春季北大西洋涛动与夏季西北太平洋热带气旋生成频数关系的年代际变化

The present study reveals the fact that the relationship between the spring(April–May) North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO) and the following summer(June–September) tropical cyclone(TC) genesis frequency over the western North Pacific(WNP) during the period of 1950–2018 was not stationary. It is shown that the relationship between the two has experienced a pronounced interdecadal shift, being weak and insignificant before yet strong and statistically significant after the early 1980 s. Next we compare the spring NAO associated dynamic and thermodynamic conditions, sea surface temperature(SST) anomalies, and atmospheric circulation processes between the two subperiods of 1954–1976 and 1996–2018, so as to illucidate the possible mechanism for this interdecadal variation in the NAO-TC connection. During the latter epoch, when the spring NAO was positive,enhanced low-level vorticity, reduced vertical zonal wind shear, intensified vertical velocity and increased middle-level relative humidity were present over the WNP in the summer, which is conducive to the genesis of WNP TCs. When the spring NAO is negative, the dynamic and thermodynamic factors are disadvantageous for the summertime TC formation and development over the WNP. The results of further analysis indicate that the persistence of North Atlantic tri-pole SST anomalies from spring to the subsequent summer induced by the spring NAO plays a fundamental role in the linkage between the spring NAO and summer atmospheric circulation.During the period of 1996–2018, a remarkable eastward propagating wave-train occurred across the northern Eurasian continent, forced by the anomalous SST tri-pole in the North Atlantic. The East Asian jet flow became greatly intensified, and the deep convection in the tropics was further enhanced via the changes of the local Hadley circulation, corresponding to a positive spring NAO. During the former epoch, the spring NAO-induced tri-pole SST anomalies in the North Atlantic were non-existent, and the related atmospheric circulation anomalies were extremely weak, thereby leading to the linkage between spring NAO and WNP TC genesis frequency in the following summer being insignificant.     

Variations of oceanic fronts and their influence on the fishing grounds of Ommastrephes bartramii in the Northwest Pacific

Two predominant currents, the warm Kuroshio Current and the cold Oyashio Current, meet in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The dynamics of physical oceanographic structures in this region, including frontal zones and meandering eddies, result in a highly productive habitat that serves as a favorable feeding ground for various commercially important species. Neon flying squid, Ommastrephes bartramii, is an important oceanic squid, which is widely distributed in the North Pacific Ocean. Based on the catch data collected by Chinese squid jigging fleets and relevant environmental data, including sea surface temperature(SST) and fronts(represented by gradients of SST and thermocline) during 1998–2009, the variations of oceanic fronts and their influence on the fishing grounds of O. bartramii were evaluated, and the differences in distribution of fishing grounds of O. bartramii in 2000 and 2002 were compared by describing the differences in vertical temperature between 0–300 m. It was found that the preferred horizontal temperature gradient of SST for O. bartramii tended to be centered at 0.01–0.02°C/nm, which attracted nearly 80% of the total fishing effort, and the preferred horizontal temperature gradients at the 50 m and 105 m layers were mainly located at 0.01–0.03°C/nm, which accounted for more than 70% of the total fishing effort during August–October. The preferred vertical temperature gradient within the 0–50 m layer for O. bartramii tended to be centered at 0.15–0.25°C/m during August and September and at 0.10–0.15°C/m in October, implying that the mixed surface layer was distributed at depths of 0–50 m. It was concluded that the vertical temperature gradient was more important than the horizontal temperature gradient in playing a role in forming the fishing ground. The results improved our understanding of the spatial dynamics of the O. bartramii fishery.     

上新世以来南海海水表层温度（SST）的变化

The reconstruction of sea surface temperature(SST) is a key issue in research on paleoceanography. The recently related studies are mainly concentrated on the Quaternary. The skeletons of a typical species of benthonic foraminifer(Amphistegina radiata) in the top 0–375.30 m interval of Well "Xike-1" reef core, Shidao Island, the Xisha Islands, are uniformly selected. The ratios of magnesium to calcium concentrations and other indicators are analyzed by an electron microprobe analysis(EMPA) with the purpose of estimating the paleo-SSTs since the Pliocene and further investigating the periodic change law of paleoclimate in the South China Sea(SCS).Meanwhile, the geologic significance of paleoclimatic events in the SCS is discussed with global perspectives. The results indicate that the paleo-SSTs reconstructed by the ratios of magnesium to calcium concentrations in the SCS show a general periodic trend of "high–low–high–low" in values changes since the Pliocene. By comparison,the fluctuations of reconstructed paleo-SSTs are much stronger in the Quaternary. Moreover, the variations of the ratios of magnesium to calcium concentrations in the A. radiata skeletons have recorded a series of major paleoclimatic events since the Pliocene, of which the Quaternary glaciation events and the Arctic ice cap forming events during the late Pliocene are more significant. Thus, using the changes of the ratios of magnesium to calcium concentrations in the A. radiata skeletons from Well "Xike-1" reef core to reflect the relative changes of paleo-SSTs is a relatively feasible and reliable way in the SCS, which is also proved by the correlation of drilling cores characteristics in this area.     

