The Impact of the Indian Ocean Basin Mode on Antarctic Sea Ice Concentration in Interannual Time Scales

The Antarctic sea ice variability has been linked to tropical sea surface temperature. However, little is known as to whether and how the Indian Ocean Basin Mode (IOBM) influences Antarctic sea ice changes. We revealed the existence of a teleconnection between the IOMB and Antarctic sea ice anomalies, which is much stronger in austral spring and autumn than summer and winter. In particular, under the positive phase of the IOBM, significant positive sea ice anomalies occur in the Bellingshausen and northern Weddell Seas, in contrast to negative anomalies in the Amundsen Sea, the southern Atlantic Ocean, and the coastal seas off Dronning Maud Land. This teleconnection is established by planetary wavetrains excited over the tropical Indian Ocean and the tropical Pacific Ocean and is modulated by El Nino-Southern Oscillation. The IOBM-related Antarctic sea ice anomalies are largely consistent with those of the anomalous surface air temperature and wind fields associated with the IOBM.