Sensitivity of the Indian Ocean circulation to surface wind stress

Hemisphere winds and how the momentum input by the surface wind stress can be transferred down to the ocean floor. An σ coordinate Ocean General Circulation model was used in the present study. The major circulations in the Southern as well as tropical Indian Ocean have been discussed. The sensitivity of model with respect to wind stress forcing has been performed by using the surface wind stress climatological data of Hellerman and daSilva for the Indian Ocean up to 60oS. It has been found that the response of zonal wind stress over tropical Indian Ocean north of 5oS was large. The response of change in surface wind stress was negligible in the Southern Indian Ocean.