Indonesian throughflow

From Glossary of Meteorology



Indonesian Throughflow

The transport of upper ocean water from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian Seas.

The throughflow is an important link in the ocean conveyor belt. It is driven by the sea level difference between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and is at its maximum, with 12–20 Sv (12–20 × 106 m3 s-1), during May–September, when it opposes the wind. The minimum, 2–5 Sv, occurs during November–March, when it follows the wind.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.