Latent and Sensible heat flux variation in north Indian Ocean during ENSO and Indian Ocean dipole years

Abstract

This study investigates air-sea flux variability associated with the ENSO and Indian Ocean dipole years in the Tropical and northern Indian Ocean. Objectively Analysed (OA) surface fluxes, and altimeter derived sea surface height anomaly datasets for a period of thirty years from 1986 to 2015 were utilised. First, the El-Nino and La-Nina years were separated and the difference between them was analyzed to understand the effect of ENSO. A similar approach was also followed for positive and negative Indian Ocean dipole years. It was found that the upwelling caused by planetary Rossby waves during El-Nino and positive Indian Ocean dipole years suppress the latent heat flux from ocean closer to the Somali coast. Ocean dynamics and thermodynamics both were observed to play significant roles in flux variation in this region. � 2020 URSI.