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.     

Interannual variations in energy conversion and interaction between the mesoscale eddy field and mean flow in the Kuroshio south of Japan

Using 19-year satellite altimetric data, variations in the eddy kinetic energy, energy exchanges and interaction between the eddy field and mean flow are discussed for the Kuroshio south of Japan. In the seasonal cycle, the eddy kinetic energy level is a minimum in December/January and a maximum in April/May. In addition to seasonal variations, the eddy kinetic energy undergoes interannual changes. The energy transfers mainly from the mean flow to the eddy field in the Kuroshio south of Japan, and dominant energy exchanges mainly occur along the Kuroshio path south of Japan in each year from 1993 to 2011. In addition, there is often barotropic instability south of Honshu. Regarding interactions between the eddy field and mean flow, cyclonic and anticyclonic accelerations are also found along the Kuroshio path and they flank each other. There is cyclonic acceleration always imposed on southeast of Kyushu, and anticyclonic acceleration dominates south of Honshu from 2001 to mid-2005. Reynolds stress is used to explain the dynamic process of energy exchange. Furthermore, lag-correlation and linear regression analysis show that variability of the energy conversion rate and Reynolds stress involve responses to eddy acceleration at two time scales. The enhanced eddy acceleration induces large Reynolds stress, and enhanced Reynolds stress or barotropic instability further enforces energy transfer from the mean flow to the eddy field.     

Path transition of the western boundary current with a gap due to mesoscale eddies: a 1.5-layer, wind-driven experiment

Using a 1.5 layer nonlinear shallow-water reduced-gravity model, we executed numerical simulations to investigate the possibility of a western boundary current (WBC) path transition due to mesoscale eddies based on the background of the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) from the Luzon Strait. Because the WBC existed different current states with respect to different wind stress control parameters, we chose three steady WBC states (loop current, eddy shedding and leaping) as the background flow field and simulated the path transition of the WBC due to mesoscale eddies. Our simulations indicated that either an anticyclonic or cyclonic eddy can lead to path transition of the WBC with different modes. The simulation results also show that the mesoscale eddies can lead to path transition of the WBC from loop and eddy shedding state to leaping state because of the hysteresis effect. The leaping state is relatively stable compared with the mesoscale eddies. Moreover, an anticyclonic eddy is more effective in producing the WBC path transition for the path transition than a cyclonic eddy. Our results may help to explain some phenomena observed regarding the path transition of the Kuroshio due to the mesoscale eddies at the Luzon Strait.     

3-D BAROCLINIC NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA I. UPPER CIRCULATION

A three-dimensional baroclinic shelf sea model was employed to simulate the seasonal characteristics of the South China Sea (SCS) upper circulation. The results showed that: in summer, an anticyclonic eddy, after its formation between the Bashi Channel and Dongsha Islands in the northeastern SCS, moves southwestward until it disperses slowly. There exists a northward western boundary current along the east shore of the Indo-China Peninsula in the western SCS and an anticyclonic gyre in the southern SCS. But at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, a weak local cyclonic eddy forms in the Nansha Trough, then grows slowly and moves westward till it becomes a cyclonic gyre in the southern SCS in autumn. At the beginning of winter, there exists a cyclonic gyre in the northern and southern SCS, and there is a southward western boundary current along the east shore of the Indo-China Peninsula. But at the end of winter, an anticyclonic eddy grows and moves toward the western boundary after forming in the Nansha Trough. The eddy‘s movement induces a new opposite sign eddy on its eastern side, while the strength of the southward western boundary current gets weakened. This phenomenon continues till spring and causes eddies in the southern SCS.     

Impact of nonlinear processes on formation of the Kuroshio large meander path in a barotropic inflow-outflow model

Based on a barotropic inflow-outflow model,we examine the formation of the Kuroshio large meander(LM) using conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation(CNOP) method.Both linear and nonlinear evolutions of such perturbations obtained by this method are investigated.The results show that the nonlinear evolution can result in the Kuroshio transition from a straight to LM path,whereas the linear evolution cannot.This implies that nonlinearity plays an important role in the formation of the Kuroshio LM path.The nonlinearity exists as advection in the evolution equations of the perturbation derived from the barotropic inflow-outflow model,namely the nonlinear advection of the perturbation by the perturbation(NAPP).By examining the role of this nonlinearity,we find that the NAPP tends to move the cyclonic eddy induced by the CNOP-type perturbation westward.Together with the beta effect,this offsets part of the eastward advection caused by the interaction between the perturbation and the background flow.Hence,the eastward movement of the cyclonic eddy is significantly weakened,effectively causing the eddy to develop.The sufficient evolution of this cyclonic eddy leads to the formation of the Kuroshio LM.     

