Variability of subduction rates of the subtropical North Pacific mode waters

The climatology subduction rate for the entire Pacific is known, but the mechanism of interannual to decadal variation remains unclear. In this study, we calculated the annual subduction rates of three types of North Pacific subtropical mode waters using a general circulation model (LICOM1.0) for the period of 1958-2001. The model experiments focused on interannual variations of ocean dynamical processes under daily wind forcings and seasonal heat fluxes. The mode water formation region was defined by a potential vorticity minimum at outcrop locations. The model results show that two subduction rate maxima (>100 m/a) were located in the Subtropical Mode Water (STMW) and the Central Mode Water (CMW) formation regions. These regions are consistent with a climatologically calculated value. The subduction rate in the Eastern Subtropical Mode Water (ESTMW) formation region was smaller at about 75 m/a. The subduction rate shows clear interannual and decadal variations associated with oceanic dynamic variabilities. The average subduction rate of the STMW was much smaller during the period of 1981-1990 compared with other periods, while that of the CMW had a negative anomaly before 1975 and a positive anomaly after 1978. The variability agreed with Ekman and geostrophic advections and mixed layer depths. The interannual variability of the subduction rate for the ESTMW was smallest during 1970-1990, as a result of a weak wind stress curl. This paper explores how interannual signals from the atmosphere are stored in different parts of the ocean, and thus may contribute to a better understanding of feedback mechanisms for the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) event.     

Response of mode water and Subtropical Countercurrent to greenhouse gas and aerosol forcing in the North Pacific

The response of the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water and Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC) to changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) and aerosol is investigated based on the 20th-century historical and single-forcing simulations with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Climate Model version 3 (GFDL CM3). The aerosol effect causes sea surface temperature (SST) to decrease in the mid-latitude North Pacific, especially in the Kuroshio Extension region, during the past five decades (1950–2005), and this cooling effect exceeds the warming effect by the GHG increase. The STCC response to the GHG and aerosol forcing are opposite. In the GHG (aerosol) forcing run, the STCC decelerates (accelerates) due to the decreased (increased) mode waters in the North Pacific, resulting from a weaker (stronger) front in the mixed layer depth and decreased (increased) subduction in the mode water formation region. The aerosol effect on the SST, mode waters and STCC more than offsets the GHG effect. The response of SST in a zonal band around 40°N and the STCC to the combined forcing in the historical simulation is similar to the response to the aerosol forcing.     

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.     

Surface circulation derived from drifting buoys in mid- and low-latitude Pacific

1 INTRODUCTION Measuring the velocity of ocean currents is one of the most important tasks in physical oceanography research. Many centuries ago, mariners had begun to obtain the sea surface cur- rents from vessel drift records. As early as in 1870s instr…     

The South Pacific Subtropical Mode Water in the Tasman Sea

From the synopical CTD sections in the WOCE PR11 repeated cruises, the South Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (SPSTMW) has been identified in the region of the Tasman Front Extension (TFE) around 29?S to the east of Australia. In the depth range of 150-250 m, the SPSTMW appears as a thermostad with vertical temperature gradient lower than 1.6℃(100 m)-1 and a tem- perature range of 16.5-19.5℃ and as a pycnostad with PV lower than 2×10-10 m-1 s-1 and a potential density range of 25.4-26.0 kg m-3. Like the subtropical mode waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, the formation of the SPSTMW is associated with the convective mixing during the austral wintertime as manifested from the time series of the Argo floats. And cold water entrains into the mixed layer with the deepening mixed layer from September to the middle of October. During the wintertime formation process, mesoscale eddies prevailing in the TFE region play an important role in the SPSTMW formation, and have a great effect on the SPSTMW distribution in the next year. The deeper (shallower) mixed layer in wintertime, consistent with the depressed (uplifted) permanent thermocline, is formed by the anticyclonic (cyclonic) eddies, and the substantial mode water thicker than 50 m is mainly found in the region of the anticyclonic eddies where the permanent thermocline is deeper than 450 m.     

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.     

Circulation and Heat Flux along the Western Boundary of the North Pacific

On the basis of the conductivity temperature depth(CTD)observation data off the coast of the Philippines(7.5°–18°N,130°E–the east coast of the Philippines)in the fall of 2005,the water mass distribution,geostrophic flow field,and heat budget are examined.Four water masses are present:the North Pacific Tropical Surface Water,the North Pacific Sub-surface Water,the North Pacific Intermediate Water,and the Antarctic Intermediate Water(AAIW).The previous three corresponded with the North Equatorial Current(NEC),the Kuroshio Current(KC),and the Mindanao Current(MC),respectively.AAIW is the source of the Mindanao Undercurrent.The mass transport of NEC,KC,and MC is 58.7,15,and 27.95Sv,respectively(relative to 1500db).NEC can be balanced by the transport across the whole transect 18°N(31.81 Sv)and 7.5°N(26.11 Sv)but not simply by KC and MC.Direct calculation is used to study the heat flux.In sum,1.45PW heat is transported outwards the observed region,which is much more than that released from the ocean to the air at the surface(0.05PW).The net heat lost decreased the water temperature by 0.75℃each month on average,and the trend agreed well with the SST change.Vertically,the heat transported by the currents is mainly completed in the upper 500 m.     

