Influence of the Oyashio Current and Tsugaru Warm Current on the circulation and water properties of Otsuchi Bay,Japan

Mooring and hydrographic observations were conducted from September 2012 to May 2014 at the mouth of Otsuchi Bay, a ria along the Pacific coast of Japan. Our observations quantitatively demonstrated that the circulation and the water properties of Otsuchi Bay are strongly influenced by the Tsugaru Warm Current (TWC) and Oyashio Current (OY) at seasonal and subseasonal time scales. Two bottom-mounted velocity profilers and temperature and salinity measurements beneath the near-surface halocline showed a counterclockwise lateral circulation pattern related to the TWC, which was enhanced from summer to autumn. From winter to early spring, the lateral circulation patterns related to the TWC weakened and the influence of the OY occasionally increased. When the OY was weak, surface flows became an overturning structure, with outflows in the upper layer and inflows in the lower layer. When the OY was strong and passed close to the Sanriku coast, the circulation became highly variable and intermittent. Intrusions of the markedly low-salinity OY water were observed on two occasions and persisted for periods of several weeks to several months. Salinity was sometimes less than 33.7, the lower limit of the typical TWC from late summer to autumn even when the TWC dominates. We suggested that this is the seasonal fluctuations of the TWC itself, as the upstream current of the Tsushima Warm Current is freshened in summer as a result of the influence of the Changjiang River. The surface water was generally fresher in the south of the bay than in the north, suggesting the Coriolis deflection of the river plume.     

Structure of the subsurface counter current beneath the Tsushima warm current simulated by an ocean general circulation model

The subsurface counter current beneath the Tsushima Warm Current is simulated using a three-dimensional circulation model. The model well reproduces the counter current beneath the Tsushima Warm Current on the shelf break. The counter current appears as nearshore parts of the subsurface clockwise circulations from spring to early winter. The clockwise circulations are separated by developed shelves such as the Oki Spur and the Noto Peninsula, thus the counter current is not a continuous flow along the Japanese coast in this model. The vertical structure of the counter current can be explained by a density structure with the thermal wind relationship. The permanent and seasonal pycnoclines form mutually opposite horizontal density gradients near the Japanese coast in summer. Such a density structure results in a speed maximum of the counter current away from the bottom. It is remarkable that the second baroclinic mode is dominant in nearshore parts of the subsurface clockwise circulations in summer, which are attributed to the density structure. Similar density structures are also found in some coastal regions of the world oceans where subsurface counter currents are expected.     

A Late Winter Hydrography in Hidaka Bay, South of Hokkaido, Japan

Hydrographic observations in Hidaka Bay, south of Hokkaido, Japan were carried out in late winter 1996 and 1997 to examine the spatial distributions and circulation features of two different water masses, i.e., Coastal Oyashio Water (COW) and Tsugaru Warm Water (TWW), and their modifications. It is known that COW is mostly composed of cold and low-salinity water of the melted drift ice coming from the Okhotsk Sea and flows into Hidaka Bay from winter to spring and TWW with high-salinity continuously supplies from the Tsugaru Strait to the North Pacific. Cold surface mixed layers (<26.2σ_θ, 0–100 m depth) were found mainly over the shelf slope, confirming that anti-clockwise flow of COW was formed. TWW was relatively high in salinity and low in potential vorticity, and had some patch-like water masses with a temperature and salinity maximum in the limited area in the further offshore at the deeper density levels of 26.6–26.8σ_θ. The fine structure of vertical temperature and salinity profiles appeared between TWW and COW is an indication of enhanced vertical mixing (double-diffusive mixing), as inferred from the estimated Turner angles. At a mouth of the Tsugaru Strait in late winter 1997, a significant thermohaline front between TWW and the modified COW was formed and a main path of TWW spreaded south along the Sanriku coast, probably as the bottom controlled flow. Hence, the patch-like TWW observed in late winter is isolated from the Tsugaru Warm Current and then rapidly modified due to a diapycnal mixing. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Numerical Modeling of the Upper and the Intermediate Layer Circulation in the East Sea

