinity water from the Pacific intrudes into the western Indian Ocean through the Banda and Timor seas in the upper layers above 100 cl/t surface, while the North Indian Ocean Water penetrates towards the Eastern Archipelago below 100 cl/t surface. The South Equatorial Countercurrent and the Tropical Countercurrent are well depicted on the vertical section of zonal components as well as on the distribution of acceleration potential.     

Surface circulation of the Indian Ocean during the last glacial maximum, approximately 18,000 yr B.P.

A seasonal reconstruction of the Indian Ocean during the last glacial maximum (18,000 yr B.P.) reveals that its surface circulation and sea surface temperature patterns were significantly different from the modern Indian Ocean. This reconstruction is based on the planktonic foraminiferal biogeography and estimated sea surface temperatures in 42 Indian Ocean samples. Compared to modern conditions, the polar front was 5° to 10° latitude further north during the last glacial maximum; the Subtropical Convergence was 2° to 5° latitude further north. The West Australian Current was more intense as part of the West Wind Drift was deflected northward along the coast of Australia. The Agulhas Current was cooler and weaker during the summer and more saline and subtropical during the winter. In general, the low latitudes underwent little temperature change. The western Arabian Sea was warmer which implies less upwelling and a weaker Southwest Monsoon. On the average, the Indian Ocean was 1.9°C cooler in February and 1.7°C cooler in August during the last glacial maximum.     

Some applications of humidity profiles estimated from INSAT infra red digital cloud imagery data

Moisture profiles have been estimated over the region bounded by the latitudes 40°N and 40°S and longitudes 30°E to 130°E using INSAT digital infra red cloud imagery data. The representativeness of these profiles in representing moisture field associated with the development and movement of synoptic scale systems during the period September 15th, 1996 to March 31st, 1997 has been examined. It has been shown that the changes in the moisture field associated with the withdrawal of the southwest and northeast monsoons from the Indian sub-continent, development and movement of synoptic scale sytems (depressions, tropical cyclones and waves in easterlies) and equatorial troughs in the Indian Ocean could be clearly seen in humidity profiles. The initial development of tropical systems is first seen in the humidity field in the upper troposphere. These profiles could be used in monitoring the initial development and subsequent movement of tropical systems. Further the data on moisture distribution from the data gap regions of the Indian Ocean could be used as an additional source of moisture in numerical analysis and prognosis.     

Spatial Distribution and Longitudinal Variation of Clay Minerals in the Central Indian Basin

Grain size and clay mineral distribution up to 45 cm depth in the silty clay sediments from 26 box cores from 10°to 16°S along four longitudes(73.5°-76.5°E)were studied for understanding spatial variability in the Central Indian Basin(CIB).It was observed that the average sand content in the basin is 3.8%,which decreases systematically and longitudinally to 0.3%towards south.The average illite and chlorite major clay mineral abundance also decrease southwards along the four longitudes from 10°S,and show ...     

Temperature and Salinity Effects on Alkenone Ratios Measured in Surface Sediments from the Indian Ocean

We compare alkenone unsaturation ratios measured on recent sediments from the Indian Ocean (20°N–45°S) with modern sea oceanographic parameters. For each of the core sites we estimated average seasonal cycles of sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity, which we then weighted with the seasonal productivity cycle derived from chlorophyll satellite imagery. The unsaturation index (U₃₇^K′) ranges from 0.2 to 1 and correlates with water temperature but not with salinity. TheU₃₇^K′versus SST relationship for Indian Ocean sediments (U₃₇^K′= 0.033 SST + 0.05) is similar to what has been observed for core tops from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the Black Sea. A global compilation for core tops givesU₃₇^K′= 0.031 T + 0.084 (R= 0.98), which is close to a previously reported calibration based on particulate organic matter from the water column. For temperatures between 24° and 29°C, however, the slope seems to decrease to about 0.02U₃₇^K′unit/°C. For Indian Ocean core tops, the ratios of total C₃₇alkenones/total C₃₈alkenones and the slope of theU₃₇^K′-SST relationship are similar to those previously observed for cultures ofEmiliania huxleyibut different from those previously published forGephyrocapsa oceanica.EitherE. huxleyiis a major producer of alkenones in the Indian Ocean or strains ofG. oceanicaliving in the northern Indian Ocean behave differently from the one cultured. In contrast with coccolithophorid assemblages, the ratios of C₃₇alkenones to total C₃₈alkenones lack clear geographic pattern in the Indian Ocean.     

