The Madden-Julian Oscillation drives storms across the Indian and Pacific oceans every 30 to 60 days. New research suggests that clouds absorbing and reemitting radiative energy play a key role.
Indian Ocean
Posted inScience Updates
Geological Insights from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Search
A rich trove of marine geophysical data acquired in the search for missing flight MH370 is yielding knowledge of ocean floor processes at a level of detail rare in the deep ocean.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Deciphering the Bay of Bengal's Tectonic Origins
New magnetic and gravity data suggest that the boundary between continental and oceanic crust lies beneath northern Bangladesh, along the line of an Early Cretaceous spreading center.
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An Ancient Sea Once Separated the Pacific and Indian Oceans
Seafloor under the hypothesized East Asian Sea vanished 10 million years ago as surrounding plates swallowed it up, according to new reconstructions of plate tectonics in the Philippine Sea region.
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Massive Ancient Tectonic Slab Found Below the Indian Ocean
Scientists discover a surprisingly positioned tectonic plate, buried below the southern Indian Ocean, that spans the entire mantle.
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An Unprecedented View of Biogeochemistry off India's West Coast
Yearlong study reveals seasonal changes in oxygen levels, nutrient availability, and plankton growth.
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Radar Study Examines Pulsing Tropical Climate
In the Madden-Julian Oscillation, shear forces caused by air layers slipping and sliding near the equator play a critical role in forming enormous thunderstorms and monsoons.
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New Weather Satellite Captures Sea Surface Temperatures
A new algorithm improves the accuracy of Pacific and Indian Ocean surface temperature measurements by the Japanese geostationary satellite Himawari-8.
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What Triggers Intraseasonal Oscillations in the Indian Ocean?
A new modeling study suggests that the triggering of the Madden-Julian Oscillation is dominated by interactions with preceding events.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Convection Cycles, Atmosphere, and Ocean Work Symbiotically
Scientists review studies of the tropical Madden-Julian Oscillation to better frame its role in air-sea interactions.