Observations of the Alaskan Stream near Samalga Pass and its connection to the Bering Sea: 2001–2004

Year-long moorings were deployed across the Alaskan Stream near Samalga Pass (169°W) on two occasions, first in 2001–2002 (5 moorings) and again in 2003–2004 (3 moorings). Currents were measured throughout the water column, and temperature and salinity were measured at selected depths. Satellite altimetry and satellite-tracked drifters revealed a well defined Alaskan Stream, with the largest near-surface average speeds (>60 cm s⁻¹) and highest eddy kinetic energy just upstream from the mooring sites. Excluding periods when large eddies disrupted the flow, transport in the Alaskan Stream ranged from 10 to 30×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹. The estimated mean transport in 2001–2002 was 19×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹, and in 2003–2004 was 21×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹. Large (diameter>200 km), anti-cyclonic eddies were not uncommon in the vicinity of Samalga Pass (14 times in 20 year period, 1992–2012). Although there were no such eddies observed during the period 2000–2003, one of the largest ever recorded eddies occurred in spring 2004. In addition, smaller eddies occurred on several occasions. Eddies disrupted the flow, shifting the Alaskan Stream farther off shore and were clearly evident in both the satellite imagery and the mooring data. Other energetic events, which were less evident in the satellite records, but clearly evident in the mooring measurements, also disrupted the flow. In addition to the moorings in the Alaskan Stream, pressure gauges were placed in Samalga Pass and a single mooring measuring currents was placed in the Aleutian North Slope Current (ANSC) in the Bering Sea. The alongshore, near-surface flow measured at the moorings deployed on the 1000-m isobaths in the Alaskan Stream and the ANSC were significantly correlated with the bottom pressure time series. In addition, at periods longer than 14 days, the bottom pressure measured at the mooring sites in Samalga Pass was significantly correlated with the sea surface height measured by the satellites. The eddy kinetic energies measured from the satellites and from moorings were also significantly correlated.     

台湾海峡夏季与冬季的水体及热盐通量观测

利用在台湾海峡附近的下放式声学多普勒流速剖面仪(Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler,LADCP)观测资料和温盐观测资料,通过对连续站的两个季节观测进行正压和斜压潮流分析从而去除潮流得到准定常流,并在此基础上计算了南海和东海之间通过台湾海峡输运的水体及热盐通量。结果表明:台湾海峡大部分海域是半日潮海区(正规半日潮及不正规半日潮海区),半日潮主要分量为太阴半日分潮M2;台湾海峡的水体输运及热盐通量呈现明显的季节变化:夏季台湾海峡内表现为一支东北流向的海流,即台湾海峡暖流,存在3.3 Sv(1Sv=106 m3/s)的东北向水体输运,冬季东北季风较强,西南方向的海流加强,混合层可达到底部,存在1.8 Sv的东北向水体输运。与此对应的热盐通量分别为:夏季热通量为0.34×1015 W,盐通量为118.6×109 g/s;冬季热通量为0.14×1015 W,盐通量为72.9×109 g/s。该结果对台湾海峡通量的研究给出了一个直接观测的准确值,并为相关的数值研究提供了参考。     

Intermediate Circulation in the Northwestern North Pacific Derived from Subsurface Floats

In order to examine the formation, distribution and synoptic scale circulation structure of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), 21 subsurface floats were deployed in the sea east of Japan. A Eulerian image of the intermediate layer (density range: 26.6–27.0σ_θ) circulation in the northwestern North Pacific was obtained by the combined analysis of the movements of the subsurface floats in the period from May 1998 to November 2002 and historical hydrographic observations. The intermediate flow field derived from the floats showed stronger flow speeds in general than that of geostrophic flow field calculated from historical hydrographic observations. In the intermediate layer, 8 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 10⁶ m³s⁻¹) Oyashio and Kuroshio waters are found flowing into the sea east of Japan. Three strong eastward flows are seen in the region from 150°E to 170°E, the first two flows are considered as the Subarctic Current and the Kuroshio Extension or the North Pacific Current. Both volume transports are estimated as 5.5 Sv. The third one flows along the Subarctic Boundary with a volume transport of 5 Sv. Water mass analysis indicates that the intermediate flow of the Subarctic Current consists of 4 Sv Oyashio water and 1.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate North Pacific Current consists of 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate flow along the Subarctic Boundary contains 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3 Sv Kuroshio water. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spatial and Temporal Variability in a Vertical Section Across the Alaskan Stream and Subarctic Current

