Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses

Abstract The southern tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) displays large mixed layer salinity (MLS) variation. Circulation in this region is governed by the Indian Ocean tropical gyre (IOTG), where the source water proportion and associated mixing remain unclear. Particles integrating into the IOTG and ente...

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Main Authors: Zhangzhe Zhao, Janet Sprintall, Yan Du
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110569
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author Zhangzhe Zhao
Janet Sprintall
Yan Du
author_facet Zhangzhe Zhao
Janet Sprintall
Yan Du
author_sort Zhangzhe Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The southern tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) displays large mixed layer salinity (MLS) variation. Circulation in this region is governed by the Indian Ocean tropical gyre (IOTG), where the source water proportion and associated mixing remain unclear. Particles integrating into the IOTG and entering the central southern TIO originate from the Bay of Bengal, Malacca Strait, western Indian Ocean, and Indonesian Throughflow. Surprisingly, cross‐equatorial advection is particularly important, implying a significant connection between both the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea via Malacca Strait into the southern TIO. The anomalous anticlockwise circulation weakens the IOTG during positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). An opposite pattern is observed in the negative IOD. A particle experiment reveals that water masses are modulated by the anomalous circulation that drives the redistribution of MLS by changing the proportion of the different source waters. This represents a potential predictability for the southern TIO MLS variability.
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publishDate 2024-11-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-6bcb0d4a21e34d3dbeffbba439ba3eb52025-08-20T03:02:07ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-11-015121n/an/a10.1029/2024GL110569Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water MassesZhangzhe Zhao0Janet Sprintall1Yan Du2State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaScripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego CA USAState Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaAbstract The southern tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) displays large mixed layer salinity (MLS) variation. Circulation in this region is governed by the Indian Ocean tropical gyre (IOTG), where the source water proportion and associated mixing remain unclear. Particles integrating into the IOTG and entering the central southern TIO originate from the Bay of Bengal, Malacca Strait, western Indian Ocean, and Indonesian Throughflow. Surprisingly, cross‐equatorial advection is particularly important, implying a significant connection between both the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea via Malacca Strait into the southern TIO. The anomalous anticlockwise circulation weakens the IOTG during positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). An opposite pattern is observed in the negative IOD. A particle experiment reveals that water masses are modulated by the anomalous circulation that drives the redistribution of MLS by changing the proportion of the different source waters. This represents a potential predictability for the southern TIO MLS variability.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110569Indian oceanmixed later salinitycirculationIODwater massesparticle experiment
spellingShingle Zhangzhe Zhao
Janet Sprintall
Yan Du
Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
Geophysical Research Letters
Indian ocean
mixed later salinity
circulation
IOD
water masses
particle experiment
title Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
title_full Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
title_fullStr Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
title_full_unstemmed Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
title_short Large Mixed Layer Salinity Variation in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean Due To the Blending of Water Masses
title_sort large mixed layer salinity variation in the southern tropical indian ocean due to the blending of water masses
topic Indian ocean
mixed later salinity
circulation
IOD
water masses
particle experiment
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110569
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AT janetsprintall largemixedlayersalinityvariationinthesoutherntropicalindianoceanduetotheblendingofwatermasses
AT yandu largemixedlayersalinityvariationinthesoutherntropicalindianoceanduetotheblendingofwatermasses