A modelling study of inter-annual variation of Kuroshio intrusion on the shelf of East China Sea

Inter-annual variability of the Kuroshio water intrusion on the shelf of East China Sea (ECS) was simulated with a nested global and Northwest Pacific ocean circulation model. The model analysis reveals the influence of the variability of Kuroshio transport east of Taiwan on the intrusion to the northeast of Taiwan: high correlation (r = 0.92) with the on-shore volume flux in the lower layer (50–200 m); low correlation (r = 0.50) with the on-shore flux in the upper layer (0–50 m). Spatial distribution of correlations between volume fluxes and sea surface height suggests that inter-annual variability of the Kuroshio flux east of Taiwan and its subsurface water intruding to the shelf lag behind the sea surface height anomalies in the central Pacific at 162°E by about 14 months, and could be related to wind-forced variation in the interior North Pacific that propagates westward as Rossby waves. The intrusion of Kuroshio surface water is also influenced by local winds. The intruding Kuroshio subsurface water causes variations of temperature and salinity of bottom waters on the southern ECS shelf. The influence of the intruding Kuroshio subsurface water extends widely from the shelf slope northeast of Taiwan northward to the central ECS near the 60 m isobath, and northeastward to the region near the 90 m isobath.     

Numerical study on interaction between eddies and the Kuroshio Current east of Taiwan,China

We investigated the interaction between mesoscale eddies and the Kuroshio Current east of Taiwan,China,using a fine-resolution regional general circulation model.Mesoscale eddies are injected into a region east of Taiwan,China,according to the quasi-geostrophic theory of stratified fluids.Modeled eddies propagated westward at the velocity of the first baroclinic mode Rossby wave.When eddies collide with the Kuroshio Current east of Taiwan,China,the spatial structure and volume transport of the Kuroshio Current shows a significant variation.The upper 600 m of the anticyclonic eddy cannot cross the Kuroshio Current to reach the region west of the Kuroshio Current;rather,these waters flow northward along the eastern side of the Kuroshio Current.The upper water carried by the anticyclonic eddies cannot reach the shelf of the East China Sea(ECS).In contrast,the waters in the upper layer of the cyclonic eddy reach the western side of the Kuroshio Current and then flow northward.The dynamic mechanism analysis shows that the interaction between the Kuroshio Current and the cyclonic(anticyclonic) eddy decrease(increase)the horizontal potential vorticity(PV) gradient,or PV barrier,whereby the cyclonic(anticyclonic) eddy can(cannot) cross the Kuroshio Current.This study implies that the continental shelf could potentially be influenced by cyclonic eddies in the open ocean,which can transport heat and material from the upper open ocean acro s s the Kuroshio Current to the shelf waters.     

The impact of meso-scale eddies on the Subtropical Mode Water in the western North Pacific

Based on the temperature and salinity from the Argo profiling floats and altimeter-derived geostrophic velocity anomaly (GVA) data in the western North Pacific during 2002–2011, the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (NPSTMW) distribution is investigated and cyclonic and anti-cyclonic eddies (CEs and AEs) are constructed to study the influence of their vertical structures on maintaining NPSTMW. Combining eddies identified by the GVA data and Argo profiling float data, it is found that the average NPSTMW thickness of AEs is about 60 dbar, which is thicker than that of CEs. The NPSTMW thicker than 150 dbar in AEs accounts for 18%, whereas that in CEs accounts for only 1%. About 3377 (3517) profiles, which located within one diameter of the nearest CEs (AEs) are used to construct the CE (AE). The composite AE traps low-PV water in the center and with a convex shape in the vertical section. The ‘trapped depth’ of the composite CE (AE) is 300 m (550 m) where the rotational velocity exceeds the transitional velocity. The present study suggests that the anticyclonic eddies are not only likely to form larger amounts of NPSTMW, but also trap more NPSTMW than cyclonic eddies.     