In the central North Pacific Subarctic Gyre, CTD hydrographic measurements were carried out yearly in late June from 1990 to 1998 at 9 stations along 180° meridian from 48°N to 51.2°N. Vertical sections of 9-year means, anomalies for each year and others of potential temperature, salinity, potential density and geostrophic velocity (referred to 3000 m) were calculated based on this data set. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was adopted in the investigation of spatial characteristics and its temporal variation in vertical sections. The spatial distribution of the 1st mode EOF of velocity shows the westward Alaskan Stream and the eastward Subarctic Current. This mode explains 37.6% of the total variance. Two positive maxims appear in its amplitude in 1991 and 1997, which is similar to the variation in volume transport of the eastward Subarctic Current. These variations are closely related to the vertical movement of Ridge Domain deep water.     

Near-surface circulation of the northeast Pacific Ocean derived from WOCE-SVP satellite-tracked drifters

Statistics of the near-surface circulation in the northeast Pacific Ocean were derived from the trajectories of nearly 100 surface drifters tracked between August 1990 and December 1995 as part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment's (WOCE) Surface Velocity Program (SVP). Drifters were drogued within the mixed layer (15 m drogue depth) or near the top of the permanent halocline (120 m). All branches of the Alaskan Gyre were well-sampled at both depths, revealing a weak Subarctic Current, a bifurcation of the Subarctic Current near 48°N, 130°W at 15 m depth, and strong, variable flow in the Alaska Current and Alaskan Stream. At 120 m depth, northward flow in the Alaska Current occurred much farther offshore than within the mixed layer. The drifter trajectories revealed interannual variability, with evidence of an intensified Alaskan Gyre during the winters of 1991–92 and 1992–93 and more southerly transport during winter 1994–95. A minimum in eddy kinetic energy was found at both depths within the northern branch of the Subtropical Gyre. Eddy kinetic energies were nearly twice as high in the mixed layer compared to below, and were 2–3 times larger in winter than in summer throughout most of the near-surface Alaskan Gyre. High eddy energies observed near the eastern perimeter of the Alaskan Gyre may be due to the offshore intrusion of eddies formed by coastal current instabilities.Taylor's theory of single-particle dispersion was applied to the drifter ensembles to estimate Lagrangian decorrelation scales and eddy diffusivities. Both the initial dispersion and random walk regimes were identified in the dispersion time series computed for several regions of both ensembles. The integral time scales and eddy diffusivities computed from the dispersion scale linearly with r.m.s. velocity, which is consistent with drifter studies from the Atlantic. An exception is the meridional integral time scales, which were nearly constant throughout the study area and at both drogue depths. The magnitudes of the derived eddy statistics are comparable to those derived from surface drifters in other parts of the world ocean. These are the first Lagrangian estimates of particle dispersion over a broad region of the near-surface North Pacific, and the consistency of the results with previous studies from the Atlantic lends credence to the idea that the simplifying assumptions of Taylor (1921) (Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society Series A 20, 196–221) are reasonably valid throughout the upper ocean. This bodes well for the effective parameterization of near-surface diffusivities in general circulation models. Finally, the drifter-derived velocity statistics were used to speculate on the source regions of waters of possible coastal origin observed at offshore stations during the field studies of the Canadian Joint Global Ocean Flux Study.     