Circulation in the upper and the intermediate layer of the East Sea is investigated by using a fine resolution, ocean general circulation model. Proper separation of the East Korean Warm Current from the coast is achieved by adopting the isopycnal mixing, and using the observed heat flux (Hirose et al., 1996) and the realistic wind stress (Na et al., 1992). The simulated surface circulation exhibits a remarkable seasonal variation in the flow patterns of the Nearshore Branch, the East Korean Warm Current and the Cold Currents. East of the Oki Bank, the Nearshore Branch follows the isobath of shelf topography from late winter to spring, while in summer and autumn it meanders offshore. The Nearshore Branch is accompanied by cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in a fully developed meandering phase. The meandering and the eddy formation of the Nearshore Branch control the interior circulation in the Tsushima Current area. A recirculation gyre is developed in the region of the East Korean Warm Current in spring and grown up to an Ulleung Basin scale in summer. A subsurface water is mixed with the fresh surface water by winter convection in the northeastern coastal region of Korea. The well-mixed low salinity water is transported to the south by the Cold Currents, forming the salinity minimum layer (Intermediate Water) beneath the East Korean Warm Current water. The recirculation gyre redistributes the core water of the salinity minimum layer in the Ulleung Basin. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seasonal variation of residual current in Tokyo Bay,Japan —diagnostic numerical experiments—

The residual currents in Tokyo Bay during four seasons are calculated diagnostically from the observed water temperature, salinity and wind data collected by Unokiet al. (1980). The calculated residual currents, verified by the observed ones, show an obvious seasonal variable character. During spring, a clear anticlockwise circulation develops in the head region of the bay and a strong southwestward current flows in the upper layer along the eastern coast from the central part to the mouth of the bay. During summer, the anticlockwise circulation in the head region is maintained but the southwestward current along the eastern coast becomes weak. During autumn, the preceding anticlockwise circulation disappears but a clockwise circulation develops in the central part of the bay. During winter, the calculated residual current is similar to that during autumn. As a conclusion, the seasonal variation of residual current in Tokyo Bay can be attributed to the variation of the strength of two eddies. The first one is the anticlockwise circulation in the head region of the bay, which develops in spring and summer and disappears in autumn and winter. The second one is the clockwise circulation in the central part of the bay, which develops in autumn and winter, decreases in spring and nearly disappears in summer.     

Wind-driven circulation in the Japan Sea and its influence on the branching of the Tsushima Current

Seasonal variation in the wind-driven circulation in the Japan Sea is studied with reference to the branching of the Tsushima Current using a two-layer model with simplified bottom and coastal topography. The system is driven by wind stress, an inflow corresponding to the Tsushima Current and by the two outflows corresponding to the Tsugaru and Soya Currents.In the first phase, an annual mean wind stress is imposed and a quasi-stationary state is obtained. In the next phase, a seasonally varying wind stress is imposed. Seasonal variation in the wind stress plays an important role in the branching system of the Tsushima Current. In winter, an intensified western boundary current with a prominent inner circulation is formed as a result of a strong wind stress of winter monsoon with negative wind stress curl. In spring to summer, the western boundary current is weak, but the topographic branch along the Japanese coast is intensified. The weak western boundary current is caused by weak wind stress with positive wind stress curl, which induces cyclonic Sverdrup flow in the Japan Sea and causes its western boundary current to flow in the opposite direction to the prescribed northward boundary inflow current. The topographic branch is strongest in late spring and moves offshore in summer, in agreement with the central branch denoted by Kawabe (1982b). Some of the observational features of the Tsushima Current are successfully simulated.     

Structure of the Tsushima warm current in the northeastern Japan Sea

By using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements with the four round-trips method to remove diurnal/semidiurnal tidal currents, the detailed current structure and volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) along the northwestern Japanese coast in the northeastern Japan Sea were examined in the period September–October 2000. The volume transport of the First Branch of the TWC (FBTWC) east of the Noto Peninsula was estimated as approximately 1.0 Sv (10⁶ m³/s), and the FBTWC continued to flow along the Honshu Island to the south of the Oga Peninsula. To the north of the Oga Peninsula, the Second Branch of Tsushima Warm Current and the eastward current established by the subarctic front were recombined with the FBTWC and the total volume transport increased to 1.9 Sv. The water properties at each ADCP line strongly suggested that most of the upper portion of the TWC with high temperature and low salinity flowed out to the North Pacific as the Tsugaru Warm Current. In the north of the Tsugaru Strait, the volume transport of the northward current was observed to be as almost 1 Sv. However, the component of the TWC water was small (approximately 0.3 Sv).     

