Mixed-layer salinity budget in the tropical Indian Ocean: seasonal cycle based only on observations

Type Article
Date 2015-06
Language English
Author(s) Da-Allada Casimir Yelognisse1, Gaillard FabienneORCID3, Kolodziejczyk NicolasORCID2
Affiliation(s) 1 : CNRS Ifremer IRD UBO, IFREMER, LPO, UMR 6523, Plouzane, France.
2 : Univ Paris 06, Univ Paris 04, LOCEAN Lab, CNRS IRD MNHN, F-75005 Paris, France.
Source Ocean Dynamics (1616-7341) (Springer Heidelberg), 2015-06 , Vol. 65 , N. 6 , P. 845-857
DOI 10.1007/s10236-015-0837-7
WOS© Times Cited 16
Keyword(s) Tropical Indian Ocean, Observations, Seasonal cycle, Mixed-layer salinity, Mixed-layer budget
Abstract The mixed-layer salinity (MLS) budget in the tropical Indian Ocean is estimated from a combination of satellite products and in situ observations over the 2004-2012 period, to investigate the mechanisms controlling the seasonal MLS variability. In contrast with previous studies in the tropical Indian Ocean, our results reveal that the coverage, resolution, and quality of available observations are now sufficient to approach a closed monthly climatology seasonal salt budget. In the South-central Arabian Sea and South-western Tropical Indian Ocean (SCAS and STIO, respectively), where seasonal variability of the MLS is pronounced, the monthly MLS tendency terms are well captured by the diagnostic. In the SCAS region, in agreement with previous results, the seasonal cycle of the MLS is mainly due to meridional advection driven by the monsoon winds. In the STIO, contrasting previous results indicating the control of the meridional advection over the seasonal MLS budget, our results reveal the leading role of the freshwater flux due to precipitation.
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