Eddies and planetary waves in the Central Arabian Sea |
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| Authors: | K V Sanil Kumar P V Hareesh Kumar |
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| Institution: | (1) Ocean Observing and Climate Research Group, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK |
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| Abstract: | Eddies and planetary waves are identified as one of the important factors that control the dynamics of the Arabian Sea. During
10–14 January 1990, Ignat, Paulyuchenkov (USSR ship) conducted an experiment in the central Arabian Sea and of late TOPEX/POSEIDON
satellites collected data on sea surface height (SSH) anomalies of the Arabian Sea. These data sets give an opportunity to
understand the characteristic of eddies and planetary waves in this region during winter. The geostrophic flow revealed three
anticyclonic and two cyclonic eddies of diameters ranging from 75 to more than 150 km from surface to subsurface levels. Current
speeds around different eddies were maximum at surface and varied from 9 cm/s to 25 cm/s (at the middle point between the
center and periphery). The occurrence of eddies were further investigated with the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry for the years
1993–97. The analysis revealed multiple eddies of diameter 100 to 550 km occur every year with maximum number of eddies during
1997 and minimum during 1995. The calculated speed varied between 8–30 cm/s around various eddies.
Longitude-Time plots showed annual Rossby waves generating at the eastern Arabian Sea and propagating westwards with a phase
speed of ~ 10 cm/s along 16° N. Further, it was observed that these waves arrived in the study area by January. In addition,
another positive anomaly of SSH was found generating at the western Arabian Sea simultaneously and extended up to the study
region by April–June. Time series of SSH at selected locations along 16°N revealed many small-scale oscillations and their
spatial variability. These oscillations were delineated using the FFT analysis. Other than the Rossby wave, the major components
at the study region were 40–60 and 26–32 day oscillations. The implications of these long period waves associated with eddies
are discussed. |
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