Meridional‐Width Variability of Near‐Equatorial Zonal Currents Along 80.5°E on Seasonal to Interannual Timescales in the Indian Ocean.

Near‐equatorial zonal currents along 80.5°E in the upper Indian Ocean are key to tropical inter‐basin hydrographic exchanges. However, their meridional‐width variability and underlying causes have remained elusive. In this study, we use satellite‐derived ocean current data to reexamine the latitudinal structure of Wyrtki jets (WJs), Monsoon Circulation (MC), and South Equatorial Countercurrent (SECC) along 80.5°E on seasonal to interannual timescales. The WJs are characterized by a transient semiannual feature within the latitudinal range of 2.5°S–3°N, whereas the MC and the SECC have a dominant annual period within the latitudinal range of 3°–5.5°N and 2.5°–6°S, respectively. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis separates the seasonal latitudinal boundaries of the WJs, the MC, and the SECC, and reveals their interannual variability in response to anomalous wind forcing. EOFs1–3 represent the WJ, MC, and SECC modes accounting for 54%, 19%, and 14% of the total variance, respectively. The near‐equatorial zonal currents are asymmetrically responsive to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), with an abnormally strong westward current resulting from the latitudinal superposition of the WJ and SECC modes in the autumn of 1997, 2006, and 2015 during strong positive IOD events. However, the abnormally enhanced eastward WJs occurred only during weak IOD events in the autumn of 1995, 1999, and 2005, accompanied by latitudinal destructive interference of strong westward SECC. Model sensitivity experiments show that the asymmetric response of near‐equatorial zonal currents to climate modes is closely related to the spatial differences in large‐scale wind anomalies associated with wind‐driven and eastern‐boundary‐generated waves. Plain Language Summary: This study examines and quantifies the meridional‐width variability of near‐equatorial zonal currents on seasonal to interannual timescales and diagnoses the associated forcing scenarios by using remote observations, ocean reanalysis, and a continuously stratified linear longwave ocean model. The frequency and phase decompositions reveal the seasonal latitudinal boundaries of the Wyrtki jets, Monsoon Circulation, and South Equatorial Countercurrent along 80.5°E. The interannual variability of the near‐equatorial zonal currents show an asymmetric response to the mature phases of strong positive and negative Indian Ocean Dipole events. The underlying mechanisms of these asymmetric processes are related to the spatial differences in the large‐scale wind anomalies and the associated wind‐driven and eastern‐boundary‐generated waves. Key Points: Frequency and phase decompositions of near‐equatorial zonal currents show the seasonal latitudinal boundaries of WJs, MC, and SECC along 80.5°EMeridional‐width variability of the near‐equatorial zonal currents shows an asymmetric response to strong pIOD and nIOD on interannual timescalesUnderlying mechanisms are related to spatial differences in large‐scale wind anomalies associated with wind/eastern‐boundary generated waves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]