An analytical source function for a coupled hybrid wave model

An analytical form for the source function is formulated by comparing the fetch-limited approximation of the Ocean Wave Transport equation and the empirical equation for the fetch-dependent wave forecast nomograms. The source function thus generated has been utilised in the numerical model based on Toba’s formulation of wave transport equation and tested for the seas around the Indian subcontinent (5°S to 25°N latitude; 45°E to 100°E longitude). The grid averaged hindcast wave heights are found to be moderately matching with the GEOSAT altimeter measured significant wave heights of the 1987–1989 period, particularly for waves higher than 1 meter.     

Development of the negative gravity anomaly of the 85°E Ridge,northeastern Indian Ocean – A process oriented modelling approach

The 85°E Ridge extends from the Mahanadi Basin, off northeastern margin of India to the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount in the Central Indian Basin. The ridge is associated with two contrasting gravity anomalies: negative anomaly over the north part (up to 5°N latitude), where the ridge structure is buried under thick Bengal Fan sediments and positive anomaly over the south part, where the structure is intermittently exposed above the seafloor. Ship-borne gravity and seismic reflection data are modelled using process oriented method and this suggest that the 85°E Ridge was emplaced on approximately 10–15 km thick elastic plate (Te) and in an off-ridge tectonic setting. We simulated gravity anomalies for different crust-sediment structural configurations of the ridge that were existing at three geological ages, such as Late Cretaceous, Early Miocene and Present. The study shows that the gravity anomaly of the ridge in the north has changed through time from its inception to present. During the Late Cretaceous the ridge was associated with a significant positive anomaly with a compensation generated by a broad flexure of the Moho boundary. By Early Miocene the ridge was approximately covered by the post-collision sediments and led to alteration of the initial gravity anomaly to a small positive anomaly. At present, the ridge is buried by approximately 3 km thick Bengal Fan sediments on its crestal region and about 8 km thick pre- and post-collision sediments on the flanks. This geological setting had changed physical properties of the sediments and led to alter the minor positive gravity anomaly of Early Miocene to the distinct negative gravity anomaly.     

Paleocene on-spreading-axis hotspot volcanism along the Ninetyeast Ridge: An interaction between the Kerguelen hotspot and the Wharton spreading center

Investigations of three plausible tectonic settings of the Kerguelen hotspot relative to the Wharton spreading center evoke the on-spreading-axis hotspot volcanism of Paleocene (60-54 Ma) age along the Ninetyeast Ridge. The hypothesis is consistent with magnetic lineations and abandoned spreading centers of the eastern Indian Ocean and seismic structure and radiometric dates of the Ninetyeast Ridge. Furthermore, it is supported by the occurrence of oceanic andesites at Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 214, isotopically heterogeneous basalts at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 757 of approximately the same age (59-58 Ma) at both sites. Intermix basalts generated by plume-mid-ocean ridge (MOR) interaction, exist between 11° and 17°S along the Ninetyeast Ridge. A comparison of age profile along the Ninetyeast Ridge between ODP Sites 758 (82 Ma) and 756 (43 Ma) with similarly aged oceanic crust in the Central Indian Basin and Wharton Basin reveals the existence of extra oceanic crust spanning 11° latitude beneath the Ninetyeast Ridge. The extra crust is attributed to the transfer of lithospheric blocks from the Antarctic plate to the Indian plate through a series of southward ridge jumps at about 65, 54 and 42 Ma. Emplacement of volcanic rocks on the extra crust resulted from rapid northward motion (absolute) of the Indian plate. The Ninetyeast Ridge was originated when the spreading centers of the Wharton Ridge were absolutely moving northward with respect to a relatively stationary Kerguelen hotspot with multiple southward ridge jumps. In the process, the spreading center coincided with the Kerguelen hotspot and took place on-spreading-axis volcanism along the Ninetyeast Ridge.     

Paleomagnetic age of ferruginous weathering beneath the Hamersley Surface,Pilbara, Western Australia,and the Cenozoic apparent polar wander path

