Intra‐seasonal sea level variability along the west coast of India

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Oceans 2016-11, Vol.121 (11), p.8172-8188
• Main Authors: Dhage, Laxmikant, Strub, P. Ted
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Altimeters; Coastal environments; Coasts; Coherence; Connecting; Correlation; Dynamics; Equator; Estimating; Geophysics; Interactions; intra‐seasonal SLA; Loads (forces); Marine; Meteorology; Ocean currents; Phase velocity; Planetary waves; Rossby waves; Sea level; Sea level anomalies; Sea level variability; Trapped waves; Variability; Wave dynamics; Wave propagation; Waves; Wind; Winds
• ISSN: 2169-9275; 2169-9291
• DOI: 10.1002/2016JC011904

The importance of local versus distant forcing is studied for the wind‐driven intra‐seasonal (30–120 day) sea level anomaly (SLA) variations along the west coast of India. Significant correlations of altimeter‐derived SLA on the west coast are found with the mid‐basin SLA east of Sri Lanka and SLA as far as Sumatra and the equator, with increased lags, connecting with the remote forcing from the equator in the form of reflected Rossby waves. The highest correlations between SLA on the west coast and winds are found with the winds at the southern tip of India. Coherence calculations help to identify the importance of a narrow band (40–60 day) for the interactions of winds with the intra‐seasonal SLA variations. A multivariate regression model, along with the coherences within this narrower band, suggest the lags of SLA on the west coast with winds to range from 0 to 2 days with the local forcing to 11–13 days with the forcing along south east coast of India. Hovmöller diagrams illustrate the propagation of signals by estimating phase speed for Rossby waves (57 cm/s) across the Indian Ocean from Sumatra and Coastal Trapped Waves (CTWs) along the west coast of India (178 cm/s). Propagation from the south‐east coast of India is not as robust as Rossby waves from Sumatra. Key Points: Intra‐seasonal SLA variability on the west coast of India is investigated with the use of 10 years of altimeter data A connection is established between the equatorial forcing and the intra‐seasonal SLA variability along the west coast of India Coastal Trapped Wave dynamics is verified along the west coast through a predominant wind forcing from the southern tip of India and Sri Lanka