Modulation of chlorophyll concentration by the Indian Ocean Dipole

Abstract

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a climate mode that causes changes in the Indian Ocean sea surface temperature and precipitation. The IOD affects precipitation in far reaching areas such as Africa and Japan. It also impacts ocean biology such as chlorophyll concentration particularly in the Indian Ocean, and these changes are measureable. Using SeaWIFS chlorophyll data along with sea surface temperature anomalies, changes in chlorophyll concentration during IOD events can be seen and are measured to be statistically significant from non-IOD events. IOD events can change chlorophyll concentration so greatly that algal blooms can occur and conversely IODs can be strong enough to change upwelling to an extent that impacts fisheries resources. There is only a small sample space to analyze and this study serves to explore that data. In order to further resolve chlorophyll data, more remote sensing data with greater resolution is needed in the Indian Ocean area.