HR: 1300h
AN: OS52D-12    [PDF]
TI: The Effects of the Indonesian Throughflow Transport Profile on the Indian Ocean Thermal Structure
AU: * Song, Q
EM: qsong@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61, Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964
AB: The effects of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) transport profile on the Indian Ocean density and thermal structure are investigated in an ocean general circulation model that is coupled to an atmospheric mixed layer model. Three experiments are performed: (1) 10Sv ITF, (2) 20Sv ITF and (3) 10Sv ITF but with vertical transport profile more thermocline intensified. With the same depth-integrated ITF transport, the primary effect of having more transport concentrated in one layer, thermocline for example, is that the separation between isopycnals and isotherms increases (decreases) where ITF has more (less) transport. As a result the vertical gradient of the density and temperature are reduced (enhanced) and warming (cooling) temperature anomalies are produced. Moreover the magnitude of the resultant temperature anomaly caused by ITF transport profile difference is significant. In the present model, O(0.5C) temperature change in the eastern Indian Ocean thermocline is generated by 1 Sv ITF transport shift from the surface layer to the thermcline, while the temperature anomaly due to 10 Sv depth-integrated ITF transport increase from 10 Sv to 20 Sv is O(1.5C). By identifying the importance of ITF transport profile in affecting the Indian Ocean temperature field, this study provides a guide for the oceanography modeling community to better simulate the ITF and Indo-Pacific basin system.
DE: 4215 Climate and interannual variability (3309)
DE: 4231 Equatorial oceanography
DE: 4255 Numerical modeling
DE: 4512 Currents
DE: 4572 Upper ocean processes
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 Ocean Sciences Meeting