Observations of the countercurrent on the inshore side of the Kuroshio northeast of Taiwan

Intensive current measurements in the area northeast of Taiwan indicate subsurface, southwestward flow existed between the inshore edge of the Kuroshio and the East China Sea continental slope. At 70 km away from Taiwan, this countercurrent has a mean speed about 30 cm s^–1 at mid-depth. Closer to Taiwan, the flow turns along with the topography, and subjects to sidewall and bottom friction. Both the magnitude and the vertical shear of this countercurrent are comparable with that inferred from hydrographic survey. The wind field features short-period (a few days) fluctuations associated with the cold front passages, however, this is not reflected on the current records. It appears that the countercurrent is fairly steady. Together with similar reversing flow found at places much further to the north, the overall pattern seems to be a general quasi-steady feature along most part of the shelf edge of the East China Sea.