基于最优插值方法的微波-红外辐射计数据融合全球海面温度网格产品

A new 0.1° gridded daily sea surface temperature(SST) data product is presented covering the years 2003–2015. It is created by fusing satellite SST data retrievals from four microwave(Wind Sat, AMSR-E, ASMR2 and HY-2 A RM)and two infrared(MODIS and AVHRR) radiometers(RMs) based on the optimum interpolation(OI) method. The effect of including HY-2 A RM SST data in the fusion product is studied, and the accuracy of the new SST product is determined by various comparisons with moored and drifting buoy measurements. An evaluation using global tropical moored buoy measurements shows that the root mean square error(RMSE) of the new gridded SST product is generally less than 0.5℃. A comparison with US National Data Buoy Center meteorological and oceanographic moored buoy observations shows that the RMSE of the new product is generally less than 0.8℃. A comparison with measurements from drifting buoys shows an RMSE of 0.52–0.69℃. Furthermore, the consistency of the new gridded SST dataset and the Remote Sensing Systems microwave-infrared SST dataset is evaluated, and the result shows that no significant inconsistency exists between these two products.     

降雨导致的海面粗糙度对Aquarius卫星盐度反演的影响研究

Rainfall has two significant effects on the sea surface, including salinity decreasing and surface becoming rougher,which have further influence on L-band sea surface emissivity. Investigations using the Aquarius and TRMM 3B42 matchup dataset indicate that the retrieved sea surface salinity(SSS) is underestimated by the present Aquarius algorithm compared to numerical model outputs, especially in cases of a high rain rate. For example, the bias between satellite-observed SSS and numerical model SSS is approximately 2 when the rain rate is 25 mm/h. The bias can be eliminated by accounting for rain-induced roughness, which is usually modeled by rain-generated ring-wave spectrum. The rain spectrum will be input into the Small Slope Approximation(SSA) model for the simulation of sea surface emissivity influenced by rain. The comparison with theoretical model indicated that the empirical model of rain spectrumis more suitable to be used in the simulation. Further, the coefficients of the rain spectrum are modified by fitting the simulations with the observations of the 2–year Aquarius and TRMM matchup dataset. The calculations confirm that the sea surface emissivity increases with the wind speed and rain rate. The increase induced by the rain rate is rapid in the case of low rain rate and low wind speed. Finally, a modified model of sea surface emissivity including the rain spectrum is proposed and validated by using the matchup dataset in May 2014. Compared with observations, the bias of the rain-induced sea surface emissivity simulated by the modified modelis approximately 1e–4, and the RMSE is slightly larger than 1e–3. With using more matchup data, thebias between model retrieved sea surface salinities and observationsmay be further corrected,and the RMSE may be reduced to less than 1 in the cases of low rain rate and low wind speed.     

Numerical Simulation of the Vortex-Induced Vibration of A Curved Flexible Riser in Shear Flow

A series of fully three-dimensional(3 D) numerical simulations of flow past a free-to-oscillate curved flexible riser in shear flow were conducted at Reynolds number of 185–1015. The numerical results obtained by the two-way fluid–structure interaction(FSI) simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results reported in the earlier study. It is further found that the frequency transition is out of phase not only in the inline(IL) and crossflow(CF) directions but also along the span direction. The mode competition leads to the non-zero nodes of the rootmean-square(RMS) amplitude and the relatively chaotic trajectories. The fluid–structure interaction is to some extent reflected by the transverse velocity of the ambient fluid, which reaches the maximum value when the riser reaches the equilibrium position. Moreover, the local maximum transverse velocities occur at the peak CF amplitudes, and the values are relatively large when the vibration is in the resonance regions. The 3 D vortex columns are shed nearly parallel to the axis of the curved flexible riser. As the local Reynolds number increases from 0 at the bottom of the riser to the maximum value at the top, the wake undergoes a transition from a two-dimensional structure to a 3 D one. More irregular small-scale vortices appeared at the wake region of the riser, undergoing large amplitude responses.     

