Intraseasonal variability of upwelling in the equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean

By analyzing satellite observations and conducting a series of ocean general circulation model experiments, this study examines the physical processes that determine intraseasonal variability (ISV) of the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) upwelling for the 2001–2011 period. The ISV of EIO upwelling—as indicated by sea level, thermocline depth, and sea surface temperature (SST)—is predominantly forced by atmospheric intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs), and shows larger amplitudes during winter-spring season (November–April) when atmospheric ISOs are stronger than summer-fall (May–October). The chlorophyll (Chl-a) concentration, another indicator of upwelling, however reveals its largest intraseasonal variability during May–October, when the mean thermocline is shallow and seasonal upwelling occurs. For both winter-spring and summer-fall seasons, the ISV of EIO sea level and thermocline depth is dominated by remote forcing from the equatorial Indian Ocean wind stress, which drives Kelvin waves that propagate along the equator and subsequently along the Sumatra-Java coasts. Local wind forcing within the EIO plays a secondary role. The ISV of SST, however, is dominated by upwelling induced by remote equatorial wind only during summer-fall, with less contribution from surface heat fluxes for this season. During winter-spring, the ISV of SST results primarily from shortwave radiation and turbulent heat flux induced by wind speed associated with the ISOs, and local forcing dominates the SST variability. In this season, the mean thermocline is deep in the warm pool and thus thermocline variability decouples from the ISV of SST. Only in summer-fall when the mean thermocline is shallow, upwelling has important impact on SST.