Interannual variability of zonal currents in the equatorial Indian Ocean: respective control of IOD and ENSO

Abstract

The observational record is too short to confidently differentiate the relative contributions of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the interannual variability of the equatorial current system in the Indian Ocean because of the strong tendency of these two modes to co-occur. In this study, we analyse a five-decade simulation from an ocean general circulation model forced to describe the main interannual variations of surface and subsurface equatorial zonal currents in the Indian Ocean. This simulation is first shown to accurately capture the surface and subsurface zonal current variations in the equatorial region derived from the available observations. Through an EOF analysis on the model outputs, our results further reveals two main modes of equatorial current interannual variability: a dominant mode with largest amplitude in fall largely describing the variability of the fall Wyrtki jet intensity followed a few months later by a secondary mode maximum in winter largely describing the interannual variability of the subsurface currents in that season. Our analysis further confirms that the IOD is largely responsible for the interannual modulation of fall Wyrtki jet intensity by modulating the equatorial wind intensity during that season. The IOD is also responsible for strong subsurface current variations until December, induced by the delayed effect of the IOD wind signal onto the equatorial thermocline tilt. The equatorial current system response to ENSO is weaker and delayed compared to that of the IOD. The remote and delayed impact of ENSO in the IO indeed induces equatorial wind variations in winter that modulate the winter surface current intensity and the spring equatorial undercurrent intensity through its delayed impact on the thermocline tilt.