Asymmetry of upper ocean salinity response to the Indian Ocean dipole events as seen from ECCO simulation

Abstract

The interannual variability of salinity and associated ocean dynamics in the equatorial Indian Ocean is analyzed using observations and numerical simulations by the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) model. The results show that salinity anomalies in the upper ocean are asymmetrically associated with the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) events, with stronger response during their positive phases. Further investigations reveal that zonal currents along the equator, the Wyrtki jets, dominate the salinity transport. During the positive IOD events, the Wyrtki jets have stronger westward anomalies. The positive skewness of the IOD explains that the amplitude of the anomalous Wyrtki jets is stronger in the positive IOD events than that in the negative events.