Numerical experiment on the circulation in the Japan Sea

By using a rectangular basin of uniform depth with inflow and outflow openings, the circulation in the Japan Sea is investigated numerically. Heat flux through the sea surface is determined from the annual mean atmospheric conditions for the Japan Sea, but no wind stress is considered.In the transient state, the warm water supplied through an inflow opening travels cyclonically along the coast as a density-driven boundary current in a rotating system. In the quasi-steady state, the warm water flows northward as a western boundary current which corresponds to the East Korean Warm Current and gradually separates from the coast as it flows northward. No strong boundary current corresponding to the nearshore branch of the Tsushima Current exists.Under annual mean atmospheric conditions, formation of the deep water characteristic of the Japan Sea and of the thermal front corresponding to the Polar Front do not take place.     

渤、黄海冬、夏季节风生流场年际变化时空模态与环流变异

根据1975—2017年冬、夏季节渤、黄海沿岸25个气象站风观测资料,采用二维非线性垂直平均风生流模式、旋转经验正交函数(REOF)等方法,研究了渤、黄海冬、夏季节平均风生流速度势与流函数场年际变化时空模态与环流变异.由于冬、夏季节渤、黄海风应力场强度年际变化显著线性减弱趋势,冬季渤、黄海平均速度势与流函数强度年际变化线性减弱速率大于夏季,黄海冬、夏季平均速度势与流函数强度年际变化线性减弱速率大于渤海.渤、黄海冬、夏季节平均风生流速度势与流函数场年际变化主要有两种时空模态,冬季渤海垂直环流显著线性减弱以及水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量,冬季黄海垂直与水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量.夏季渤海垂直环流显著线性减弱以及水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量,夏季黄海大部分海域垂直环流显著线性减弱与局部垂直环流显著线性增强年际变化是主要分量,夏季黄海水平环流形态此消彼长显著线性增强及减弱年际变化是主要分量.冬季黄海暖流暖水向南黄海西侧以及向渤海中部输送过程是在3～4个环流之间传递形成,并非由单一环流输送形成.冬季渤海中部辐散下沉反气旋环流与黄海中部至渤海海峡的气旋环流、黄海东部辐散下沉反气旋环流是冬季黄海暖流强度与范围的控制环流,夏季渤海中部辐散下沉反气旋环流与黄海中部辐合上升气旋型环流是夏季渤、黄海冷水团强度与范围的控制环流,冬、夏季节渤、黄海控制环流年际变化形态的变换形成冬季黄海暖流与夏季渤、黄海冷水团暖年或冷年的年际变化.     

Numerical simulation of Pacific water intrusions into Otsuchi Bay,northeast of Japan,with a nested-grid OGCM

A numerical simulation of Otsuchi Bay located on the northeast coast of the Honshu, the largest island of Japan, is conducted, using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) with a nested-grid system in order to illustrate seasonal variability of the circulation in the bay. Through a year, an anticlockwise circulation is dominant in the bay, as observational studies have implied, although it is modified in the bay-mouth-half of the bay in winter. In addition, there is an intense outflow at the surface layer during spring to autumn, influenced by river water discharge. Intrusion of the Pacific water into the bay is influened by mean circulations, but it is also influenced by baroclinic tides from spring to autumn. Pacific water intrusions affected by baroclinic tides may have an impact on the environment in Otsuchi Bay.     