A spectral mixture model analysis of the Kuroshio variability and the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea

For understanding more about the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea,We studied the variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea(ECS) in the period of 1991 to 2008 using a three-dimensional circulation model,and calculated Kuroshio onshore volume transport in the ECS at the minimum of 0.48 Sv(1 Sv ;106 m3/s) in summer and the maximum of 1.69 Sv in winter.Based on the data of WOA05 and NCEP,The modeled result indicates that the Kuroshio transport east of Taiwan Island decreased since 2000.Lateral movements tended to be stronger at two ends of the Kuroshio in the ECS than that of the middle segment.In addition,we applied a spectral mixture model(SMM) to determine the exchange zone between the Kuroshio and the shelf water of the ECS.The result reveals a significantly negative correlation(coefficient of-0.78) between the area of exchange zone and the Kuroshio onshore transport at 200 m isobath in the ECS.This conclusion brings a new view for the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea.Additional to annual and semi-annual signals,intra-seasonal signal of probably the Pacific origin may trigger the events of Kuroshio intrusion and exchange in the ECS.     

Long-Term Characterization of Sea Conditions in the East China Sea Using Significant Wave Height and Wind Speed

In this study, the statistical characterization of sea conditions in the East China Sea(ECS) is investigated by analyzing a significant wave height and wind speed data at a 6-hour interval for 30 years(1980–2009), which was simulated and computed using the WAVEWATCH Ⅲ(WW3) model. The monthly variations of these parameters showed that the significant wave height and wind speed have minimum values of 0.73 m and 5.15 ms~(-1) and 1.73 m and 8.24 ms~(-1) in the month of May and December, respectively. The annual, seasonal, and monthly mean sea state characterizations showed that the slight sea generally prevailed in the ECS and had nearly the highest occurrence in all seasons and months. Additionally, the moderate sea prevailed in the winter months of December and January, while the smooth(wavelets) sea prevailed in May. Furthermore, the spatial variation of sea states showed that the calm and smooth sea had the largest occurrences in the northern ECS. The slight sea occurred mostly(above 30%) in parts of the ECS and the surrounding locations, while higher occurrences of the rough and very rough seas were distributed in waters between the southwest ECS and the northeast South China Sea(SCS). The occurrences of the phenomenal sea conditions are insignificant and are distributed in the northwest Pacific and its upper region, which includes the Southern Kyushu-Palau Ridge and Ryukyu Trench.     

Formation and evolution of the modem warm current system in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea since the last deglaciation

To reconstruct the formation and evolution process of the warm current system within the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) since the last deglaciation, the paleoceangraphic records in core DGKS9603, core CSH1 and core YSDPI02, which were retrieved from the mainstream of the Kuroshio Current (KC), the edge of the modem Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and muddy region under cold waters accreted with the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) respectively, were synthetically analyzed. The results indicate that the formation and evolution of the modem warm current system in the ECS and the YS has been accompanied by the development of the KC and impulse rising of the sea level since the last deglaciation. The influence of the KC on the Okinawa Trough had enhanced since 16 cal kyr BE and synchronously the modem TWC began to develop with the rising of sea level and finally formed at about 8.5 cal kyr BP. The KC had experienced two weakening process during the Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Drays event from 16 to 8.5 cal kyr BP. The period of 7-6 cal kyr BP was the strongest stage of the KC and the TWC since the last deglaciation. The YSWC has appeared at about 6.4 cal kyr BP. Thus,the warm current system of the ECS and the YS has ultimately formed. The weakness of the KC,indicated by the occurrence of Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) during the period from 5.3 to 2.8 cal kyr BE caused the main stream of the TWC to shift eastward to the Pacific Ocean around about 3 cal kyr BP. The process resulted in the intruding of continent shelf cold water mass with rich nutrients. Synchronously, the strength of the YSWC was relatively weak and the related cold water body was active at the early-mid stage of its appearance against the PME background, which resulted in the quick formation of muddy deposit system in the southeastern YS. The strength of the warm current system in the ECS and the YS has enhanced evidently, and approached to the modern condition gradually since 3 cal kyr BP.     