On Seasonal and Year to Year Variation in Flow of the Alaskan Stream in the Central North Pacific

The Alaskan Stream is the westward boundary current of the North Pacific subarctic gyre. In the central region of the North Pacific, the Alaskan Stream serves as a connection between the Alaskan gyre, Western subarctic gyre and Bering Sea gyre. Its volume transport is very important in estimating the magnitude of the subarctic circulation in the North Pacific. In order to clarify its seasonal and interannual variation, we conducted observations along a north-south section at 180° during June from 1990 to 1997. Moorings were deployed from 1995 to 1997. Hydrographic casts were made at intervals of 37 km to a depth of 3000 m. Moorings were set between CTD stations, with Moor1 (Moor2) at the center (southern edge) of the Alaskan Stream. Geostrophic volume transport (referred to 3000 m) revealed large interannual variability in the Alaskan Stream. Average volume transport over the 8 years was 27.5 × 10⁶ m³s^-1 with a standard deviation of 6.5 × 10⁶ m³s^-1. Maximum transport was 41.0 × 10⁶ m³s^-1 (1997) and minimum was 21.7 × 10⁶ m³s^-1 (1995). Stable westward flows were observed at Moor1 1500 m (259°, 11.7 cm s^-1) and 3000 m (240°, 3.7 cm s^-1, 1996–1997 year average). The ratio of eddy to mean kinetic energy (KE/ ) was very small (<0.6) throughout the year. A relatively weak and unstable westward flow was observed at Moor2 at 3000 m depth. Conversely, the average flow direction at Moor2 5000 m was eastward.     

Standing Crops of Planktonic Ciliates and Copepod Nauplii in the Subarctic North Pacific and the Bering Sea in Summer

Abundances and biomasses of planktonic ciliates and copepod nauplii, major components of the microzooplankton community, were investigated in the subarctic North Pacific and the Bering Sea in summer of 1997. Their regional variation was illustrated by demarcating the entire area into five regions. Ciliates always predominated both in abundance (>94%) and biomass (>78%) over nauplii. Regional means of ciliates in the water column were higher in the Alaskan Gyre (120 × 10⁶ cells/m²) and the Western Subarctic Gyre (110 × 10⁶ cells/m²) in terms of abundance, and rich in the Bering Sea Gyre (360 mgC/m²) and the Western Subarctic Gyre (340 mgC/m²) in terms of biomass. By contrast, standing crops of ciliates were poor in the Oyashio Region (67 × 10⁶ cells/m²; 170 mgC/m²) and the Transition Region (64 × 10⁶ cells/m²; 160 mgC/m²). The values of biomass reported here are generally in agreement with the values reported previously from the Bering Sea Gyre and the Alaskan Gyre but are considerably higher than the previous value found in the Western Subarctic Gyre. No significant correlations could be found between chlorophyll a crop and standing crops of ciliates and copepod nauplii over the entire subarctic North Pacific and the Bering Sea during this summer.     

Observations of the Karimata Strait througflow from December 2007 to November 2008

In order to quantitatively estimate the volume and property transports between the South China Sea and Indonesian Seas via the Karimata Strait, two trawl-resistant bottom mounts, with ADCPs embedded, were deployed in the strait to measure the velocity profile as part of the South China Sea-Indonesian Seas transport/exchange (SITE) program. A pair of surface and bottom acoustic modems was employed to transfer the measured velocity without recovering the mooring. The advantage and problems of the instruments in this field work are reported and discussed. The field observations confirm the existence of the South China Sea branch of Indonesian throughflow via the Karimata Strait with a stronger southward flow in boreal winter and weaker southward bottom flow in boreal summer, beneath the upper layer northward (reversal) flow. The estimate of the averaged volume, heat and freshwater transports from December 2007 to March 2008 (winter) is (-2.7 ± 1.1) × 10 6 m3/s, (-0.30 ± 0.11) PW, (-0.18 ± 0.07) × 106m3/s and from May to September 2008 (summer) is (1.2 ± 0.6) × 106m3/s, (0.14 ± 0.03) PW, (0.12 ± 0.04) × 106m3/s and for the entire record from December 2007 to October 2008 is (-0.5 ± 1.9) × 10 6 m3/s, (-0.05 ± 0.22) PW, (-0.01 ± 0.15) × 106m3/s (negative/positive represents southward/northward transport), respectively. The existence of southward bottom flow in boreal summer implies that the downward sea surface slope from north to south as found by Fang et al. (2010) for winter is a year-round phenomenon.     

