ARABIAN SEA MONSOON EXPERIMENT (ARMEX)

(2002-2003)

Objectives

Phase I

• To study the genesis, intensification and propagation of convective systems over the east Arabian sea leading to very heavy rainfall along the west coast.

• Variation of air-sea fluxes, vertical stability and wind-shear in association with these systems

• Impact of the SST field including wind induced upwelling on convective system

Phase II

• To study the life cycle of the Indian Ocean Warm Pool and Lakshadweep SST high over the Arabian sea; genesis, maintenance, and collapse of the Lakshadweep SST high, and its spatio-temporal structure vis-à-vis the Indian Ocean Warm Pool.

• Nature and strength of inversion in the atmosphere over southeast Arabian sea during the growing, mature and collapsing phases of warm pool.

• Components of surface fluxes and air-sea interaction processes in the Lakshadweep Sea during the study period.

• The role of the warm pool in the southeastern Arabian Sea in the processes of onset of monsoon over Kerala.