Computer models are the tools scientists use to try and understand the physical processes of a system as complex as the Indian Ocean Monsoon. Since controlled experiments in nature (especially on the large scale as the Indian Ocean Monsoon occurs on) are clearly impossible, computer simulations of the physical processes are developed to help clarify the critical processes that drive the system. The computer simulations are also used to understand how the different components interact with each other. In the model, the physical processes are transformed into mathematical equations which are solved based on either the physics of the processes or statistical descriptions of them.
One of the keys to building computer models which simulate, and ultimately predict monsoon relatedo events, is the coupling between the ocean and the atmosphere. The coupling between the ocean and atmosphere is particularly important because the processes in the ocean and the atmosphere feed off of each other. It is not clear whether a monsoon event is initiated in the ocean and atmosphere. The current emphasis in modeling a monsoon in obtaining accurate and detailed measurements of the amount of energy, water and chemicals that are being exchanged at the ocean-atmosphere interface. Satellite observations and ground measurements can provide many of the key measurements that are currently needed by the Global Climate Models today.