20世纪90年代后期南海上层海温变化趋势的转折

In this paper, the interdecadal variability of upper-ocean temperature in the South China Sea(SCS) is investigated based on several objectively analyzed data sets and two reanalysis data sets. The trends of the SCS sea surface temperature(SST) have changed from warming to cooling since the late 1990 s. A heat budget analysis suggests that the warming of the surface mixed layer during 1984–1999 is primarily attributed to the horizontal heat advection and the decrease of upward long wave radiation, with the net surface heat flux playing a damping role due to the increase of upward latent and sensible heat fluxes. On the other hand, the cooling of the surface mixed layer during 2000–2009 is broadly controlled by net surface heat flux, with the radiation flux playing the dominant role. A possible mechanism is explored that the variation of a sea level pressure(SLP) over the North Pacific Ocean may change the prevailing winds over the SCS, which contributes to the change of the SST in the SCS through the horizontal heat advection and heat fluxes.     

东海对台风云娜的海洋响应

Many typhoons pass through the East China Sea(ECS) and the oceanic responses to typhoons on the ECS shelf are very energetic. However, these responses are not well studied because of the complicated background oceanic environment. The sea surface temperature(SST) response to a severe Typhoon Rananim in August 2004 on the ECS shelf was observed by the merged cloud-penetrating microwave and infrared SST data. The observed SST response shows an extensive SST cooling with a maximum cooling of 3°C on the ECS shelf and the SST cooling lags the typhoon by about one day. A numerical model is designed to simulate the oceanic responses to Rananim.The numerical model reasonably simulates the observed SST response and thereby provides a more comprehensive investigation on the oceanic temperature and current responses. The simulation shows that Rananim deepens the ocean mix layer by more than 10 m on the ECS shelf and causes a cooling in the whole mixed layer. Both upwelling and entrainment are responsible for the cooling. Rananim significantly deforms the background Taiwan Warm Current on the ECS shelf and generates strong Ekman current at the surface. After the typhoon disappears, the surface current rotates clockwise and vertically, the current is featured by near inertial oscillation with upward propagating phase.     

The effects of different sea surface temperature distributions over the western Pacific on the summer monsoon properties

A modified and improved primitive equation numerical model with p-sigma incorporated vertical coordinates is used to simulate the effects of different sea surface temperature distributions over the western Pacific on the summer monsoon properties. The different sea surface temperature (SST) distributions are automatically generated in the time integrations by using two different SST models, one of which is called the deep ocean model (DOM) and the other the shallow ocean model (SOM). The SST generated by the DOM has the distribution pattern of the initial SST which is similar to the pattern in the cold water years over the western Pacific, while the SST generated by the SOM has the pattern similar to that in the warm water years. The differences between the experimental results by using DOM and SOM are analyzed in detail. The analyses indicate that the most basic and important characteristics of the summer monsoon climate can be simulated successfully in both experiments, that means the climatic propert     

Trends of sea surface temperature and sea surface temperature fronts in the South China Sea during 2003–2017

The trends of the sea surface temperature(SST) and SST fronts in the South China Sea(SCS) are analyzed during2003–2017 using high-resolution satellite data. The linear trend of the basin averaged SST is 0.31°C per decade,with the strongest warming identified in southeastern Vietnam. Although the rate of warming is comparable in summer and winter for the entire basin, the corresponding spatial patterns of the linear trend are substantially different between them. The SST trend to the west of the Luzon Strait is characterized by rapid warming in summer, exceeding approximately 0.6°C per decade, but the trend is insignificant in winter. The strongest warming trend occurs in the southeast of Vietnam in winter, with much less pronounced warming in summer. A positive trend of SST fronts is identified for the coast of China and is associated with increasing wind stress. The increasing trend of SST fronts is also found in the east of Vietnam. Large-scale circulation, such as El Ni?o, can influence the trends of the SST and SST fronts. A significant correlation is found between the SST anomaly and Ni?o3.4 index, and the ENSO signal leads by eight months. The basin averaged SST linear trends increase after the El Ni?o event(2009–2010), which is, at least, due to the rapid warming rate causing by the enhanced northeasterly wind. Peaks of positive anomalous SST and negatively anomalous SST fronts are found to co-occur with the strong El Ni?o events.     