During the Mesozoic and Paleogene, the Precambrian rocks in the Pilbara, Western Australia, underwent erosion and deep weathering that produced an undulating landform now represented by the duricrusted and partly eroded Hamersley Surface. A reddened, ferruginous weathering zone occurs immediately beneath this duricrusted surface. Oriented block samples of ferruginised strata of the Neoarchean–early Paleoproterozoic Hamersley Group exposed within approximately 15 m below the duricrust were collected at 20 sites in roadcuts along the Great Northern Highway between Munjina and Newman and exposures along the adjoining Karijini Drive. Stepwise thermal demagnetisation of cored specimens revealed a stable, high-temperature (680°C) component carried by hematite, with a mean direction (n = 55 specimens) of declination D = 182.0°, inclination I = 52.9° (α₉₅ = 3.6°), indicating a pole position at latitude λ_p = 77.6°S, longitude ?_p = 113.2°E (A₉₅ = 4.3°) and a paleolatitude λ = 33.5 +3.6/–3.3°S. Both normal and reversed polarities are present, indicating that the remanent magnetism was acquired over an interval of at least two polarity chrons (say 10⁵–10⁶ years). Chi-square tests on the determined pole position and three different sets of Cenozoic poles, namely those for dated volcanic rocks in eastern Australia supplemented by poles for Australian Cenozoic weathering horizons, and inferred poles from Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean hotspot analyses and North American Cenozoic poles rotated to Australian coordinates, yielded a mean age of ca 24 ± 3 Ma, i.e. late Oligocene to early Miocene, interpreted as the time of formation of hematite in the sampled ferruginous zone. The ferruginous weathering occurred under globally warm conditions and was followed during the early to middle Miocene climatic optimum by the deposition of channel iron deposits, which incorporated detrital hematitic material derived from erosion of the ferruginous weathering zone beneath the Hamersley Surface.     

Sediment thickness map of the Indian region 79°E–86°E, 2°S–8°S based on satellite gravity interpretation

Satellite free air gravity anomalies over the Indian ocean region 79°E–86°E, 2°S–8°S were obtained from the website http://topex.ucsd.edu and a contour map was compiled. Five profiles of the anomaly have been interpreted in terms of two-dimensional structures in the ocean. Thickness of sediments lying on the oceanic crust determined from the interpretation of gravity profiles were used to compile an isopach map of the region 79°E–86°E, 2°S–8°S. This map in combination with one of the isopach maps compiled by previous workers, provides information regarding the thickness of sediments up to 6° S. According to this map sediment thickness varies from ～600 m over the middle part of the region to ～800 m further south, indicating that thinning of sediments in the middle part of the region is only localized. Information provided by this gravity study may be useful in planning detailed seismological studies to delimit the outer edge of the continental margin of Sri Lanka, defined according to the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).     

Three monthly coral Sr/Ca records from the Chagos Archipelago covering the period of 1950–1995 A.D.: reproducibility and implications for quantitative reconstructions of sea surface temperature variations

In order to assess the fidelity of coral Sr/Ca for quantitative reconstructions of sea surface temperature variations, we have generated three monthly Sr/Ca time series from Porites corals from the lagoon of Peros Banhos (71°E, 5°S, Chagos Archipelago). We find that all three coral Sr/Ca time series are well correlated with instrumental records of sea surface temperature (SST) and air temperature. However, the intrinsic variance of the single-core Sr/Ca time series differs from core to core, limiting their use for quantitative estimates of past temperature variations. Averaging the single-core data improves the correlation with instrumental temperature (r > 0.7) and allows accurate estimates of interannual temperature variations (~0.35°C or better). All Sr/Ca time series indicate a shift towards warmer temperatures in the mid-1970s, which coincides with the most recent regime shift in the Pacific Ocean. However, the magnitude of the warming inferred from coral Sr/Ca differs from core to core and ranges from 0.26 to 0.75°C. The composite Sr/Ca record from Peros Banhos clearly captures the major climatic signals in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, i.e. the El Niño–southern oscillation and the Pacific decadal oscillation. Moreover, composite Sr/Ca is highly correlated with tropical mean temperatures (r = 0.7), suggesting that coral Sr/Ca time series from the tropical Indian Ocean will contribute to multi-proxy reconstructions of tropical mean temperatures.     

Evidence for extensive diagenesis,Madagascar Basin,Deep Sea Drilling Site 245

Deep Sea Drilling Hole 245 (31°32′S, 52° 18′E) in the southwest Indian Ocean shows pronounced linear concentration-depth gradients in interstitial dissolved Ca, Mg and Sr. Electrical conductivity tests enable us to make the estimate of a constant diffusion coefficient with depth of about 2 × 10^?6 cm²/sec. The shapes of the concentration-depth gradients suggest that the major reaction sites in this hole are situated in the basal sediments and/or underlying basalts. It is proposed that observed interstitial water concentration changes in Ca and Mg are related to alteration of basaltic material, whereas those in Sr are due to calcium carbonate recrystallization processes. Support for the basaltic material alteration hypothesis comes from petrochemical and mineralogical data. Geochemical data also indicate that the high contents in Fe and Mn of the basal sediments can be related to low temperature alteration of basaltic glass and not necessarily to ‘hydrothermal’ activity.