Current and Thermohaline Characteristics of the Arabian Sea During January 1998

Based on a ship survey during January 1998, the characteristics of the flow, the thermohaline properties and the volume transport of the Arabian Sea are discussed. A strong westward flow exists between 10.5?N and 11?N, part of which turns to the south as the Somali current near the coast at about 10?N and the rest turns north. At the passage between the African continent and the So- cotra Island, the northern branch separates into two flows: the left one enters the passage and the right one flows eastward along the southern slope of the island. Off the island the flow separates once more, most of it meandering northeast and a small fraction flow- ing southeast. Volume transport calculation suggests that the tidal transport is one or two orders of magnitude smaller than the total transport in this region and it becomes more important near the coast. The average velocity of the flow in the upper layer (0-150 m) is about 20 cm s-1, with a maximum of 53 cm s-1 appearing east of the Socotra Island, and the subsurface layer (200-800 m) has an aver- age velocity of 8.6 cm s-1; the velocity becomes smaller at greater depths. The depth of the seasonal thermocline is about 100 m, above which there is a layer with well mixed temperature and dissolved oxygen. High-salinity and oxygen-rich water appears near the surface of the northern Arabian Sea; a salinity maximum and oxygen minimum at 100 m depth along 8?N testifies the subduction of surface water from the northern Arabian Sea. Waters from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf also influence the salinity of the area.     

Double-diffusive fluxes of salt and heat in the upper layer of north pacific intermediate water

Almost half of the oceanic water columns exhibit double-diffusion. The importance of double-diffusion in global oceans‘ salt and heat fluxes, water-mass formation and mixing, and circulation is increasingly recognized. However, such an important physical process in the ocean has not been well studied. One of the reasons is the difficulty of parameterizing and quantifying the processes. The paper presented here attempts to quantify the double-diffusive fluxes of salt and heat in the ocean. Previous qualitative analysis by applying the water-mass Turner angle, mTu, to the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) layer showed a favorable condition for salt-fingering in the upper NPIW due to the overlying warm/salty water above the cold/fresh NPIW core, and a doubly-stable condition in the lower NPIW where potential temperature decreases with depth while salinity increases, inducing double stratification with respect to both potential temperature and salinity. The present study gives a quantitative estimate of double-diffusive fluxes of salt and heat contributed by salt-fingering in the upper NPIW layer.     

Formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea since the last deglaciation

To reconstruct the formation and evolution process of the warm current system within the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) since the last deglaciation, the paleoceangraphic records in core DGKS9603, core CSH1 and core YSDP102, which were retrieved from the mainstream of the Kuroshio Current (KC), the edge of the modern Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and muddy region under cold waters accreted with the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) respectively, were synthetically analyzed. The results indicate that the formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the ECS and the YS has been accompanied by the development of the KC and impulse rising of the sea level since the last deglaciation. The influence of the KC on the Okinawa Trough had enhanced since 16 cal kyr BP, and synchronously the modern TWC began to develop with the rising of sea level and finally formed at about 8.5 cal kyr BP. The KC had experienced two weakening process during the Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Drays event from 16 to 8.5 cal kyr BP. The period of 7–6 cal kyr BP was the strongest stage of the KC and the TWC since the last deglaciation. The YSWC has appeared at about 6.4 cal kyr BP. Thus, the warm current system of the ECS and the YS has ultimately formed. The weakness of the KC, indicated by the occurrence of Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) during the period from 5.3 to 2.8 cal kyr BP, caused the main stream of the TWC to shift eastward to the Pacific Ocean around about 3 cal kyr BP. The process resulted in the intruding of continent shelf cold water mass with rich nutrients. Synchronously, the strength of the YSWC was relatively weak and the related cold water body was active at the early-mid stage of its appearance against the PME background, which resulted in the quick formation of muddy deposit system in the southeastern YS. The strength of the warm current system in the ECS and the YS has enhanced evidently, and approached to the modern condition gradually since 3 cal kyr BP. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 90411014 and 40506015), the National major Fundamental Research and Development Project (No. 2007CB815903) and the CAS Pilot Project of the National Knowledge Innovation Program (No. KZCFX3-SW-233)     