Contribution of Mesoscale Eddies to the Subduction and Transport of North Pacific Eastern Subtropical Mode Water

This study investigates the contribution of mesoscale eddies to the subduction and transport of North Pacific Eastern Subtropical Mode Water(ESTMW)using the high-frequency output of an eddy-resolved ocean model spanning the period 1994–2010.Results show that the subduction induced by mesoscale eddies accounts for about 31%of the total subduction of ESTMW formation.The volume of ESTMW trapped by anticyclonic eddies is slightly larger than that trapped by cyclonic eddies.The ESTMW trapped by all eddies in May reaches up to about 2.8×1013m3,which is approximately 16%of the total ESTMW volume.The eddy-trapped ESTMW moves primarily westward,with its meridional integration at 18°–30°N reaching about 0.17Sv,which is approximately 18%of the total zonal ESTMW transport in this direction,at 140°W.This study highlights the important role of eddies in carrying ESTMW westward over the northeastern Pacific Ocean.     

THREE-DIMENSIONAL BAROCLINIC NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CIRCULATION＇S SEASONAL CHARACTERISTICS II. MIDDLE AND DEEP CIRCULATION

A three-dimensional baroclinic shelf sea model‘ s numerical simulation of the South China Sea (SCS) middle and deep layer circulation structure showed that: 1. In the SCS middle and deep layer, a seulhward boundary current exists along the east shore of the Indo-China Peninsula all year long.A cyclonic eddy (gyre) is formed by the current in the above sea areas except in the middle layer in spring, when an anticyclonic eddy exists on the eastern side of the current. In the deep layer, a larges-cale anticyclonic eddy often exists in the sea areas between the Zhongsha Islands and west shore of southern Luzon Island. 2. In the middle layer in snmmer and autumn, and in the deep layer in autumn and winter, there is an anticyclonic eddy (gyre) in the northeastern SCS, while in the middle layer in winter and spring, and in the deep layer in spring and snmmer, there is a cyclonic one. 3. In the middle layer,there is a weak northeastward current in the Nansha Trough in spring and snmmer, while in autumn and winter it evolves inl~ an anticyclonic eddy ( gyre), which then spreads westward l~ the whole western Nansha Islands sea areas.     

Statistical analysis of surface hydrography and circulation variations in northern South China Sea

1 INTRODUCTIONThe South China Sea (SCS) is a semi-enclosedmarginal sea in western North Pacific Ocean withvery complex topography and is the important pas-sage connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Ithas great impact to the global climate and a greatinterest of many oceanography researchers. Twodominant surface hydrographic and circulation fea-tures in the northern SCS are a strong fresh waterexpansion and a warm and high-salinity seawaterintrusion such as the SCS Diluted Water…     

Numerical Simulation of Wintertime Mesoscale Eddies in the East China Sea

INTRODUCTIONAnimportantachievementofoceanographysincethe 1960swasthediscoveryofmesoscaleed dieswithspatialscaleofhundredsofmeters,andtimescaleofhours;andaverageflowvelocityofabout 10cm s.Theenormousenergyofthemesoscaleeddyiscomparabletothatofacycloneoran ticycloneintheatmosphere .Themesoscaleeddyisoneoftheimportantfactorsthatdecidethechangeoftheocean .Intherecentdecades,ChineseandforeignscientistshavedonelotsofworkontheEastChinaSeasmesoscaleeddies,theformationmechanismofwhicharethefocuso…     

Formation of an anticyclonic eddy and the mechanism involved: a case study using cruise data from the northern South China Sea

Data from satellite altimetry and in situ observations together with the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model(HYCOM)reanalysis data were used to investigate the mechanism and formation of an anticyclonic eddy in the northeastern South China Sea(SCS).Analysis of water mass using cruise data indicated that the water captured in the eddy differs from those in the SCS,the Kuroshio intrusion,and the eddy-forming region.Data from sea surface height(SSH)and sea level anomaly(SLA)indicate that the eddy formed due both to the Kuroshio intrusion and the local circulation in the SCS.The Kuroshio intrusion is present at the start of the eddy growth(March 5-9)before Kuroshio leaps the Luzon Strait.The eddy then becomes larger and stronger in the absence of the Kuroshio intrusion.From the eddy budget of the HYCOM reanalysis data,the formation of the eddy goes in three steps.By the third step,the eddy had become affected by variations of local SCS circulation,which is more strongly than in the first step in which it is affected more by the Kuroshio intrusion.The variability of the temperature and salinity inside the eddy provide a support to this conclusion.The water in the SCS intruded into the eddy from the southeast,which decrease the salinity gradually in the southern part of the eddy during the growth period.     