沿海观测站海表温度质量控制和半日特征分析

Sea surface temperature(SST) data obtained from coastal stations in Jiangsu, China during 2010–2014 are quality controlled before analysis of their characteristic semidiurnal and seasonal cycles, including the correlation with the variation of the tide. Quality control of data includes the validation of extreme values and checking of hourly values based on temporally adjacent data points, with 0.15°C/h considered a suitable threshold for detecting abnormal values. The diurnal variation amplitude of the SST data is greater in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. The diurnal variation of SST has bimodal structure on most days, i.e., SST has a significant semidiurnal cycle. Moreover, the semidiurnal cycle of SST is negatively correlated with the tidal data from March to August, but positively correlated with the tidal data from October to January. Little correlation is detected in the remaining months because of the weak coastal–offshore SST gradients. The quality control and understanding of coastal SST data are particularly relevant with regard to the validation of indirect measurements such as satellitederived data.     

基于神经网络的南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼渔场预报

南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼是我国远洋渔业的重点捕捞对象;对南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼进行准确的渔场预报;可以提高捕捞效率;提高渔业的生产能力。本研究根据1993-2010年南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼的延绳钓生产数据以及海洋卫星遥感数据（海水表面温度;SST;海面高度;SSH）和ENSO（El Niño-Southern Oscillation）指标;采用DPS（data processing system）数据处理系统中的BP人工神经网络模型;以渔获产量（单位时间的渔获尾数）和单位捕捞努力量渔获量（CPUE;Catch per unit of effort）分别作为中心渔场的表征因子;并作为BP模型的输出因子;以月、经度、纬度、SST、SSH和ENSO指标等作为输入因子;分别构建4-3-1;5-4-1;5-3-1;6-5-1;6-4-1;6-3-1等BP模型结构;比较渔场预报模型优劣。研究结果表明;以CPUE作为输出因子的BP人工神经网络结构总体上较优;其中以6-4-1模型结构为最优;相对误差只有0.006 41。研究认为;以CPUE为输出因子的6-4-1结构的人工神经网络模型;能够准确预报南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼的渔场位置。     

Variability of sensible heat flux over the Bay of Bengal and its connection to Indian Ocean Dipole events

The Bay of Bengal (BOB) is known to possess complex thermodynamics which show distinct seasonal patterns. Surface heat fluxes in the BOB are very much dependant on upper ocean heat exchanges and wind. Sensible heat flux (SHF) is also one among those fluxes that depends on air-sea temperature difference and wind. However, this study further proves that a strong relationship exists between barrier layer thickness (BLT) and SHF variability that has not been focussed on in earlier literatures. This study also investigates the seasonal as well as inter-annual variability of SHF and its relationship with BLT and sea surface temperature (SST) patterns in more detail with statistical analyses. It is found that both SST and BLT are responsible for the evolution of SHF signal in the BOB although their effects are spatially distributed. During the post monsoon period, freshwater induced enhanced BLT is more related to SHF than the summer time when effect of SST is found to be dominant. During Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) years, the correlation between SHF and BLT in the eastern BOB is more pronounced compared to SHF and SST. The western BOB however is dominated by SST variations for the respective IOD phase which also contribute to SHF signals there. Northernmost BOB shows high standard deviation due to river discharge effects.     

长江口涨潮与落潮流速和悬沙输运不对称性研究

为了量化比较海表层环境及温跃层环境对南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼渔场分布的影响程度;本研究采用2010-2012年南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼延绳钓渔船实际生产统计数据;结合卫星遥感所获取的海表面温度（sea surface temperature;SST）和海表面高度（sea surface height;SSH）数据以及Argo浮标所获取的温跃层上、下界水温和深度数据;运用外包络法分别构建了基于海表层环境变量、温跃层上界环境变量以及温跃层下界环境变量的3种栖息地适应性指数（habitat suitability index;HSI）模型。模型验证结果显示;基于海表层环境变量的HSI模型;HSI>0.6时所占产量比重为70.04%;投钩数量比重为70.86%;HSI>0.8时所占产量比重为24.92%;投钩数量比重为25.79%;基于温跃层上界环境变量的HSI模型;HSI>0.6时所占产量比重为82.17%;投钩数量比重为80.95%;HSI>0.8时所占产量比重为33.24%;投钩数量比重为32.69%;基于温跃层下界环境变量的HSI模型;HSI>0.6时所占产量比重为81.01%;投钩数量比重为81.54%;HSI>0.8时所占产量比重为43.51%;投钩数量比重为43.73%。研究发现;基于温跃层上界和下界环境变量的两个HSI模型预报精度明显高于基于表层环境变量的HSI模型;且基于温跃层下界环境变量的HSI模型预报精度高于基于温跃层上界环境变量的HSI模型。研究结果表明;相较于海表层环境;温跃层环境;尤其是温跃层下界环境特征对南太平洋长鳍金枪鱼资源分布的影响更为显著。     

