Climate change likely to increase rough wave days in Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean, the northern Arabian Sea and the central Bay of Bengal are likely to experience an increase in strong wave days in the near future. It could help alert and plan early to avoid major impacts to life and property, especially in coastal areas.

A recent study by the Department of Applied Sciences, National Institute of Technology Delhi; Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur; and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, extreme wave events shows that extreme wave events that have occurred quite frequently in recent times can have a tremendous impact on coastal people's livelihoods, infrastructure and ocean-related activities.

Observed variability and changes in extreme wave events, along with changes in storm intensity and tracks, can play a crucial role in shoreline changes, erosion rates, flooding events, and other related coastal hazards.

Increase rough wave days in Indian Ocean

Extreme waves due to climate change and its consequences continue to emerge on a regional and global scale. Therefore, a better understanding of projected future changes in the amplitude of high-frequency extreme wave events is necessary for timely warning and coastal planning and management.

The study added that extreme waves due to climate change and its consequences continue to emerge on both a regional and global scale. "A better understanding of projected future changes in the amplitude of high-frequency extreme wave events is necessary for timely warning and coastal planning and management."

“Future projections indicate that under the RCP4.5 (Mean Representative Greenhouse Gas Concentration Pathway) climate scenario, regions over the eastern tropical Indian Ocean, the northern sector of the Arabian Sea, and the central Bay of Bengal showed a strong positive increase on days of strong waves."

The study indicates that projected changes in the amplitude of extreme high-frequency wave events in the southern hemisphere are driven by changes in a pressure gradient at sea level that is consistent with SAM (Southern Annular Mode) projections for the 21st century.

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