Seasonal Near-Surface Dynamics and Thermodynamics of the Indian Ocean and Indonesian Throughflow in a Global Ocean General Circulation Model

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Abstract
The near-surface dynamics and thermodynamics of the Indian Ocean are examined in a global ocean general circulation model (OGCM) with enhanced tropical resolution. The model uses a Seager-type heat flux formulation (weak relaxation toward a fixed SST, flux-corrected toward seasonal observed values). Resulting seasonal patterns of surface heat flux, mixed layer depth, and surface steric height all compare quite well with observations in the Indian Ocean, away from western boundaries. Distribution of flow in the mean Indonesian Throughflow is quite well simulated in the top 700 m. The model Indonesian throughflow transports, on average, 16.3 × 106 m3 s−1 from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, and its magnitude is fairly well predicted seasonally by the instantaneous Sverdrup version of the “Island Rule.” Model geostrophic transports relative to 700 m are substantially smaller, with a different seasonal cycle. Observed geostrophic transports are smaller than those in the model, though the model repro... Abstract The near-surface dynamics and thermodynamics of the Indian Ocean are examined in a global ocean general circulation model (OGCM) with enhanced tropical resolution. The model uses a Seager-type heat flux formulation (weak relaxation toward a fixed SST, flux-corrected toward seasonal observed values). Resulting seasonal patterns of surface heat flux, mixed layer depth, and surface steric height all compare quite well with observations in the Indian Ocean, away from western boundaries. Distribution of flow in the mean Indonesian Throughflow is quite well simulated in the top 700 m. The model Indonesian throughflow transports, on average, 16.3 × 106 m3 s−1 from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, and its magnitude is fairly well predicted seasonally by the instantaneous Sverdrup version of the “Island Rule.” Model geostrophic transports relative to 700 m are substantially smaller, with a different seasonal cycle. Observed geostrophic transports are smaller than those in the model, though the model repro...

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