Annual cycle of steric height in the Indian Ocean estimated from the thermal field

The correlation between long-term mean heat content and dynamic height is used to estimate the dynamic heights from the temperature profiles of the Indian Ocean. Significant correlation is obtained for the whole Indian Ocean, except the northern part of the Arabian Sea and the Indonesian throughflow region. From the estimated dynamic heights, bimonthly means were computed, and maps were prepared to infer the circulation. The North Equatorial Current, South Equatorial Current, Equatorial Counter Current and the South Indian Ocean Current are clearly distinguished in the maps. Strong Indonesian throughflow is evident during July–August. The seasonal change of the Leeuwin Current off western Australia can also be observed in the dynamic height distribution. The equatorial Kelvin wave and the reflected Rossby waves at low latitudes can be identified in the time-latitude section of the steric height. An annual signal of a Rossby wave is obtained along 12°S.