Thermohaline finestructure observed near the northern Philippine coast

Using hydrographic measurements from three recent surveys in the western tropical Pacific, this study revealed the existence and general features of thermohaline finestructure near the northern Philippine coast. Pronounced finestructures were detected in the layers of the North Pacific Tropical Water (NPTW) and the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) during all three cruises and shown to be mainly thermohaline intrusions. Characteristics of the intrusions were further investigated with spiciness curvature and salinity anomaly methods. The vertical scale of the intrusions was 20-50m and 50-100m in the NPTW and NPIW layers, respectively. Within the NPTW layer, the Turner angle distribution and correlation between salinity and density anomalies suggested that diffusive convection between surface fresh water and subsurface saline water played an important role in the development and maintenance of the intrusions. In addition, connection between thermohaline finestructure and larger-scale oceanic processes was explored using historical hydrographic data. The results reveal that the salinity field and the distribution of the intrusions in this region were largely determined by mesoscale eddies. As a result of eddy stirring, both isopycnal and diapycnal temperature/salinity gradients were strengthened, which gave rise to the development of thermohaline intrusions. The intrusions acted to enhance heat and salt fluxes and resulted in the mixing of water masses being more efficient. By linking mesoscale eddy stirring to micro-scale diffusion, thermohaline finestructure plays a vital role in the ocean energy cascade and water mass conversion in the northern Philippine Sea.     

The Distribution of Dissolved Aluminum in the Yellow and East China Seas

Water samples containing dissolved aluminum were collected from the Yellow and East China Seas in October-November 2000. The average concentrations of dissolved AI in the Yellow Sea （YS） and East China Sea （ECS） were 0.042 and 0.056 μ molL^-1, respectively. The concentration of dissolved aluminum decreased gradually across the continental shelf. The lower concentrations appeared in the YS cold water center and in the bottom layer at the shelf edge of the ECS, where they were 0.016 and 0.011 μmolL^-1, respectively. The distribution of dissolved Al was controlled by physical mixing processes rather than biological uptake processes. The impact of different water masses along the PN transect was calculated based on the mass balance model. The results show that the impact of the Changjiang River was mainly concentrated on the coastal area and the top thermocline water on the ECS shelf, where the impact percentage decreased from 12.6% to 1.1% in the surface water, while the contribution of the Kuroshio water was dominant on the ECS shelf in this survey, increasing from 77.6% to 97,8% along the PN transect from the Changjiang River Estuary to the Ryukyu Islands. It is concluded that aluminum can serve as a proper tracer for studying the impact of Changjiang terrestrial matter on the ECS shelf water.     

A note on the deep circulation in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines

The deep water (1000–3000 m) circulation in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines has been little studied. Moriyasu (1972) and Reid (1981) discussed the 3000 db surface (3000/1200 db) and 2000 db surface (2000/3500 db) circulations of the Philippine Sea Basin, respectively. They both showed that there may be a northward current close to the western margin of the Sea Basin. Recent analyses of two sets of deep sea hydrographic data yielded quite different results, i. e., at deep waters in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines southward countercurrents flow under the upper northward currents. The possible causative mechanism of these southward deep countercurrents is the blocking effects of the submarine ridge east of Suao and of the Ryukyu Islands Shelf on the northward flowing upper currents. The above-mentioned preliminary deductions were wholely based on consideration of the relative geostrophic current and calculation, though the reference surface (3500 db) was very deep. It is suggested that direct measurements of the deep currents in the study area are needed to verify these results. Contribution No. 1750 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica. This paper was presented at the PRC/USA Symposium on Western Pacific Air-Sea Interaction (Nov., 1988, Beijing). This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

