Integrated modeling of EM response functions from Peninsular India and Bay of Bengal

Abstract. The backward air mass trajectory analysis (HYSPLIT) during the summer monsoon suggests that the rain which precipitates at Kolkata is generated from a moisture parcel which originates from the Arabian Sea and moves inland over the dry Indian subcontinent or over the Bay of Bengal. We used monthly satellite and ground based measurements of the hydro-meteorological variables together with isotope data from Bangalore, Bay of Bengal and Kolkata and other locations to quantify the contribution of different moisture sources during the SW Monsoon. The vapor mass as it moves under the prevailing wind direction was subjected to isotopic modification due to addition of evaporated moisture from Bay of Bengal and rainout process. This was simulated using Craig and Gordon model and Rayleigh fractionation model respectively. The moisture generated during the process of evaporation from Bay of Bengal surface ocean gets advected towards the continent and precipitates as rainfall or snowfall over the Indo-Gangetic plain. We assumed based on our observation that the initial isotopic composition of vapor originating from the peninsular continental source is similar to our observation recorded at Bangalore station. It is found that the isotopic signature of Bangalore is completely lost albeit the significant contribution of the moisture from Bay of Bengal. To explain the isotopic composition of precipitation at Kolkata during the SW-Monsoon, it was necessary to invoke 75–80 % moisture contribution from the Bay of Bengal whereas the evaporated moisture parcel from the Peninsular India contribute 25 %–35 %.

Download Full-text

Onset of northeast monsoon over South Peninsular India

MAUSAM ◽

10.54302/mausam.v71i3.51 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 71 (3) ◽

pp. 503-512

Author(s):

SATYANARAYANA G C ◽

NAIDU C V ◽

RAO D V BHASKAR ◽

UMAKANTH N ◽

NAVEENA N

Keyword(s):

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Arabian Sea ◽

Grid Point ◽

India Meteorological Department ◽

Onset Date ◽

Data Sets ◽

Northeast Monsoon ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Northern Latitudes ◽

High Pressure Zone

The onset dates of the northeast monsoon over South Peninsular India are determined using the wind data at 850 hPa and 200 hPa, OLR, mean sea level pressure data for the domain 40° E to 120° E, 0° to 40° N. These three data sets are sourced from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis daily data sets. Further the daily grid point (0.25° Lat. × 0.25° Long.) rainfall data over India from Indian Meteorological Department is considered for delineation of rainfall pattern. The total length of the data of the above mentioned parameters is 21 years (1994 to 2014). Pentad distributions of the above parameters for the domain considered are prepared for examining the circulation patterns and rainfall activity. The pentads taken for the study are from 55th (28th September - 2nd October) pentad to 65th (17-21 November) pentad. In the determination of the northeast monsoon over South Peninsular India, the following points are considered: (i) The persistence of the northeasterlies at 850 hPa level, (ii) Occurrence of the rainfall over the South Peninsular India, (iii) Presence of east-west oriented trough [Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)] in the lower latitudes from Ethiopia region to Malaysia region passing through South Arabian Sea, southern region of South Peninsular India and South Bay of Bengal, (iv) The presence of low pressure over the southwest Bay of Bengal at the surface, (v) Persistence of a high pressure zone in northern latitudes of India (extending from the Saudi Arabia/Jordan region to the Head Bay of Bengal running through North Arabian Sea, Gujarat and Orissa), (vi) Presence of subtropical ridge at 200 hPa level around 17.5° N, (vii) Presence of north-south ridge over theeastern parts of China and (viii) Presence of relatively low OLR values over South Peninsular India when compared to the northern latitudes. If any pentad satisfies the above points, the middle date of the pentad is considered as the date of onset of northeast monsoon over South Peninsular India. If any pentad satisfies all the points except point number 2, importance is given to the persistence of northeasterlies and the middle date of the pentad will be declared as the onset date. By following the criteria, the dates of onset of northeast monsoon are determined for the latest 21 years. These dates are compared with those of the India Meteorological Department.

Download Full-text

Contrasting movement of wind based equatorial trough and equatorial cloud zone over Indian southern peninsula and adjoining Bay of Bengal during the onset phase of northeast monsoon

MAUSAM ◽

10.54302/mausam.v58i1.1126 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 33-48

Author(s):

Y. E. A. RAJ ◽

R. ASOKAN ◽

P. V. REVIKUMAR

Keyword(s):

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Southwest Monsoon ◽

Monsoon Onset ◽

Northeast Monsoon ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Zonal Winds ◽

The North ◽

Latitudinal Position ◽

Onset Phase

ABSTRACT. The northeast monsoon sets in over southern parts of peninsular India after the retreat of southwest monsoon and in association with the southward movement of equatorial trough. The INSAT satellite imageries scrutinised during the past several years revealed that the cloud bands at the time of northeast monsoon onset moved from south Bay into the southern peninsula, a feature that contrasts with the north to south movement of the equatorial trough. The paper investigates this aspect based on a dataset of lower level upper winds of the peninsula, rainfall data and INSAT OLR data for the 20 year period 1981–2000. The super epoch profiles of zonal winds, latitudinal position of equatorial trough with reference to northeast monsoon onset dates have been derived and studied. The region with OLR values less than 230 W/m2 was defined as the equatorial cloud zone and the movement of northern limit of ECZ was studied based on the normal pentad OLR data and also the superposed epoch profiles. From these analysis it has been established that at the time of northeast monsoon onset, the wind based equatorial trough moves south of Comorin whereas the cloud zone in the Bay of Bengal moves from south to north. Reasons for the occurrence of such a contrasting feature have been ascribed to features such as decreasing strength of lower level easterlies from north to south over coastal Tamil Nadu, reversal of temperature gradient between Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram at the time of onset and the dynamics of 40-day oscillation. The northeast monsoon activity over coastal Tamil Nadu has been found to be negatively correlated with the low level zonal winds over the coast, the degree of relation decreasing from north to south and also from October to December. Based on the results derived in the study and also the other known features of northeast monsoon a thematic model of northeast monsoon onset listing the events that precede and succeed the onset has been postulated.

