Coherent intraseasonal oceanic variations in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and in the Lombok and Ombai Straits from observations and a high‐resolution OGCM

Abstract

Abstract Ongoing acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP) observation in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and a recent I nternational N usantara St ratification an d T ransport (INSTANT) experiment in the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) straits have shown coherent intraseasonal oceanic variations in this region. The intraseasonal variations are dominated by 30–70 day variations, with a tendency for the observed currents in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean to lead those at the Lombok and Ombai Straits. Phase speed of these eastward propagating signals estimated using lag correlation analysis does not correspond to one particular baroclinic mode, though it is in the range expected for the first two baroclinic modes. In this study, the dynamics underlying this intraseasonal coherency is evaluated using output from a high‐resolution ocean general circulation model developed for the Earth Simulator (OFES). The results from model simulation of January 2001 through December 2007 show that the first two baroclinic modes dominate the intraseasonal variations in this region. While the first and second baroclinic modes have comparable contribution to the intraseasonal oceanic variations in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and in the Ombai Strait, the intraseasonal oceanic variations in the Lombok Strait are dominated by the first baroclinic mode. Moreover, the analysis reveals that the intraseasonal variability at all mooring sites is mostly confined in the upper layer above ∼100 m depth. Both equatorial wind from the Indian Ocean and alongshore winds off Sumatra and Java play important roles in generating intraseasonal variations in the Lombok and Ombai Straits.