RDSEA back in the Indian Ocean (IO) on RAMA

The first “turn-around” cruise (BPPT BJ-III) for FIO-China took place this past Feb./Mar. recovering two buoy systems in the 8S/100E region of the eastern IO as part of the international program RAMA, a sub-program of the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS). A sub-surface ADCP system was also deployed just south of Java. A very successful cruise was accomplished with all gear recovered and new systems re-deployed. Quick Look at RAMA:The Indian Ocean is unique among the three tropical ocean basins in that it is blocked to the north by the Asian landmass. Seasonal heating and cooling of the land sets the stage for dramatic monsoon wind reversals and intense seasonal rains over the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Australia. The Asian landmass also blocks the ocean to the north, so that currents cannot carry heat from the tropics to higher northern latitudes as in the other oceans. Ocean–atmosphere interactions in the region are highly dynamic, involving seasonal current reversals associated with monsoon wind forcing and significant exchanges of heat across the air–sea interface. The Indian Ocean also receives heat from the Pacific via the “Indonesian Throughflow” while exporting heat to the Atlantic via the Aguhlas Current system. Monsoon rains occur each year, supporting agricultural production that provides food for a third of the world’s population. These rains are irregular, however, leading to years of drought or flood that have significant socioeconomic consequences. A sustained basin-scale moored buoy array, referred to as the “Research Moored Array for African–Asian–Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction” (RAMA) is underway with over 50% of the planned sites populated. The array complements other elements of the recently designed Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), which collectively represents an Indian Ocean contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). IndOOS in general, and RAMA in particular, address the need to establish a system for comprehensive, long-term, high-quality, real-time measurements in the Indian Ocean suitable for climate research and forecasting. The broad range of time scales and rapid changes that can occur in the Indian Ocean dictate the need for a moored buoy array providing time series data with high temporal resolution as an essential element of IndOOS. RAMA is the Indian Ocean equivalent of the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean/Triangle Trans-Ocean Buoy Network (TAO/TRITON) and the Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA), which anchor basin-scale observing systems in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, respectively, RAMA is targeted at understanding and predicting the East African, Asian, and Australian monsoons, but will also benefit many outside the Indian Ocean region because of atmospheric connections that influence surrounding nations. In addition, real-time RAMA data will contribute to improved weather and marine forecasts, such as those for tropical cyclones and storm surge. China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA), First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) is the latest addition of data support to the RAMA array, occupying two locations in the eastern region of the IO, capturing the first signal from the Pacific (Indonesian Throughflow).  Plans are now underway for the next turn-around trip out of Jakarta, Indonesia in early 2012.  Buoys, moorings, and all instrumentation are all going through upgrades and calibrations in preparation for the long shipment from China to the IO RAMA location.  Please see “Projects” and “Gallery” for more information.