Response of the western North Pacific subtropical ocean to the slow-moving super typhoon Nanmadol

Based on in-situ observation, satellite and reanalysis data, responses of the western North Pacific subtropical ocean(WNPSO) to the slow-moving category 5 super typhoon Nanmadol in 2011 are analyzed. The dynamical response is dominated by near-inertial currents and Ekman currents with maximum amplitude of 0.39 m/s and 0.15 m/s, respectively. The near-inertial currents concentrated around 100 m below the sea surface and had an e-folding timescale of 4 days. The near-inertial energy propagated both upward and downward, and the vertical phase speed and wavelength were estimated to be 5 m/h and 175 m, respectively. The frequency of the near-inertial currents was blue-shifted near the surface and redshifted in ocean interior which may relate to wave propagation and/or background vorticity. The resultant surface cooling reaches -4.35℃ and happens when translation speed of Nanmadol is smaller than 3.0 m/s.When Nanmadol reaches super typhoon intensity, the cooling is less than 3.0℃ suggesting that the typhoon translation speed plays important roles as well as typhoon intensity in surface cooling. Upwelling induced by the slow-moving typhoon wind leads to typhoon track confined cooling area and the right-hand bias of cooling is slight. The mixed layer cooling and thermocline warming are induced by wind-generated upwelling and vertical entrainment. Vertical entrainment also led to mixed layer salinity increase and thermocline salinity decrease, however, mixed layer salinity decrease occurs at certain stations as well. Our results suggest that typhoon translation speed is a vital factor responsible for the oceanic thermohaline and dynamical responses, and the small Mach number(slow typhoon translation speed) facilitate development of Ekman current and upwelling.     

四川盆地东部、西部年降水量的振荡与太阳活动的联系

本文应用四川盆地23个站的年降水资料、太阳黑子相对数与西北太平洋副高强度指数资料,分析太阳黑子活动的异常与四川盆地降水的联系,认为:四川盆地东西部降水量呈振荡型、这种振荡型可能是太阳活动通过西北太平洋副高的作用而激发的、时间上有滞后一年以上的特性,即太阳黑子活动的强弱、引起西北太平洋副高强度的变化,进而影响四川降水的东西分布特征。反映为太阳黑子偏多年分,第二年的西北太平洋高压偏强、相应四川盆地降水呈西涝东旱型、反之亦然。     

南方涛动、热带海温与西北太平洋副高的联系

本文应用统计方法,首先探讨南方涛动指数与西北太平洋副热带高压的联系,然后分析赤道和热带太平洋区域海温对南方涛动的响应情况,同时分析南方涛动响应区域的海温与当时及滞后的西北太平洋副热带高压的联系,从中探讨南方涛动、厄尔尼诺海温异常及西北太平洋副热带高压之间的一种可能的相互作用机制。     

A study of transport and impact strength of Fukushima nuclear pollutants in the north pacific surface

Based on the statistics of surface drifter data of 1979–2011 and the simulation of nuclear pollutant particulate movements simulated using high quality ocean reanalysis surface current dataset, the transport pathways and impact strength of Fukushima nuclear pollutants in the North Pacific have been estimated. The particulates are used to increase the sampling size and enhance the representativeness of statistical results. The trajectories of the drifters and particulates are first examined to identify typical drifting pathways. The results show that there are three types of transport paths for nuclear pollutants at the surface: 1) most pollutant particles move eastward and are carried by the Kuroshio and Kuroshio-extension currents and reach the east side of the North Pacific after about 3.2–3.9 years; 2) some particles travel with the subtropical circulation branch and reach the east coast of China after about 1.6 years according to one drifter trajectory and about 3.6 years according to particulate trajectories; 3) a little of them travel with local, small scale circulations and reach the east coast of China after about 1.3–1.8 years. Based on the particulates, the impact strength of nuclear pollutants at these time scales can be estimated according to the temporal variations of relative concentration combined with the radioactive decay rate. For example, Cesium-137, carried by the strong North Pacific current, mainly accumulates in the eastern North Pacific and its impact strength is 4% of the initial level at the originating Fukushima area after 4 years. Due to local eddies, Cesium-137 in the western North Pacific is 1% of the initial pollutant level after 1.5 years and continuously increases to 3% after 4 years. The vertical movement of radioactive pollutants is not taken into account in the present study, and the estimation accuracy would be improved by considering three-dimensional flows.     

