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Eddies and planetary waves in the Central Arabian Sea

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Abstract

Eddies and planetary waves are identified as one of the important factors that control the dynamics of the Arabian Sea. During 10–14 January 1990, Ignat, Paulyuchenkov (USSR ship) conducted an experiment in the central Arabian Sea and of late TOPEX/POSEIDON satellites collected data on sea surface height (SSH) anomalies of the Arabian Sea. These data sets give an opportunity to understand the characteristic of eddies and planetary waves in this region during winter. The geostrophic flow revealed three anticyclonic and two cyclonic eddies of diameters ranging from 75 to more than 150 km from surface to subsurface levels. Current speeds around different eddies were maximum at surface and varied from 9 cm/s to 25 cm/s (at the middle point between the center and periphery). The occurrence of eddies were further investigated with the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry for the years 1993–97. The analysis revealed multiple eddies of diameter 100 to 550 km occur every year with maximum number of eddies during 1997 and minimum during 1995. The calculated speed varied between 8–30 cm/s around various eddies.

Longitude-Time plots showed annual Rossby waves generating at the eastern Arabian Sea and propagating westwards with a phase speed of ~ 10 cm/s along 16° N. Further, it was observed that these waves arrived in the study area by January. In addition, another positive anomaly of SSH was found generating at the western Arabian Sea simultaneously and extended up to the study region by April–June. Time series of SSH at selected locations along 16°N revealed many small-scale oscillations and their spatial variability. These oscillations were delineated using the FFT analysis. Other than the Rossby wave, the major components at the study region were 40–60 and 26–32 day oscillations. The implications of these long period waves associated with eddies are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, 682 021, Thrikkakara, Kochi, India

    K. V. Sanil Kumar & P. V. Hareesh Kumar

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  1. K. V. Sanil Kumar
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  2. P. V. Hareesh Kumar
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Kumar, K.V.S., Kumar, P.V.H. Eddies and planetary waves in the Central Arabian Sea. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 33, 137–146 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990003

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990003

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