Interhemispheric exchanges of mass and heat in the Atlantic Ocean in January–March 1993

Hydrographic, geochemical, and direct velocity measurements along two zonal (7.5°N and 4.5°S) and two meridional (35°W and 4°W) lines occupied in January–March, 1993 in the Atlantic are combined in an inverse model to estimate the circulation. At 4.5°S, the Warm Water (potential temperature θ>4.5°C) originating from the South Atlantic enters the equatorial Atlantic, principally at the western boundary, in the thermocline-intensified North Brazil Undercurrent (33±2.7×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ northward) and in the surface-intensified South Equatorial Current (8×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ northward) located to the east of the North Brazil Undercurrent. The Ekman transport at 4.5°S is southward (10.7±1.5×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹). At 7.5°N, the Western Boundary Current (WBC) (17.9±2×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) is weaker than at 4.5°S, and the northward flow of Warm Water in the WBC is complemented by the basin-wide Ekman flow (12.3±1.0×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹), the net contribution of the geostrophic interior flow of Warm Water being southward. The equatorial Ekman divergence drives a conversion of Thermocline Water (24.58⩽σ₀<26.75) into Surface Water (σ₀<24.58) of 7.5±0.5×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹, mostly occurring west of 35°W. The Deep Water of northern origin flows southward at 7.5°N in an energetic (48±3×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC), whose transport is in part compensated by a northward recirculation (21±4.5×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) in the Guiana Basin. At 4.5°S, the DWBC is much less energetic (27±7×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ southward) than at 7.5°N. It is in part balanced by a deep northward recirculation east of which alternate circulation patterns suggest the existence of an anticyclonic gyre in the central Brazil Basin and a cyclonic gyre further east. The deep equatorial Atlantic is characterized by a convergence of Lower Deep Water (45.90⩽σ₄<45.83), which creates an upward diapycnal transport of 11.0×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ across σ₄=45.83. The amplitude of this diapycnal transport is quite sensitive to the a priori hypotheses made in the inverse model. The amplitude of the meridional overturning cell is estimated to be 22×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ at 7.5°N and 24×10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ at 4.5°S. Northward heat transports are in the range 1.26–1.50 PW at 7.5°N and 0.97–1.29 PW at 4.5°S with best estimates of 1.35 and 1.09 PW.     

Variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in 1992

INTRODUCTIONMostofpreviousstudiesshowthatthedynamicmethodswereoftenusedtocomputethevelocityandVToftheKuroshiointheEastChinaSea(Guan,1988;Nishizawaetal.,1982;SunandKaneko,1993).Duringrecentyearsdifferentkindsofinversemethodshavebeentriedby*ThisprojectwassupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChinaundercontractNo.49776287.1.Secondinstituteofoceanography,StateOceanicAdministration,Hangzhou310012,ChinaYuanetul(1988,1991,1992a,1992b,1993,1994,1995).Theircalculatedresultsshowt…     

夏季浙江沿岸陆架区泥沙输运机制

基于2014年夏季浙江沿岸陆架区的水文、泥沙、底质沉积物等实测资料,运用物质通量分析方法和Gao-Collins粒径趋势分析法,探讨了泥沙的输运通量、输运方向、动力机制及净输运趋势。夏季,近岸含沙量规律性较强,由西至东逐渐降低,由南至北逐渐升高,且与潮流有非常好的对应关系,呈现出明显的潮周期变化特征。研究区净悬沙通量自岸向外海迅速变小,悬沙输运中平流输运占主导地位,其次是垂向净环流对悬沙输运的影响,近岸海域表现为向海输沙,30 m以深海域表现为东北向输沙,同时台湾暖流的屏障作用也影响了悬沙向海扩散。粒径趋势分析显示浙江沿岸陆架表层沉积物的长期输运机制为由东北向西南输运,在流系以及海底地形的影响下,中部海域出现粒径趋势较弱的沉积中心。而在夏季,悬浮泥沙主要为平行岸线向东北输运,估算每天进入研究海域的净悬浮泥沙约为1.9×106 t。     

