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Dynamics of Eddy Generation in the Central Bay of Bengal
Author(s) -
Cheng Xuhua,
McCreary Julian P.,
Qiu Bo,
Qi Yiquan,
Du Yan,
Chen Xiao
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1029/2018jc014100
Subject(s) - eddy , thermocline , geology , drifter , baroclinity , climatology , advection , hydrography , oceanography , bay , forcing (mathematics) , hydrographic survey , buoy , monsoon , meteorology , geography , turbulence , lagrangian , physics , mathematical physics , thermodynamics
Eddy activity in the central Bay of Bengal (BoB) is revealed using satellite observations and hydrographic data. Altimetric data show that eddies are generated near the eastern boundary, propagate southwestward, and have periods predominantly in the 30‐ to 120‐day band. Temperature profiles from the Research Moored Array for African‐Asian‐Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) buoy at 90°E, 15°N, have their highest amplitude in the depth range of the thermocline, indicating that the eddies are associated with a vertical motion of the thermocline (a first‐baroclinic‐mode response). To investigate the cause of the eddies, we obtained a suite of solutions to nonlinear and linear versions of a 1½‐layer (reduced‐gravity) model. They demonstrate that equatorial wind forcing, Myanmar bump and Andaman Island, and nonlinearity are all essential for eddy formation. Among the nonlinear terms, the advection terms are the primary cause.