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Interannual variability in the Indian Ocean using altimeter and IX1‐expendable bathy‐thermograph (XBT) data: Does the 18‐month signal exist?
Author(s) -
Sakova Irina V.,
Meyers Gary,
Coleman Richard
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl027117
Subject(s) - bathythermograph , indian ocean dipole , bay , altimeter , oceanography , throughflow , climatology , geology , signal (programming language) , indian ocean , environmental science , remote sensing , computer science , soil science , programming language
The dominant frequency bands in altimeter sea surface height (SSH) variability over the whole Indian Ocean and in temperature profiles near the Sumatra‐Java coast are identified and analysed using spectral analysis techniques. We find that in most regions of the Indian Ocean, the low‐frequency part of the SSH spectra (corresponding to signals with periods from six months to six years) is concentrated in five frequency bands separated by substantial spectral gaps: semi‐annual, annual, 18–20 months, 3 years, and 4–6 years. The existence of semi‐annual, annual, 2–3‐year, and 4–6‐year periodical signals is well known; however, the 18–20‐month signal has not previously been described. Further investigation of temporal and spatial characteristics of this later signal point to its relationship with the Indian Ocean dipole events: the signal is particularly strong between 1994 and 2000; it develops near the Sumatra coast and propagates to the Bay of Bengal and into the Indonesian Throughflow.