Download Full-text

Role and impact of Siberian High on the temporal variation of Indian northeast monsoon rainfall

MAUSAM ◽

10.54302/mausam.v60i4.1118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 505-520

Author(s):

B. GEETHA ◽

Y. E. A. RAJ

Keyword(s):

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Monsoon Rainfall ◽

Northeast Monsoon ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Sea Level Pressure ◽

Siberian High ◽

Northeast Monsoon Rainfall ◽

Latitudinal Position ◽

The Relationship

The relation between the intensity of Siberian High, defined as the mean sea level pressure over the Siberian region bounded by 87.5 & 102.5° E longitudes and 47.5 & 52.5° N latitudes (PSH) and Indian northeast monsoon rainfall has been studied in antecedent and concurrent modes based on monthly/seasonal mean PSH and monthly/seasonal rainfall data of Tamil Nadu (NMR) for the 34 year period, 1971 to 2004. It has been found that a positive relationship exists between the PSH and NMR of October-November (ON) which is significant in the antecedent mode [PSH(AS/Sep)] and modest in concurrent mode. The relationship turns negative for NMR (Dec) with both PSH(Sep) (antecedent) and PSH(Dec) (concurrent). By and large, negative anomaly profile of PSH during September-November (SON) followed by a positive PSH (Dec) anomaly is associated with a deficient NMR, but, a normal to positive PSH anomaly profile in SON becoming negative in December is associated with an excess NMR. The manifestation of PSH on NMR has been shown to be by way of modulating the strength of low level easterlies over the Bay of Bengal off the southeast coast of peninsular India as well as the latitudinal positions of Sub Tropical Ridge at 200 hPa (STR) and Equatorial Trough at 850 hPa (ET) over India. An intense PSH (Sep) is associated with strengthening of easterlies over the Bay of Bengal as well as southward location of STR/ET thereby favouring a good NMR (ON). During December, a weaker than normal PSH (Dec) is associated with northward location of ET from its normal latitudinal position near the equator which becomes conducive for good NMR(Dec). That a weaker than normal PSH in December is associated with good NMR(Dec) is comprehended from an analysis of time series of PSH. It has been found that the PSH itself undergoes a phase change in December on most occasions, i.e., an intense PSH (Nov) is by and large, followed by a weaker than normal PSH (Dec) and vice versa.

Download Full-text

Peninsular India and the Bay of Bengal: mobility and travel, 4th century BCE to 8th century CE

The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration ◽

10.1002/9781444351071.wbeghm409 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Himanshu Ray

Keyword(s):

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Peninsular India

Download Full-text

Reconciling drainage and receiving basin signatures of the Godavari River system

10.5194/bg-2018-23 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Muhammed O. Usman ◽

Frédérique M. S. A. Kirkels ◽

Huub M. Zwart ◽

Sayak Basu ◽

Camilo Ponton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Size ◽

Organic Carbon ◽

Surface Area ◽

Continental Margin ◽

Bay Of Bengal ◽

River Sediments ◽

River System ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Godavari River ◽

Godavari Basin

Abstract. The modern-day Godavari River transports large amounts of sediment (170 Tg per year) and terrestrial organic carbon (OCterr; 1.5 Tg per year) from peninsular India to the Bay of Bengal. The flux and nature of OCterr is considered to have varied in response to past climate and human forcing. In order to delineate the provenance and nature of organic matter (OM) exported by the fluvial system and establish links to sedimentary records accumulating on its adjacent continental margin, the stable and radiogenic isotopic composition of bulk OC, abundance and distribution of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA), sedimentological properties (e.g. grain size, mineral surface area etc.) of fluvial (riverbed and riverbank) sediments and soils from the Godavari basin were analysed and these characteristics were compared to those of a sediment core retrieved from the continental slope depocenter. Results show that river sediments from the upper catchment exhibit higher total organic carbon (TOC) contents than those from the lower part of the basin. The general relationship between TOC and sedimentological parameters (i.e., mineral-specific surface area and grain size) of the sediments suggests that sediment mineralogy, largely driven by provenance, plays an important role in the stabilization of OM during transport along the river axis, and in preservation of OM exported by the Godavari to the Bay of Bengal. The stable carbon isotopic (δ13C) characteristics of river sediments and soils indicate that the upper mainstream and its tributaries drain catchments exhibiting more 13C enriched carbon than the lower stream resulting from the regional vegetation gradient and/or net balance between the upper (C4-dominated plants) and lower (C3-dominated plants) catchments. The radiocarbon contents of organic carbon (Δ14COC) in deep soils and eroding riverbanks suggests these are likely sources of “old” or pre-aged carbon to the Godavari River that increasingly dominates the late Holocene portion of the offshore sedimentary record. Reduced monsoonal rainfall and sediment transport impeded by recent dam constructions have drastically impacted the flux, loci and composition of OC exported from the modern Godavari basin, rendering it challenging to reconcile modern-day river geochemistry with that recorded in continental margin sediments.

Download Full-text