Internal Tide Variability in the Arabian Sea Simulated by a High‐Resolution Model With Realistic Forcing

Abstract This study investigates the variability of internal tides in the Arabian Sea from 2003 to 2019 using a three‐dimensional high‐resolution general ocean circulation model forced by realistic forcing. The model reveals their key generation sites including around Socotra Island, the Carlsberg Ridge, the Maldives, and the northeastern Arabian Sea. The analysis of depth‐integrated kinetic energy and energy flux reveals significant spatial and temporal variability driven by seasonal, interannual, and multi‐year climatic factors. Peak activity occurs in summer and winter due to the monsoonal cycle, and a quasi six‐year modulation is also evident in the internal tide energy. Correlation analysis shows that internal tide energy is strongly linked to upper ocean stratification on seasonal time scales, but this relationship weakens markedly after removing the climatological cycle, indicating that their interannual covariance is limited and influenced by additional processes. Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis further clarifies the dominant spatial and temporal patterns. The leading mode represents a basin‐wide coherent response, while the second mode highlights an out‐of‐phase structure between the major generation regions and the remote propagation pathways. These results reveal the complex variability of internal tides in the Arabian Sea and underscore the influence of both stratification and large‐scale environmental fluctuations on their modulation.