A recent study by NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory has revealed unusual ocean surface currents in the Bay of Bengal that challenge traditional models. The research found that these currents move to the left of surface winds, a phenomenon previously thought to occur only in the Southern Hemisphere.
The discovery was made using long-term buoy data and holds significant implications for climate studies, marine ecosystems, and disaster response strategies. According to senior scientist Michael McPhaden, this finding could enhance our understanding of weather and climate variability, as well as provide insights into ecosystem behavior and fisheries management.
The study’s findings were published in the journal Science Advances and have relevance for future satellite missions that aim to measure surface winds and ocean currents at high resolution over the global ocean. This knowledge could help improve monsoon forecasting, which is crucial for agricultural production and supports one-third of the world’s population.
The research team’s discovery also highlights the complexity of ocean circulation patterns and the need for further study. As McPhaden noted, “one third of the world population depends on monsoon-driven rainfall for agricultural production, so improving our understanding and ability to predict the monsoons has been a longstanding objective of the international scientific community.”
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/surprising-twist-bay-of-bengals-ocean-currents-defy-a-century-of-science