With reference to Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) sometimes mentioned in the...
- The Hindu: Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is an event which the western Indian Ocean becomes alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the Indian ocean. So first statement is wrong.
- A positive IOD leads to greater monsoon rainfall and more active (above normal rainfall) monsoon
days while negative IOD leads to less rainfall and more monsoon break days (no rainfall). So
yes, IOD can influence El Nino's impact on Monsoon. So second statement is right.
With reference to Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) sometimes mentioned in the...
Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and its relation to Indian monsoon:
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is an important climate phenomenon that occurs in the Indian Ocean region. It refers to the difference in sea surface temperatures between the western Indian Ocean (near the African coast) and the eastern Indian Ocean (near the Indonesian coast). The IOD has a significant impact on the Indian monsoon, and its prediction is crucial for accurate monsoon forecasting.
Statement 1: IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
This statement is incorrect. The IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperatures between the western Indian Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean, not the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. The IOD primarily occurs in the Indian Ocean region and is not directly related to the Pacific Ocean.
Statement 2: An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino's impact on the monsoon.
This statement is correct. The IOD and El Nino are two separate climate phenomena that can influence the Indian monsoon. While El Nino refers to the warming of the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, the IOD refers to the temperature difference in the Indian Ocean. However, there is a connection between the two. In some years, both El Nino and the IOD can occur simultaneously, and their combined impact can significantly affect the Indian monsoon.
During an El Nino event, the warming of the Pacific Ocean can lead to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, which can weaken the Indian monsoon. However, the presence of a positive IOD can counteract the negative impact of El Nino on the monsoon. A positive IOD, characterized by warmer waters in the western Indian Ocean, can enhance the monsoon rainfall over India. This is because the temperature difference between the western and eastern Indian Ocean strengthens the cross-equatorial flow of moisture, leading to increased rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.
On the other hand, a negative IOD, characterized by cooler waters in the western Indian Ocean, can weaken the monsoon. In years when both El Nino and a negative IOD occur together, the monsoon rainfall over India can be significantly reduced.
Therefore, it is important to consider both the IOD and El Nino while forecasting the Indian monsoon as they can influence each other's impact on the monsoon.