Recent advances in study of oceanic vortex

In this paper, the recent advances in the study of oceanic vortex are outlined. Firstly, the previous studies on oceanic vortex are reviewed. Secondly, some prominent features of oceanic vortex in the Gulf Stream, the Kuroshio, the South China Sea and the Japan Sea regions are depicted based upon the observations and numerical modeling results. Generally, the lifetime of these oceanic vortices ranges from several weeks to several months, and their horizontal scales vary from tens of kilometers to hundreds of kilometers. Their vertical scales are on the order of thousands of meters. Finally, some theoretical studies, mainly on the splitting of a cyclonic vortex and the merging of anticyclonic vortices, are introduced.     

Vertical structure and evolution of the Luzon Warm Eddy

Eddies are frequently observed in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS). However, there have been few studies on vertical structure and temporal-spatial evolution of these eddies. We analyzed the seasonal Luzon Warm Eddy (LWE) based on Argo float data and the merged data products of satellite altimeters of Topex/Poseidon, Jason-1 and European Research Satellites. The analysis shows that the LWE extends vertically to more than 500 m water depth, with a higher temperature anomaly of 5°C and lower salinity anomaly of 0.5 near the thermocline. The current speeds of the LWE are stronger in its uppermost 200 m, with a maximum speed of 0.6 m/s. Sometimes the LWE incorporates mixed waters from the Kuroshio Current and the SCS, and thus has higher thermohaline characteristics than local marine waters. Time series of eddy kinematic parameters show that the radii and shape of the LWE vary during propagation, and its eddy kinetic energy follows a normal distribution. In addition, we used the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) here to analyze seasonal characteristics of the LWE. The results suggest that the LWE generally forms in July, intensifies in August and September, separates from the coast of Luzon in October and propagates westward, and weakens in December and disappears in February. The LWE’s westward migration is approximately along 19°N latitude from northwest of Luzon to southeast of Hainan, with a mean speed of 6.6 cm/s.     

Mass transport of a mesoscale eddy in the South China Sea identified by a simulated passive tracer

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - To quantitatively investigate the water mass transport of mesoscale eddies, the mass transport induced by a simulated anticyclonic eddy in the South China Sea...     

Vorticity budget study on the seasonal upper circulation in the northern South China Sea from altimetry data and a numerical model

Based on the EOF analyses of Absolute Dynamic Topography satellite data,it is found that,in summer,the northern South China Sea(SCS) is dominated by an anticyclonic gyre whilst by a cyclonic one in winter.A connected single-layer and two-layer model is employed here to investigate the dynamic mechanism of the circulation in the northern SCS.Numerical experiments show that the nonlinear term,the pressure torque and the planetary vorticity advection play important roles in the circulation of the northern SCS,whilst the contribution by seasonal wind stress curl is local and limited.Only a small part of the Kuroshio water intrudes into the SCS,it then induces a positive vorticity band extending southwestward from the west of the Luzon Strait(LS) and a negative vorticity band along the 200 m isobath of the northern basin.The positive vorticity field induced by the local summer wind stress curl is weaker than that induced in winter in the northern SCS.Besides the Kuroshio intrusion and monsoon,the water transports via the Sunda Shelf and the Sibutu Passage are also important to the circulation in the northern SCS,and the induced vorticity field in summer is almost contrary to that in winter.The strength variations of these three key factors(Kuroshio,monsoon and the water transports via the Sunda Shelf and the Sibutu Passage) determine the seasonal variations of the vorticity and eddy fields in the northern SCS.As for the water exchange via the LS,the Kuroshio intrusion brings about a net inflow into the SCS,and the monsoon has a less effect,whilst the water transports via the Sunda Shelf and the Sibutu Passage are the most important influencing factors,thus,the water exchange of the SCS with the Pacific via the LS changes dramatically from an outflow of the SCS in summer to an inflow into the SCS in winter.     