A general ecosystem model for applications to primary productivity and carbon cycle studies in the global oceans

We have developed a general 1-D multi-component ecosystem model that incorporates a skillful upper ocean mixed layer model based on second moment closure of turbulence. The model is intended for eventual incorporation into coupled 3-D physical–biogeochemical ocean models with potential applications to modeling and studying primary productivity and carbon cycling in the global oceans as well as to promote the use of chlorophyll concentrations, in concert with satellite-sensed ocean color, as a diagnostic tool to delineate circulation features in numerical circulation models. The model is nitrogen-based and the design is deliberately general enough and modular to enable many of the existing ecosystem model formulations to be simulated and hence model-to-model comparisons rendered feasible. In its more general form (GEM10), the model solves for nitrate, ammonium, dissolved nitrogen, bacteria and two size categories of phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus, in addition to solving for dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity to enable estimation of the carbon dioxide flux at the air–sea interface. Dissolved oxygen is another prognostic variable enabling air–sea exchange of oxygen to be calculated. For potential applications to HNLC regions where productivity is constrained by the availability of a trace constituent such as iron, the model carries the trace constituent as an additional prognostic variable. Here we present 1-D model simulations for the Black Sea, Station PAPA and the BATS site. The Black Sea simulations assimilate seasonal monthly SST, SSS and surface chlorophyll, and the seasonal modulations compare favorably with earlier work. Station PAPA simulations for 1975–1977 with GEM5 assimilating observed SST and a plausible seasonal modulation of surface chlorophyll concentration also compare favorably with earlier work and with the limited observations on nitrate and pCO₂ available. Finally, GEM5 simulations at BATS for 1985–1997 are consistent with the available time series. The simulations suggest that while it is generally desirable to employ a comprehensive ecosystem model with a large number of components when accurate depiction of the entire ecosystem is desirable, as is the prevailing practice, a simpler formulation such as GEM5 (N²PZD model) combined with assimilation of remotely sensed SST and chlorophyll concentrations may suffice for incorporation into 3-D prediction models of primary productivity, upper ocean optical clarity and carbon cycling.     

基于变分理论的AVHRR海表温度反演应用及效果评估

基于变分理论算法实现了METOP-A卫星AVHRR传感器探测数据的海洋表面温度变分反演，进行了连续1个月的海表温度反演试验，并分别从全球、分纬度带和天气系统活跃区域3个方面，将变分反演结果（VAR SST）与利用统计回归方法反演相同卫星得到的海表温度产品（GBL SST）、其他海温融合产品（OISST）及实际浮标观测数据等进行一系列评估。从全球评估指标看出，以OISST为参照，VAR SST要优于GBL SST；以浮标观测为参照，VAR SST略逊于GBL SST，而且VAR SST还改进了GBL SST随时间波动大的缺点；从分纬度带对比看出，在与OISST对比时，VAR SST在低纬度地区和北半球中纬度地区的质量要优于GBL SST，海温反演精度较高。研究还表明，由于变分方法考虑了大气状态的变化，能够更加有效订正卫星遥感过程中大气的削弱作用，从而反演出精度更高的海表温度，尤其在天气系统较为复杂的区域效果明显。     

