Role of ocean–atmosphere interaction on northward propagation of Indian summer monsoon intra-seasonal oscillations (MISO)

Atmospheric dynamical mechanisms have been prevalently used to explain the characteristics of the summer monsoon intraseasonal oscillation (MISO), which dictates the wet and dry spells of the monsoon rainfall. Recent studies show that ocean–atmosphere coupling has a vital role in simulating the observed amplitude and relationship between precipitation and sea surface temperature (SST) at the intraseasonal scale. However it is not clear whether this role is simply ‘passive’ response to the atmospheric forcing alone, or ‘active’ in modulating the northward propagation of MISO, and also whether the extent to which it modulates is considerably noteworthy. Using coupled NCEP–Climate Forecast System (CFSv2) model and its atmospheric component the Global Forecast System (GFS), we investigate the relative role of the atmospheric dynamics and the ocean–atmosphere coupling in the initiation, maintenance, and northward propagation of MISO. Three numerical simulations are performed including (1) CFSv2 coupled with high frequency interactive SST, the GFS forced with both (2) observed monthly SST (interpolated to daily) and (3) daily SST obtained from the CFSv2 simulations. Both CFSv2 and GFS simulate MISO of slightly higher period (~60 days) than observations (~45 days) and have reasonable seasonal rainfall over India. While MISO simulated by CFSv2 has realistic northward propagation, both the GFS model experiments show standing mode of MISO over India with no northward propagation of convection from the equator. The improvement in northward propagation in CFSv2, therefore, may not be due to improvement of the model physics in the atmospheric component alone. Our analysis indicates that even with the presence of conducive vertical wind shear, the absence of meridional humidity gradient and moistening of the atmosphere column north of convection hinders the northward movement of convection in GFS. This moistening mechanism works only in the presence of an ‘active’ ocean. In CFSv2, the lead-lag relationship between the atmospheric fluxes, SST and convection are maintained, while such lead-lag is unrealistic in the uncoupled simulations. This leads to the conclusion that high frequent and interactive ocean–atmosphere coupling is a necessary and crucial condition for reproducing the realistic northward propagation of MISO in this particular model.     

Indian summer monsoon rainfall variability during 2014 and 2015 and associated Indo-Pacific upper ocean temperature patterns

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - In this study, factors responsible for the deficit Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) rainfall in 2014 and 2015 and the ability of Indian Institute of Tropical...     

An engineering geological appraisal of the Lakhwar Dam, Garhwal Himalaya, India

A 204 m high solid concrete gravity dam is proposed across the River Yamuna in Garhwal Himalaya, India. It will be located on dolerite rocks which have been intruded into the slates of Chandpur Formation. The present study includes the evaluation of the dam foundation by means of drifts, drill holes, water pressure tests and abutment slope stability studies. The water pressure test indicate the necessity of providing a grout curtain below the dam foundation. The analysis of the dam abutments for stability using the Limit equilibrium method indicates that the right abutment slope is kinematically unstable for plane failure mode. The plane failure analysis of the right abutment slope was carried out by modifying the Hoek and Bray (1981, Rock Slope Engineering, 3rd ed., Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, London) technique of plane failure analysis. The analysis reveals that right abutment slope may become unstable during the stripping operation. Based upon the analysis a safe cut slope design for the abutments have been suggested. Subsurface exploration by means of cross drift and drill holes has indicated a sheared contact of slate and dolerite in the foundation area. To avoid the settlement of the dam along this shear zone precautionary measures are suggested.     

Topographic studies of Deccan Trap hills around Poona,India

A study of the hills around Poona indicates that these hills were formed due to the piling up of pahoehoe type of lavas in rapid succession. Frequently, lava appears to have been squeezed out through narrow cracks and openings and slowly moved down the slopes developed due to the earlier piling up. Successive outbursts of viscous material gave rise to the piled up hills and domes. It is further concluded that the present topography is largely controlled by the nature of eruptive activity and the hills and ridges around Poona are not merely chance survived, circum-denudational features.     

North Indian Ocean warming and sea level rise in an OGCM

The variability in the long-term temperature and sea level over the north Indian Ocean during the period 1958–2000 has been investigated using an Ocean General Circulation Model, Modular Ocean Model version 4. The model simulated fields are compared with the sea level observations from tide-gauges, Topex/Poseidon (T/P) satellite, in situ temperature profile observations from WHOI moored buoy and sea surface temperature (SST) observations from DS1, DS3 and DS4 moored buoys. It is seen that the long (6–8 years) warming episodes in the SST over the north Indian Ocean are followed by short episodes (2–3 years) of cooling. The model temperature and sea level anomaly over the north Indian Ocean show an increasing trend in the study period. The model thermocline heat content per unit area shows a linear increasing trend (from 1958–2000) at the rate of 0.0018 × 10¹¹ J/m² per year for north Indian Ocean. North Indian Ocean sea level anomaly (thermosteric component) also shows a linear increasing trend of 0.31 mm/year during 1958–2000.     

Hydraulic response of a tidally forced coastal aquifer, Pontal do Paraná, Brazil

The unconfined aquifer supported by the extensive Holocene coastal plain of southern Brazil is found dissected at several places by tidally forced streams. One such unit of coastal plain, falling within the watershed limits of Perequê Stream in Paraná state, was analyzed using MODFLOW to assess the surface and subsurface water components under different stress conditions. The steady-state simulation suggests that ~23,000 m³/day of water forms the total budget of the designated aquifer zone and this zone discharges ~16,000 m³/day across the interface between the freshwater aquifer zone and the sea as direct submarine discharge. The maximum evaporation loss was assumed to be 2,700 m³/day. Any change in effective aquifer storage was insignificant, as there is no large-scale exploitation of local groundwater reserves. A calibration exercise, based on field measurements lasting 1 year, supports validity of the model considered. Simulations representing two different transient conditions point to the dynamic hydraulic response exhibited by the aquifer. A schematic map, showing directions and velocity of subsurface flows, and a three-dimensional model of the groundwater reserve helped to visualize the hydrogeologic changes and to formulate management plans.     

Inorganic synthesis of Fe–Ca–Mg carbonates at low temperature

A set of free-drift experiments was undertaken to synthesize carbonates of mixed cation content (Fe, Ca, Mg) from solution at 25 and 70 °C to better understand the relationship between the mineralogy and composition of these phases and the solutions from which they precipitate. Metastable solid solutions formed at 25 °C which are not predicted from the extrapolation of higher temperature equilibrium assemblages; instead, solids formed that were intermediary in chemical composition to known magnesite–siderite and dolomite solid solutions. A calcite–siderite solid solution precipitated at 25 °C, with the percentage of CaCO₃ in the solid being proportional to the aqueous Ca/Fe ratio of the solution, while Mg was excluded from the crystal structure except at relatively high aqueous Mg/Ca and Mg/Fe ratios and a low Ca content. Alternatively, at 70 °C Mg was the predominant cation of the solid solutions. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the relative dehydration energies of Fe, Ca and Mg play an important role in the formation of mixed cation carbonates in nature.