@article{fdi:010088796,
  title = {{H}ow well do {CMIP}6 models simulate salinity barrier layers in the {N}orth {I}ndian {O}cean ?},
  author = {{P}ang, {S}. {S}. and {W}ang, {X}. {D}. and {V}ialard, {J}{\'e}r{\^o}me},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{P}revious studies have hypothesized that climatologically thick salinity-stratified barrier layers ({BL}s) in the north {I}ndian {O}cean ({NIO}) influence the upper ocean heat budget, sea surface temperature ({SST}), and monsoons. {H}ere, we investigate how state-of-the-art {C}oupled {M}odel {I}ntercomparison {P}roject phase 6 ({CMIP}6) climate models simulate the {NIO} barrier layer thickness ({BLT}). {CMIP}6 models generally reproduce the {BLT} seasonal cycle and spatial distribution, but with shallow {N}ovember-{F}ebruary ({NDJF}) biases in regions with thick observed {BLT}: the eastern equatorial {I}ndian {O}cean ({EEIO}), {B}ay of {B}engal ({B}o{B}), and southeastern {A}rabian {S}ea ({SEAS}). {W}e show that the intensity of the {CMIP}6 equatorial easterly wind bias controls the {EEIO} shallow isothermal layer depth ({ILD}) and {BLT} biases. {I}t also controls the {B}o{B} shallow {BLT} bias, both through the propagation of the {EEIO} shallow {ILD} bias into the {NIO} coastal waveguide and because it is linked to the {B}o{B} dry and cold bias through the {B}jerknes feedback, hence also controlling the mixed layer depth ({MLD}) deep bias there. {F}inally, the {SEAS} shallow {BLT} bias is due to a too-deep {MLD}, in response to subdued monsoonal currents around {I}ndia, which do not bring enough {B}o{B} low-salinity water. {T}he {BL} insulating effect mentioned in literature does not seem to dominate in {CMIP}6. {R}ather, the {CMIP}6 salinity-related deep {MLD} biases diminish the {B}o{B} cooling rate by winter upward surface heat fluxes, reducing cold {SST} biases. {T}his suggests that salinity effects alleviate the easterly equatorial wind, cold, and dry {B}o{B} biases that develop through the positive {B}jerknes feedback loop in {CMIP}6.},
  keywords = {{I}ndian {O}cean ; {O}ceanic mixed layer ; {S}alinity ; {C}limate models ; {M}odel ; comparison ; {M}odel errors},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {C}limate},
  volume = {37},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {289--308},
  ISSN = {0894-8755},
  year = {2024},
  DOI = {10.1175/jcli-d-23-0366.1},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010088796},
}