Indian Ocean Dipole impacts on northwestern Indian Ocean climate variability

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon in the equatorial Indian Ocean, with a positive mode characterized by anomalous warming of sea surface temperatures in the west and anomalous cooling in the east. The IOD has been shown to affect inter-annual variability of the Indian monsoon. There is also evidence that the IOD may affect the formation, strength and duration of monsoon-related oceanic features in the North West Indian Ocean (NWIO), including fronts and eddies, the Somali upwelling and the ‘Great Whirl’ system. However, the mechanism by which the IOD develops and details of its connection with monsoon-related oceanic phenomena in the NWIO remain unclear. Satellite datasets of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) and sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) over the past two decades have been examined, mainly to investigate the relationship between the IOD and large-scale climate modes like the Indian monsoon, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Rossby/Kelvin Waves. Early results show SSHA in NWIO; is more correlated with the IOD than with the ENSO. Also the results indicate an impact of Rossby wave patterns on the Somali Current system. Satellite datasets of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) and sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) over the past two decades have been examined, mainly to investigate the relationship between the IOD and large-scale climate modes like the Indian monsoon, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Rossby/Kelvin Waves. Early results show SSHA in NWIO; is more correlated with the IOD than with the ENSO. Also the results indicate an impact of Rossby wave patterns on the Somali Current system. Satellite datasets of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) and sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) over the past two decades have been examined, mainly to investigate the relationship between the IOD and large-scale climate modes like the Indian monsoon, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Rossby/Kelvin Waves. Early results show SSHA in NWIO; is more correlated with the IOD than with the ENSO. Also the results indicate an impact of Rossby wave patterns on the Somali Current system.