Spacebased Observation of the Hydrological Balance Related to the Indian Monsoon

Abstract:

The oceanic influence on the regional characteristics of the monsoon over the Indian Subcontinent is examined with over a decade of spacebased observation of integrated moisture transport from the ocean into the continent,and the rainfall measured by the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission (TMMM). The seasonal change in ocean current and the advection of saline water around the south tip of the subcontinent and over the Sri Lanka Dome are found to affect rainfall not only over Sri Lanka, but in the Tamil Nadu region of India. The investigation into delay of monsoon onsets, and pre-monsoon drought for over a decade is aided not only by the rain data, but by the soil moisture measured by Aquarius and the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) missions, and the change of water storage measured by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). The change of river discharge into the Bay of Bengal and ocean salinity, related to monsoon are examined to determine the feedback to monsoon circulation.