南海的季节环流─TOPEX/POSEIDON卫星测高应用研究

应用1992～1996年的TOPEX/POSEIDON卫星高度计遥感资料,研究了冬、夏季风强盛期多年平均的南海上层环流结构。研究结果表明,南海上层流结构呈明显的季节变化,在很大程度上受该海区冬、夏交替的季风支配。冬季总环流呈气旋型,并发育有两个次海盆尺度气旋型环流;夏季总环流大致呈反气旋型、但在南海东部18°N以南海域未见明显流系发育。研究还表明,南海环流的西向强化趋势明显,无论冬、夏在中南半岛沿岸和巽他陆架外缘均存在急流,其流向冬、夏相反,是南海上层环流中最强劲的一支。鉴于该海流的动力特征与海洋动力学中定义的漂流不同,有相当大的地转成分,建议称为“南海季风急流(South China Sea MonsoonJet)”.冬季南下的季风急流在南海南部受巽他陆架阻挡折向东北,沿加里曼丹岛和巴拉望岛外海有较强东北向流发育。夏季北上的季风急流在海南岛东南分为两支:北支沿陆架北上,似为传统意义上的南海暖流;南支沿18°N向东横穿南海后折向东北;二者之间(陆架坡折附近)为弱流区。两分支在汕头外海汇合后,南海暖流流速增强。就多年平均而言,黑潮只在冬季侵入南海东北部,并在南海北部诱生一个次海盆尺度的气旋型环流,这时南海暖流只出现在汕头以东海域.夏季南海北部完全受东北向流控制,未见黑潮入侵迹象.用卫星跟踪海面漂流浮标观测进行的对比验证表明,以上遥感分析结果与海上观测一致。     

预估修正法对河口海岸海洋模式稳定性的提高

河口海岸海洋模式时间差分为欧拉前差格式，在涡动粘滞系数较小的情况下，模式存在着弱不稳定性。为提高模式的稳定性，采用预估修正法对模式中科氏力项作半隐式处理。首先在理论上证明了模式稳定性的提高，随后设计一个高分辨率网格，考虑实际岸线和水深、边界通量、密度梯度力和风应力，把模式应用于冬季渤、黄、东海环流的数值模拟，数值试验也证明了模式稳定性的提高。改进后的河口海岸海洋模式较成功地模拟出了冬季渤、黄、东海环流（黑潮、台湾暖流、对马暖流、黄海暖流和沿岸流），与实际观测和研究结果较为一致。     

On the Huanghai (Yellow) Sea circulation: a review by current measurements

INTRODUCTIONTheHuanghaiSea(hereafterHS)isashallow,semi-enclosedbasinsurroundedbytheChina'sMainlandtoitswestandmorth,andbytheKoreaPeninsulatOtheeast.TheHSreceivesabundantdischargeoffreshwaterandland-basedmaterialsthroughriversfromChinaandKorea,which ThisstudywassupportedbyagrantfromtheKoreaMinistryofaudienceandTechnoing.maybeaccumulatedpartlyinsidethebasinforacertainpenedormoveoutofthebasinintothenorthwesternEastChinaSea.TheHScirculationisknowntobemostlydependentuPOnsurfacewindfie…     

东海冷涡对东亚季风年代际变化

利用CORA、COADS和SODA 等高分辨率的海洋和大气再分析资料及区域海洋模式(ROMS), 研究了东海冷涡对1976/1977 年前后东亚季风年代际跃变(减弱)的响应。结果表明: (1)1976/1977年前后东亚季风跃变后, 夏季东海冷涡明显增强, 主要表现为冷涡的温度显著降低, 而冬季东海冷涡有所变弱但其温度上升不明显; (2)东亚冬季风跃变后, 济州岛西南侧的黄海暖流减弱, 冷涡区出现一个反气旋式环流异常, 这有利于冬季东海冷涡的减弱; (3)东亚夏季风跃变后, 台湾暖流外海侧分支及济州岛西南侧的黄海暖流分支增强, 使得冷涡区的气旋性环流变强, 这有利于夏季东海冷涡的加强。数值试验的结果表明, 东亚冬、夏季风的跃变在东中国海引起了不同的中尺度海洋环流异常, 从而导致东海冷涡对东亚冬、夏季风的跃变产生不同的响应。     

北太平洋北部的风能输入门户

风不仅驱动了上层海洋的环流,也是深层海洋运动的主要能量来源.本文主要研究了北太平洋北部的风能输入的季节性分布特征和年际变化趋势,包括风向表面波、表层地转流和表层非地转流的能量输入.基于SODA3数据的结果表明,风能输入门户随季节变化显著,其中黑潮延伸区是冬季门户,副极地流涡是春、秋季门户,大洋东边界则是夏季门户,能量输...     

阿拉伯海高盐水入侵孟加拉湾的季节形态及动力机制

本研究利用Argo温盐、Aquarius遥感盐度等资料,研究了阿拉伯海高盐水入侵孟加拉湾的主要路径及季节变化机制.分析显示阿拉伯海高盐水入侵孟加拉湾存在3种类型,即夏季型、冬季型和春季型.夏季型入侵发生在湾口西部,入侵时间为7—10月,净体积输送达1.53 Sv.冬季型(12月至次年1月)和春季型(3—5月)阿拉伯海高...     

Volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current, west of Tsugaru Strait bifurcation area

Northern and southern latitudinal transects were conducted west of Tsugaru Strait to estimate the volume transport in this area. It was found that the Tsushima Warm Current is the northward volume transport across the southern transect and the Northward Current is the northward volume transport across the northern transect. The current in Tsugaru Strait,viz. the Tsugaru Warm Current, is the flow remaining when the Northward Current is subtracted from the Tsushima Warm Current. Both CTD transects covered from near-shore to west of the subarctic front, and observed depths were from the surface to the bottom or to 1000-1500 m depth. Our estimations indicate that large interannual variations of volume transport occur, relative to the seasonal ones, with interannual variations sometimes exceeding seasonal variations in the Tsushima Warm Current and the Northward Current. The Tsugaru Warm Current has near-steady transport. Fluctuations in the Tsushima Warm Current are thus transmitted to the Northward Current. Further, our results revealed seasonal variations in the flow: the baloclinic structure became deeper in April and the current axis tended to shift in a near-shore direction in October. Therefore, previous studies, which had shallow reference levels and lacked nearshore stations, may have underestimated the transport and excessive seasonal variations.     

对马暖流“东海段”的流路与流速

本文全面地分析了此段海流的流路与流速结构，首次提出研究海域近底层的环流示意图。指出在夏季，韩国南岸和日本九州北岸均存在着一支南下的逆流，九州西岸出现两种或多种形式的流路。对马暖流在源地流速很弱，流向不稳定，流路时隐时显不明显，只有离开源地后才逐渐显示出一支海流轮廓；强流区在朝鲜海峡附近。该海流可明显地划分为三段。流速夏强冬弱，夏季流幅宽约８０ｋｍ。     

The Current System in the Yellow and East China Seas

During the 1990s, our knowledge and understanding of the current system in the Yellow and East China Seas have grown significantly due primarily to new technologies for measuring surface currents and making high-resolution three-dimensional numerical model calculations. One of the most important new findings in this decade is direct evidence of the northward current west of Kyushu provided by satellite-tracked surface drifters. In the East China Sea shelf region, these recent studies indicate that in winter the Tsushima Warm Current has a single source, the Kuroshio Branch Current in the west of Kyushu, which transports a mixture of Kuroshio Water and Changjiang River Diluted Water northward. In summer the surface Tsushima Warm Current has multiple sources, i.e., the Taiwan Warm Current, the Kuroshio Branch Current to the north of Taiwan, and the Kuroshio Branch Current west of Kyushu. The summer surface circulation pattern in the East China Sea shelf region changes year-to-year corresponding to interannual variations in Changjiang River discharge. Questions concerning the Yellow Sea Warm Current, the Chinese Coastal Current in the Yellow Sea, the current field southwest of Kyushu, and the deep circulation in the Okinawa Trough remain to be addressed in the next decade. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seasonal variations of shelf circulation in Hidaka Bay,Hokkaido, Japan,with an interpretation of the migration route of juvenile walleye pollock

The outer shelf of Funka Bay, located at the bay head of Hidaka Bay, is a recognised main winter spawning ground for walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), whose newly hatched juveniles migrate eastward along the Hidaka shelf to the nursery ground located in the Doto area. To examine the seasonal change of the coastal current along this migration route, four current moorings were deployed along the shelf in Hidaka Bay from April, 2004 to June, 2006. Since these mooring sites were close to the coast, the circulation was estimated after removal of the wind-driven component. It was found that the winter coastal flow, forced by a north-westerly monsoon wind, is clockwise along the Hidaka shelf. However, this flow is weak due to the superimposition of the opposite Coastal Oyashio flow trapped on the shelf. In summer, a bifurcation of the coastal current occurs along the north-eastern Hidaka shelf with a south-eastward flow, associated with the Tsugaru Gyre, and a north-westward flow, consisting of a branch from this gyre. Our results provide a new understanding of the migration of juvenile walleye pollock: (1) very slow transport of juveniles along the Hidaka shelf from winter to spring, and (2) selection of earlier spawning survivors due to the bifurcated flow in early summer.