VENTILATION OF THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN: WATER EXCHANGE BETWEEN SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL GYRES

INTRODUCTIONIntheearly 1 980 s,ventilationtheoryemergedtopredictthehorizontalandverticalstructureofthethermocline.Thereweretwodifferentviewsonthestratifiedoceans.Thefirsttheory (RhinesandYoung,1 982 ,hereafterRY ;YoungandRhines,1 982 )proposedanunventilatedmodelinwhichonlytheuppermostlayerisexposedtothesurfaceandisforcedbythewindstress.Thesecondtheory (Luytenetal.,1 983 ,hereafterLPS)offeredaventilatedmodelwhichisclosertotheclassicalthermoclinetheoriesthanthatofthefirstone (e.g .,Nee…     

Influence of a Flood Event on Salinity and Nutrients in the Changshan Archipelago Area (Northern Yellow Sea)

River discharge can deliver nutrients to the coastal zone and change the hydrologic properties of the water column. Soon after a flash flood from the Yalu River (Northeast China) in August 2010, we investigated the salinity and nutrient concentrations, as well as other environmental conditions in the Changshan Archipelago area, located approximately 100 km west of the river mouth in the northern Yellow Sea. Diluted water was mainly observed in the upper layers shallower than 15 m, with surface salinity between 18.13 and 30.44 in the eastern study area and between 28.16 and 29.72 in the western area. Surface salinity showed a significant negative correlation with concentrations of dissolved nutrients (P < 0.05), but not with that of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), dissolved oxygen (DO), particulate materials or pH. The average concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, and silicic acid decreased from the surface layer to bottom layer and were significantly higher in the east area than in the west area (P < 0.05). In contrast, average ammonium and phosphate concentrations were highest in the bottom layer of both areas, with no significant spatial differences. DO varied between 6.06 and 8.25 mg L-1 in the surface layer, and was significantly higher in the eastern area than in the western area in the surface and middle layers. Chl-a concentration was constantly below 4.09 μg L-1. Our work demonstrated the strong influences of Yalu River on proportions of various nutrient components in the Changshan Archipelago area. Silicic acid and total inorganic nitrogen levels were significantly elevated comparing to phosphate in the eastern area. Such changes can potentially induce phosphate limit to phytoplankton growth.     

Response of the equatorial western Pacific thermohaline structure to wind variation

During the Global Weather Experiment oceanographic measurements were recorded during winter and summer in the western Pacific region 5°S−5°N, 160°E−175°E. The variations of the upper ocean temperature and salinity fields were produced by the large seasonal and spatial wind fluctuations. The vertical temperature structure of the thermocline at the equator, the meridional slope of the thermocline south of the equator, and the northward penetration of high salinity water were related to the direction and intensity of the zonal wind-stress. (NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory) Contribution No. 1307 from the Institute of Ocean., Academia Sinica. Received Sept. 3, 1985     

Characteristics of water exchange in the Luzon Strait during September 2006

The Luzon Strait is the only deep channel that connects the South China Sea(SCS) with the Pacific.The transport through the Luzon Strait is an important process influencing the circulation,heat and water budgets of the SCS.Early observations have suggested that water enters the SCS in winter but water inflow or outflow in summer is quite controversial.On the basis of hydrographic measurements from CTD along 120° E in the Luzon Strait during the period from September 18 to 20 in 2006,the characteristics of t...     