Velocity Field of the Oyashio Region Observed with Satellite-Tracked Surface Drifters during 1999–2000

Based on the surface drifters that moved out from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific, the surface velocity fields of mean, eddy, and tidal components in the Oyashio region are examined for the period September 1999 to August 2000. Along the southern Kuril Island Chain, the Oyashio Current, having a width of ∼100 km, exists with velocities of 0.2–0.4 m s⁻¹. From 40°N to 43°N, the Subarctic Current flows east- or northeastward with velocities of 0.1–0.3 m s⁻¹, accompanied by a meandering Oyashio or Subarctic front. Between the Oyashio and Subarctic current regions, an eddy-dominant region exists with both cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies. The existence of an eastward flow just south of Bussol' Strait is suggested. The 2000 anticyclonic warmcore ring located south of Hokkaido was found to have a nearly symmetric velocity structure with a maximum velocity of ∼0.7 m s⁻¹ at 70 km from the eddy center. Diurnal tidal currents with a clockwise tidal ellipse are amplified over the shelf and slope off Urup and Iturup Islands, suggesting the presence of diurnal shelf waves. From Lagrangian statistics, the single-particle diffusivity is estimated to be ∼10 × 10⁷ cm²s⁻¹.     

Climatology and seasonal variability of theMindanao Undercurrent based on OFES data

The simulation of an ocean general circulation model for the earth simulator （OFES） is transformed to an isopycnal coordinate to investigate the spatial structure and seasonal variability of the Mindanao Under- current （MUC）. The results show that （1） potential density surfaces, δ0=26.5 and δ0=27.5, can be chosen to encompass the M UC layer. Southern Pacilic tropical water （SPTW）, Antarctic Intermediate Water （AAIW） and high potential density water （HPDW） constitute the MUC. （2） Climatologically, the MOC exists in the form of dual-core. In some months, the dual-core structure changes to a single-core structure. （3） Choosing section at 8°N for calculating the transport of the MUC transport is reliable. Potential density constraint provides a good method for calculating the transport of the MOC. （4） The annual mean transport of the MUC is 8.34 × 106 m3/s and varies considerably with seasons： stronger in late spring and weaker in winter.     

Contributions to dynamics of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (A.C.C.) (I. Zonal transport)

Scaling of the equations of motion of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current indicates that the Rossby number and the Ekman number are 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁵ but the vertical Ekman number may reach unity in the bottom boundary layer. The equations of motion are integrated vertically from the surface to the bottom and averaged over a latitude circle. The resulting equation in the meridional direction is predominantly geostrophic, whereas the main terms of the equation in the zonal direction are the wind stress and the bottom stress. When the vertical eddy viscosity near the bottom is of the order of 10²cm²/sec, the total zonal transport through the Drake Passage computed from the balance of the wind stress and the bottom stress equals 260×10⁶m³/sec, the amount determined byReid andNowlin (1970) from observations. The northward transport reduces the eastward transport corresponding to the wind stress of the westerlies in the A. C. C. through the Coriolis' term in the vertically integrated equation of motion of the zonal direction. South of the Drake Passage, such reduction reaches about ten percent of the wind-driven transport mainly due to the peripheral water discharge. North of the Drake Passage, the northward transport may be generated by the effect of the South American coast which prevents free eastward movement of the A. C. C., causing a wake to the east. This transport may contribute to a part of the northward transport of the bottom water postulated byMunk (1966). The effect of the horizontal eddy viscosity in the zonal transport equation is negligible except near the Antarctic coast, if the eddy viscosity is less than 10⁹cm²/sec.     

