Seasonal cycle of surface fields over the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Surface fields such as sea surface temperature(SST), mean sea level pressure, surface wind, wind stress and pseudo-stress, latent heat and sensible heat fluxes are studied over the Indian Ocean and their seasonal characteristics are investigated. Three zones of maxima over Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and South China Sea recognised as three branches of the monsoon prominently appear in surface wind, wind stress and pseudo-stress both during summer and winter monsoon period. Sea level pressure and latent heat flux exhibit regionality in their characteristics over the three branching regions. Arabian Sea is dominant in strength and variability in most of the surface fields during summer monsoon season while South China Sea is prominent during winter monsoon season. Except for minor quantitative differences, ECMWF analyses compare well with climatology of observations (NCAR COADS) and FSU observed ship data.