On The Interannual Variability of Indonesian Monsoon Rainfall (IMR): A Literature Review of The Role of its External Forcing

Abstract

The IMR variability is notorious for its hydrometeorological disasters. This paper examines recent studies on IMR and the main factors controlling its variability. The focus of this study is to investigate the impact of the atmosphere-ocean interaction that acts as the external forcing of IMR in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Specifically, the study will examine the influence of two climate phenomena, namely the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and their interdecadal changes associated Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), on the IMR. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Furthermore, data sets (such as rainfall, wind field, and SST) spanning 1990-2020 were used to verify the key findings. In general, this study concludes that the majority of the authors coincided with the following conclusion: ENSO and IOD events impact IMR by changing its amplitude, duration, intensity, and frequency of mean and extreme rainfall. Additionally, it has been shown that their impacts on IMR are most substantial during the dry seasons, specifically in June, July, and August (JJA), and not as strong as during the wet seasons, specifically in December, January, and February (DJF). Spatially, the effects of ENSO and IOD on IMR variability are clearly found more eastward and westward of the region, respectively. The expansions towards the east and west directions were facilitated by the displacement of the ascending and descending of Walker circulation patterns in the Indonesian region, respectively. Given the interannual fluctuations in IMR, caused mainly by ocean-atmosphere interactions, the knowledge gap of atmospheric factors like the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) must be investigated in the future, as suggested by previous research and our preliminary study.