The shedding of mesoscale anticyclonic eddies from the Alaskan Stream and westward transport of warm water

The south-flowing waters of the Kamchatka and Oyashio Currents and west-flowing waters of the Alaskan Stream are key components of the western sub-Arctic Pacific circulation. We use CTD data, Argo buoys, WOCE surface drifters, and satellite-derived sea-level observations to investigate the structure and interannual changes in this system that arise from interactions among anticyclonic eddies and the mean flow. Variability in the temperature of the upstream Oyashio and Kamchatka Currents is evident by warming in mesothermal layer in 1994–2005 compared to 1990–1991. A major fraction of the water in these currents is derived directly from the Alaskan Stream. The stream also sheds large anticyclonic (Aleutian) eddies, averaging approximately 300 km in diameter with a volume transport significant in comparison with that of the Kamchatka Current itself. These eddies enclose pools of relatively warm and saline water whose temperature is typically 4 °C warmer and salinity is 0.4 greater than that of cold-core Kamchatka eddies in the same density range. Aleutian eddies drift at approximately 1.2 km d⁻¹ and retain their distinctive warm and salty characteristics for at least 2 years. Selected westward pathways during 1990–2004 are identified. If the shorter northern route is followed, Aleutian eddies remain close to the stream and persist sufficiently long to carry warm and saline water directly to the Kamchatka Current. This was observed during 1994–1997 with substantial warming of the waters in the Kamchatka Current and upstream Oyashio. If the eddies take a more southern route they detach from the stream but can still contribute significant quantities of warm and saline water to the upstream Oyashio, as in 2004–2005. However, the eddies following this southern route may dissipate before reaching the western boundary current region.     

Directional wave measurement at Haifa,Israel, and sediment transport along the Nile littoral cell

Results of three years of directional wave measurement at the Eastern Mediterranean coast of Haifa, Israel are presented. The wave-height and energy-flux distributions reveal a moderately high-energy coast with a bimodal annual cycle.The rate of wave-induced longshore sediment transport is estimated from the directional energy flux distributions. It describes an annual cycle with a maximum northward transport of 75 ± 14 × 10³ m³/month in midwinter and a southward transport of 26 ± 5 × 10³ m³/month in summer. The net annual transport is northward and computed at 110 ± 100 × 10³ m³/yr.We show that a wave-induced transport is sufficient in explaining the apparent transport of sediments in the Nile Littoral Cell, from the Nile Delta source to the Haifa Bay sink.     

Formation, Distribution and Volume Transport of the North Pacific Intermediate Water Studied by Repeat Hydrographic Observations

In order to examine the formation, distribution and transport of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), repeated hydrographic observations along several lines in the western North Pacific were carried out in the period from 1996 to 2001. NPIW formation can be described as follows: (1) Oyashio water extends south of the Subarctic Boundary and meets Kuroshio water in intermediate layers; (2) active mixing between Oyashio and Kuroshio waters occurs in intermediate layers; (3) the mixing of Oyashio and Kuroshio waters and salinity minimum formation around the potential density of 26.8σ_θ proceed to the east. It is found that Kuroshio water flows eastward even in the region north of 40°N across the 165°E line, showing that Kuroshio water extends north of the Subarctic Boundary. Volume transports of Oyashio and Kuroshio components (relative to 2000 dbar) integrated in the potential density range of 26.6–27.4σθ along the Kuroshio Extension across 152°E–165°E are estimated to be 7–8 Sv (10⁶ m³s⁻¹) and 9–10 Sv, respectively, which is consistent with recent work. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

河北沿岸微微型浮游植物的分布特征

于2006年7月～ 2007年10月间,分4个季度调查了河北省沿岸微微型浮游植物的丰度和生物量及对浮游植物总生物量的贡献.结果显示:河北近岸海域聚球藻蓝细菌丰度为4.46×103个/mL(0.79×103～ 16.19×103个/mL),生物量(以碳计,下同)为1.31 mg/m3 (0.84～17.47 mg/m3),季节分布特征为秋季＞冬季＞夏季＞春季.微微型光合真核生物丰度为4.43×102个/mL (0.84×102～ 17.47×102个/mL),生物量为1.11mg /m3 (0.21～ 4.37 mg/m3),季节变化变现为秋季＞冬季＞春季＞夏季.微微型浮游植物对浮游植物总生物量的贡献年平均为5.32％(1.84％～ 8.91％),春季最高,秋季最低.温度在较冷季节(冬春季)里是影响聚球藻蓝细菌生长和分布的控制因素.总之,在近岸环境里,微微型浮游植物并不占优势.     

