With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?1. The IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.Select the correct answer using the code given below:
✓ Correct answer: b) 2 only
ExplanationStatement 1 is incorrect : The Indian Ocean Di- pole(IOD) is defined by the difference in sea surface tempera- tures (SSTs) between the western and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean, not the Pacific Ocean.Specifically, it involves the SST gradient between the western equatorial Indian Ocean (50°E-70°E and 10°S-10°N) and the southeastern equatorial In- dian Ocean (90°E-110°E and 10°S-0°N).Statement 2 is correct : A positive IOD (warmer SST in the western Indian Ocean) can help mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño on the Indian monsoon by enhancing monsoonal rainfall.Conversely, a negative IOD (warmer SST in the eastern Indian Ocean) can exacerbate El Niño’s drought-like conditions over India.SUPER HINT For S1, It’s called the Indian Ocean Dipole, so logically, it should involve two regions within the Indian Ocean, not the Pacific.So mentioning the Eastern Pacific is a red flag and likely false.For S2, phrase "can influence" is way too general to be called false.Atmospheric phenomenons are complex and related Hence likely true.78
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