表层水温结构变化对东南太平洋秘鲁鳀渔场的影响

秘鲁鳀（Engraulis ringens）是栖息于东南太平洋沿岸的小型中上层鱼类,掌握其渔场变化及其与海洋环境因子的关系有利于企业把握该渔业的生产情况。研究结合2005-2014年渔汛期间秘鲁各港口出港的船数及其所获得的秘鲁鳀渔获量和表层水温数据（海表面温度,sea surface temperature,SST）,以单位捕捞努力量的渔获量（catch per unit effort,CPUE）和捕捞努力量（Effort）数据构建的渔场指数（fishing ground index,FGI）为渔场指标,对秘鲁鳀的渔场类型进行分类,探讨水温结构变化对秘鲁鳀渔场的影响。方差分析表明:渔场指数在不同渔汛阶段（渔汛前期、中期和末期,P<0.01）和不同捕捞区域（北部、中部和南部,P<0.01）都有着极显著的差异。以表层水温大于20℃的海水是否入侵到近岸为标志,可以将秘鲁鳀渔场分成两种类型:大于20℃的海水没有入侵到沿岸（A型渔场）和入侵到沿岸（B型渔场）。研究表明,在渔汛前期和中期阶段,A型渔场的出现有利于渔场的形成,其中渔汛前期沿岸19℃或20℃等温线的出现以及渔汛中期沿岸18℃或19℃等温线的出现可以作为中心渔场形成的指标。     

The Indian Ocean’s asymmetric effect on the coupling of the Northwest Pacific SST and anticyclone anomalies during its spring–summer transition after El Niño

By comparing different climatologies in El Niño decaying summer with regard to the presence of Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) warming, we studied the effect of IOB warming on the Northwest Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and the coupling process with the surface wind. Zonal asymmetric coupling feedback in the west and east of the Northwest Pacific were caused by the asymmetric spring–summer transition of the background tropical atmospheric circulation. Although the westward wind anomaly caused by the remote effect of IOB warming is found in the whole Northwest Pacific, reversal of the mean background surface winds in the western part leads to negative wind-evaporation SST (WES), whereas sustained trade winds lead to positive WES in the eastern part. The east–west SST gradient resulting from this zonal asymmetric evolution of SST sets off more positive feedback that strengthens the local anticyclone easterly anomalies.     

Long-term changes in sea surface temperature(SST) within the southern Levantine Basin

Knowledge of sea surface temperature(SST) behaviour is vital for long-term climate scenarios. This study highlights essential outcomes about the distinguishable and unsurprising warming of the SST along the southern border of the Levantine Basin. The analysis is based on monthly SST data for the period 1948–2018. The southern Levantine Basin has undergone SST increase, during the last 71 years. In this study, a consistent warming trend has been found for the analysed SST data series, with a rate of 0.04°C/a, i.e., 0.4°C/(10 a). From 1975 to 1991 the mean annual SST was 17.1°C, and this increased to be 19.2°C, over the period 2002–2018. Results revealed two opposite trends of variability: a decreasing trend(–0.06°C/a) over the period 1975–1991, and an increasing trend(0.2°C/a) from 2002 to 2018. Over the period 1948–2018, positive mean annual SST anomalies had an average of1.8°C, and negative anomalies had an average of –1.1°C. The lowest SST total increase was found from January to April, with values about 0.03°C, while the highest warming appeared from June to September. The driving mechanisms behind the SST changes need to be more investigated, to understand the future trends and impacts of climate change in the Levantine Basin.     

Generating time-series grid data of sea surface temperature from isotherms in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean using coupled interpolation

Sea surface temperature (SST) isoline charts that were manually mapped using in situ SST data and satellite-derived SST data are valuable because they incorporate oceanographers’ knowledge and experience. This type of SST data is useful for studying sea conditions of an area, for analyzing environmental factors that could affect fishing grounds, as a parameter for atmospheric or oceanic models, or as a diagnostic tool for comparison with the SSTs produced by ocean models. However, isoline maps must be digitized and interpolated into grid data in order to be used in these applications. Herein, we propose a coupled interpolation (CI), which couples improved multi-section interpolation and single-point change surface interpolation containing orientation, for generating grid data from SST isolines. We interpolated 1049 SST isoline maps (temperature interval 1°), which cover an area of the northwestern Pacific Ocean (125°E–180°E, 26°N–50°N) and were published by the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center (JAFIC) during 1990–2000, to grid datasets with 15′ grid resolution. We assessed the quality of grid datasets by checking noise points, RMSE analysis, checking offset errors, retrieving percentage of Kuroshio axes and visually comparing inverse isotherms with original isotherms. The quality analysis and comparison with four other interpolators showed the CI interpolator to be a good technique for generating SST grid data from isotherms. We also computed the SST anomaly (SSTA) using the SST grid datasets. The amplitude values of integral SSTA in the area of 31–46°N, 170–180°E were low, whereas they were high in the SW–NE rectangular area of 35–46°N, 142–160°E.