Dianeutral mixing,transformation and transport of Antarctic Intermediate Water in the South Atlantic Ocean

Recently obtained World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) sections combined with a specially prepared pre-WOCE South Atlantic data set are used to study the dianeutral (across neutral surface) mixing and transport achieving Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) being transformed to be part of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) return cell. Five neutral surfaces are mapped, encompassing the AAIW from 700 to 1100 db at the subtropical latitudes.Coherent and significant dianeutral upwelling is found in the western boundary near the Brazil coast north of the separation point (about 25°S) between the anticyclonic subtropical and cyclonic south equatorial gyres. The magnitude of dianeutral upwelling transport is 10^-3 Sv (1 Sv=10⁶ m³ s^-1) for 1°×1° square area. It is found that the AAIW sources from the southwestern South Atlantic and southwestern Indian Ocean do not rise significantly into the Benguela Current. Instead, they contribute to the NADW return formation by dianeutral upwelling into the South Equatorial Current. In other words, the AAIW sources cannot obtain enough heat/buoyancy to rise until they return to the western boundary region but north of the separation point. The basin-wide integration of dianeutral transport shows net upward transports, ranging from 0.25 to 0.6 Sv, across the lower and upper boundary of AAIW north of 40°S. This suggests that the equatorward AAIW is a slow rising water on a basin average. Given one order of uncertainty in evaluating the along-neutral-surface and dianeutral diffusivities from the assumed values, K=10³ m² s^-1 and D=10^-5 m² s^-1, the integrated dianeutral transport has an error band of about 10–20%. The relatively weak integrated dianeutral upwelling transport compared with AAIW in other oceans implies much stronger lateral advection of AAIW in the South Atlantic.Mapped Turner Angle in diagnosing the double-diffusion processes shows that the salty Central Water can flux salt down to the upper half of AAIW layer through salt-fingering. Therefore, the northward transition of AAIW can gain salt either through along-neutral-surface advection and diffusion or through salt fingering from the Central Water and heat through either along-neutral-surface advection and diffusion or dianeutral upwelling. Cabbeling and thermobaricity are found significant in the Antarctic frontal zone and contribute to dianeutral downwelling with velocity as high as −1.5×10^-7 m s^-1. A schematic AAIW circulation in the South Atlantic suggests that dianeutral mixing plays an essential role in transforming AAIW into NADW return formation.     

Absolute Volume Transports of the Oyashio Referred to Moored Current Meter Data Crossing the OICE

During November 2000–June 2002, both direct current measurements from deployment of a line of five moorings and repeated CTD observations were conducted along the Oyashio Intensive observation line off Cape Erimo (OICE). All the moorings were installed above the inshore-side slope of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. Before calculating the absolute volume transports, we compared vertical velocity differences of relative geostrophic velocities with those of the measured velocities. Since both the vertical velocity differences concerned with the middle three moorings were in good agreement, the flows above the continental slope are considered to be in thermal wind balance. We therefore used the current meter data of these three moorings, selected among all five moorings, to estimate the absolute volume transports of the Oyashio referred to the current meter data. As a result, we estimated that the southwestward absolute volume transports in 0–1000 db are 0.5–12.8 × 10⁶ m³/sec and the largest transport is obtained in winter, January 2001. The Oyashio absolute transports in January 2001, crossing the OICE between 42°N and 41°15′ N from the surface to near the bottom above the continental slope, is estimated to be at least 31 × 10⁶ m³/sec. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.