Interannual variability of transport and bifurcation of the North Equatorial Current in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

The relationship of the interannual variability of the transport and bifurcation latitude of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) to the El Ni o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is investigated. This is done through composite analysis of sea surface height (SSH) observed by satellite altimeter during October 1992-July 2009, and correspondingly derived sea surface geostrophic currents. During El Nio/La Ni a years, the SSH in the tropical North Pacific Ocean falls/rises, with maximum changes in the region 0-15°N, 130°E-160°E. The decrease/increase in SSH induces a cyclonic/anticyclonic anomaly in the western tropical gyre. The cyclonic/anticyclonic anomaly in the gyre results in an increase/decrease of NEC transport, and a northward/southward shift of the NEC bifurcation latitude near the Philippine coast. The variations are mainly in response to anomalous wind forcing in the west-central tropical North Pacific Ocean, related to ENSO events.     

The surface path of the Kuroshio Extension’s western sector and the eddies on both sides

The surface path of the Kuroshio Extension’s western sector and the eddies on both sides are systematically analysed based on the GEK-measured surface current and temperature-salinity data from 1955–1985. The main results are shown as follows:1) According to the position and the features of distribution pattern, the surface path of the Kuroshio Extension’s western sector is classified into two kinds (straight and meander) and seven types (f. n_e, S_c, U_i or V_i, V_di or U_di, Ω, f+v). The straight kind accounts for 1/3 and the meander kind accounts for 2/3. 2) The warm eddies on the northern side originate mostly from the area off Sanriku and Joban of Japan. Their moving paths lie in two patterns: Pattern I, eddy moves northeastward or northward; Pattern II, eddy rotates about the original area. The cold eddies on the southern side originate mainly from the area off Boso Peninsula. Their moving paths also lie in two patterns: Pattern III. eddy moves from west to east; Pattern IV, eddy moves from north to south.     

Surface circulation patterns observed by drifters in the Yellow Sea in summer of 2001, 2002 and 2003

In summer of 2001, 2002 and 2003, ten, six and seventeen satellite-tracked surface drifters with drogues centered at 15 and 4 m were deployed, respectively, in the southern Yellow Sea (YS). 23 drifters of them transmitted useful data of at least 30 days. The wind-driven component of the drift was removed from the original drift velocity of drifters. The wind data used are from NCEP (National Center for Environmental Prediction), USA.Trajectories and drift velocities of the 23 drifters depicted the upper circulation structure in the southern YS. There exists an anti-cyclonic eddy with a mean speed and radius of 0.063 m/s and 50km in the central southern YS, whose center lingered within 35.3-36.0°N / 123.5-124.0°E. Showed by 6 drifters, a basin-scale elliptic cyclonic gyre with a mean speed of 0.114 m/s, long and short radius of 250 and 200 km surrounds the anti-cyclonic eddy. In the southwestern part of the southern YS has obvious frontal eddy activities within about 100 km with a mean speed about 0.076     

Optimal precursor of the transition from Kuroshio large meander to straight path

We used the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation(CNOP) method to explore the optimal precursor of the transition from Kuroshio large meander(LM) to straight path within a barotropic inflowoutflow model,and found that large amplitudes of the optimal precursor are mainly located in the east of Kyushu,which implies that perturbations in the region are important for the transition from LM to straight path.Furthermore,we investigated the transition processes caused by the optimal precursor,and found that these processes could be divided into three stages.In the first stage,a cyclonic eddy is advected to the formation region of the Kuroshio large meander,which enhances the LM path and causes a cyclonic eddy to shed from the Kuroshio mainstream.This process causes the LM path to change into a small meander path.Subsequently,the small meander is maintained for a period because the vorticity advection is balanced by the beta effect in the second stage.In the third stage,the small meander weakens and the straight path ultimately forms.The positive vorticity advecting downstream is responsible for this process.The exploration of the optimal precursor will conduce to improve the prediction of the transition processes from LM path to straight path,and its spatial structure can be used to guide Kuroshio targeted observation studies.     

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.     

Sea surface height oscillation with quasi-four-month period along the continental slope in the northern South China Sea

The sea surface height oscillation with a quasi-four-month period (SSHO4) along continental slope in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) is detected using satellite altimeter data and an ocean model simulation. The SSHO4 is at southwest of Dongsha Island, and is characterized by a wavelength of ~600 km and a southwestward phase speed of ~0.1 m/s. Crossing the climatological background SST front, geostrophic currents corresponding to the SSHO4 generally induce sea surface temperature (SST) "tongues" during January-March. The cold and warm SST tongues appear southwest of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, respectively. The distance between the warm and cold SST tongues is about half the wavelength of the SSHO4. The geostrophic currents play an important role in lateral mixing, as manifested by the SST tongue phenomena in the NSCS.