The Reversal Indian Ocean Waters

Abstract

AbstractThe Reversal Indian Ocean Waters (RIOWs), carried by flows in a direction opposite to the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF), is investigated in the Lagrangian framework using the simulative results of a high‐resolution western Pacific and northern Indian Oceans Model (PIOM). The results suggest that the RIOWs have two sources: They are the Australian Northwest Shelf Inflow linking with the Leeuwin UnderCurrent (LUC) along with the previously identified South Java Coastal Undercurrent (SJCU). After entering the Indonesian seas, the RIOWs mix with other water masses and tend to make waters in the Indonesian seas cooler, saltier, and denser. Ultimately, about half of the RIOWs return to the Indian Ocean by joining the ITF, and the other half enter the Pacific Ocean and contribute to the North Equatorial CounterCurrent (NECC) and the North Intermediate CounterCurrent (NICC).