With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1.OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean during January – March.
- 2.OMT collected during January – March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
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Answer: B. Statement 1 is wrong: OMT is measured up to the depth of the 26°C isotherm, but in the south-western Indian Ocean during January-March this depth is about 59 m on average (it varies between about 50 and 100 m), not 129 m. Statement 2 is correct: OMT in January-March helps predict whether monsoon rain will be above or below the long-term average. So only 2.
Watch for: The 26°C isotherm part is correct, which makes students accept the whole statement.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because the 26°C isotherm there lies at about 59 m, not 129 m.
- C. Wrong because statement 1 is false.
- D. Wrong because statement 2 is correct.
Source to check: Venugopal et al., Scientific Reports (2018), on south-western Indian Ocean heat content and Indian summer monsoon rainfall
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.