This study explores the distribution of excess heat in the upper 400 meters of the Indian Ocean after the hiatus period, focusing on the time 1993-2002, 2003-2012, and 2013-2022 using IAP, EN4, and Ishii datasets. The analysis reveals no significant change in ocean heat content (OHC) during the first period, a substantial increase in the second period, and minimal variation in the third. To address the limitations of temperature and salinity data, multiple reanalysis datasets were examined, identifying BRAN2020 as an effective model for simulating OHC. A detailed heat budget analysis for the upper 400 meters highlighted that atmospheric net heat flux was the primary factor influencing OHC changes in the third period. Further investigation into the components of net heat flux showed that latent heat flux was the key driver behind the observed variations.

ocean heat content,Indian Ocean,Heat budget,Latent heat flux