Does evaporation over the Arabian Sea play a crucial role in moisture transport across the west coast of India during an active monsoon period?

Abstract

In the present study interannual variability of the contributions of evaporation and moisture flux from the Southern Hemisphere towards the moisture transport across the west coast of India is examined. The mean rates of evaporation and precipitation over the Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon season are 2.78 and 2.21 (x1010 tons/day, MKS, respectively). This suggests that the possible contribution from evaporation towards the moisture flux across the west coast of India is less significant. On a seasonal scale the ratio between cross-equatorial flux and the moisture transport across the west coast of India is found to be dominant irrespective of the monsoon activity. Only detailed information on evaporation and precipitation fields over the Arabian Sea under different phases of a monsoon could shed light on this problem. -Authors