TRANSPORT OF SUSPENDED MATTER FROM THE CHANGJIANG RIVER TO THE EAST CHINA SEA SHELF

lmooUcrI0NSuspendedrnatter(SM)wasanimPortantsubjeCtofstudyincomPrehensiveoasnographicsurveyinChinaintheendofthel950s.Inthel97ds,somesdentistSpeonjo,l974,Yatomoto,l979,EInery,l978)studndextenSiveynoncombustiblematterandgrainsizedistributionsinSManditSreintionshiptoupwelling.Inthel980s,TotaIsuspendedmatternyM)distributionintheEastChinaSea(Ees)wasinvestisatalduringtheChinaisjointstudyonsedhedynaAnesthere.YangZuosheng(l992)distaltherelationbeweenthemacrostrUctureofSMtIansportanddistrib…     

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE MINDANAO EDDY AND TROPICAL CURRENTS OF PACIFIC OCEAN

Results of numerical simulation of currents in the western North Tropical Pacific Ocean by using a barotropic primitive equation model with fine horizontal resolution agreed well with observations and showed that the Mindanao Cyclonic Eddy located north of the equator and east of Mindanao Island exists during most of the year with monthly (and large seasonal) variations in scope . strength and central location . In June , an anticyclonic eddy occurs northeast of Halmahera Island, strengthens to maximum in August , exists until October and then disappears . The observed large-scale circulation systems such as the North Equatorial Current . the Mindanao Current and the North Equatorial Countercurrent are all very well reproduced in the simulations.     

Abyssal Circulation in the Philippine Sea

The abyssal circulation in the Philippine Sea(PS)is investigated,with outputs from the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation version 2.2.4(SODA224).The deep-water currents in SODA224 are carefully evaluated,with sparse in situ observations in the North Pacific Ocean.In the upper deep layer(20003000 m)of the PS,a strong westward current,which originates from the Northeast Pacific Basin and enters the PS through the Yap-Mariana Junction,exists along 1114 N.This strong westward current bifurcates into two western boundary currents off the Philippines.The northward-flowing current flows out of the PS around 2021 N,whereas the southward-flowing current transports deep water from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere.In the lower deep layer(30004500 m),the inflow water first flows northward to the east of the Western Mariana Basin and then turns westward at approximately 18 N.The inflow water mainly enters the Philippine Basin(PB),with a small part turning southward to constitute a weak cyclonic circulation.The water entering the PB mainly merges into a strong southward western boundary current in the south-ern PB.In the bottom layer(below 4500 m),both the northeast and northwest PB show single cyclonic gyres,whereas the south PB shows a single anticyclonic gyre.Moreover,comparisons with the observations indicate the possible existence of a cyclonic sense of circulation over the Philippine Trench.The current study provides the implications for future observations,which are needed to fur-ther investigate the temporospatial variations of the abyssal circulation in the PS on multiple scales.     

Impact of Kuroshio on the dissolved oxygen in the East China Sea region

A marine survey was conducted from 18 May to 13 June 2014 in the East China Sea(ECS)and its adjacent Kuroshio Current to examine the spatial distribution and biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved oxygen(DO) in spring. Waters were sampled at 10-25 m intervals within 100 m depth, and at 25-500 m beyond 100 m. The depth, temperature, salinity, and density(sigma-t) were measured in situ with a conductivity-temperature-depth(CTD) sensor. DO concentrations were determined on board using traditional Winkler titration method. The results show that in the Kuroshio Current, DO content was the highest in the euphotic layer, then decreased sharply with depth to about 1 000 m, and increased with depth gradually thereafter. While in the ECS continental shelf area, DO content had high values in the coastal surface water and low values in the near-bottom water. In addition, a low-DO zone of f the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary was found in spring 2014, and it was formed under the combined influence of many factors, including water stratification, high primary productivity in the euphotic layers, high accumulation/sedimentation of organic matter below the euphotic layers, and mixing/transport of oceanic current waters on the shelf. Most notable among these is the Kuroshio intruded water, an oceanic current water which carried rich dissolved oxygen onto the continental shelf and alleviated the oxygen deficit phenomenon in the ECS, could impact the position, range, and intensity, thus the formation/destruction of the ECS Hypoxia Zone.