On the benefits of using a high-resolution mesoscale model to improve wind field for the study of upwelling off the Indian coasts

Abstract

Upwelling favourable winds along the Indian coasts were studied using a high-resolution (9 km grid) atmospheric mesoscale model (MM5) reanalysis from 1 to 5 June 2006, off the west coast of India and from 5 to 10 December 2005, off the east coast of India. Model winds are verified with satellite winds at two areas. Model wind hind-casts from the above periods reveal narrow bands (about 10×50 km) of strong winds to the coast and adjacent to the major coastal promontories. These bands, which are sub-grid scale in operational models, were capable of generating local upwelling greater than 10 m/s. Both the mean and spatial components of the model alongshore wind increase by a factor of 3 to 4 from the south to the north along the west coast, and by a factor of 2 to 3 from the north to the south along the east coast of India. Wind field increases will drive enhanced ocean upwelling along the west coast of India, and the new hypothesis suggests that the variations in local wind may contribute to the coastal upwelling in this region.