Eddies in the northwest subtropical pacific and their possible effects on the South China Sea

Based on an analysis of drifter data from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment during 1979-1998, the sizes of the eddies in the North subtropical Pacific are determined from the radii of curvature of the drifter paths calculated by using a non-linear curve fitting method. To support the drifter data results, Sea Surface Height from the TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS2 satellite data are analyzed in connection with the drifter paths. It is found that the eddies in the North Pacific （18^＊- 23^＊N and 125^＊-150^＊E） move westward at an average speed of approximately 0.098 ms^-1 and their average radius is 176 km, with radii ranging from 98 km to 298 km. During the nineteen-year period, only 4 out of approximately 200 drifters （2%） actually entered the South China Sea from the area adjacent to the Luzon Strait （18^＊-22^＊N and 121^＊-125^＊E） in the winter. It is also found that eddies from the interior of the North Pacific are unlikely to enter the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait.     

Control factors of DIC in the Y3 seamount waters of the Western Pacific Ocean

An investigation was carried out in the Y3 seamount area of the Western Pacific Ocean in December 2014,and the distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC) and its relationship with environmental factors in this area were explored.The results show that DIC concentration was higher in the adjacent waters of the Y3 seamount area,and the uplift of DIC isolines at the stations was close to the seamount.Meanwhile,interaction between the North Equatorial Current(NEC) and the Y3 seamount affected the DIC distribution i.e.,the upwelling in the same direction of the NEC was obvious,resulting in a decreasing trend of average concentration of DIC in the 200 m water column from the top to the two side s in this direction but in the cross direction.The DIC concentration increased with the water depth increase,and its distribution was affected by various environmental factors.In the surface water,high temperature was a decisive factor for the decrease of the DIC concentration,but the photosynthesis of phytoplankton showing only a weak influence.In the North Pacific Tropic Water(NPTW),DIC production rate from organic matter decomposition was higher than that of DIC consumption by phytoplankton photosynthesis,leading to a continual increase of DIC.In the North Pacific Intermediate Water(NPIW),organic matter decomposition played a leading role in the increase of DIC.In the deep water,decomposition of organic matter weakened,and the dissolution of CaCO_3 controlled the carbonate system,and DIC had the smallest variation range.     

Southern ocean SST variability and its relationship with ENSO on inter-decadal time scales

Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis reveals a co-variability of Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Southern Hemisphere (0°-60°S). In the South Indian and Atlantic Oceans, there is a subtropical dipole pattern slanted in the southwest- north-east direction. In the South Pacific Ocean, a meridional tripole structure emerges, whose middle pole co-varies with the dipoles in the South Indian and Atlantic Oceans and is used in this study to track subtropical Pacific variability. The South Indian and Atlantic Ocean dipoles and the subtropical Pacific variability are phase-locked in austral summer. On the inter-decadal time scales, the dipoles in the South Indian and Atlantic Oceans weaken in amplitude after 1979/1980. No such weakening is found in the subtropical South Pacific Ocean. Interestingly, despite the reduced amplitude, the correlation of the Indian Ocean and Atlantic dipoles with El Nio and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are enhanced after 1979/1980. The same increase in correlation is found for subtropical South Pacific variability after 1979/1980. These inter-decadal modulations imply that the Southern Hemisphere participates in part of the climate shift in the late 1970s. The correlation between Southern Hemisphere SST and ENSO reduces after 2000.     

A Review of Interaction Between Neon Flying Squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) and Oceanographic Variability in the North Pacific Ocean

The neon flying squid(Ommastrephes bartramii) is a short-lived opportunistic species widely distributed in subtropical and temperate waters in the North Pacific Ocean. The life cycle of O. bartramii from planktonic eggs to nektonic adults is closely linked to oceanographic conditions. The fluctuations in O. bartramii abundance and distribution tend to increase and widen continuously due to the heavy influences of ocean-climate events on various spatio-temporal scales. In this study, we reviewed the interaction between O. bartramii and oceanography variability in the North Pacific with respect to large-scale climatic-oceanic phenomena including El Ni?o, La Ni?a, Kuroshio, Oyashio and Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO), as well as regional environmental variables such as sea surface temperature(SST), sea surface height(SSH), sea surface salinity(SSS), chlorophyll-a(Chl-a) concentration, and plankton density. The population dynamics of O. bartramii is mediated mainly by meso- and large-scale climatic-oceanic events(e.g., Kuroshio and Oyashio Currents) rather than other local environmental conditions(e.g., SST and Chl-a concentration), because all of the oceanographic influences are imposed on the context of large-scale climate changes(e.g., PDO). An unstructured-grid finitevolume coastal ocean model coupled with an individual-based model is proposed to simulate relevant physical-biological oceanographic processes for identifying ocean-climate influence and predicting O. bartramii distribution and abundance in the North Pacific. Future research needs to be focused on improving the knowledge about early life history of O. bartramii and evaluating the relationship between marine physical environment and two separate passive drifting life stages of O. bartramii including free-floating eggs and planktonic paralarvae.     

Subtropical air-sea interaction and development of central Pacific El Niño

The standard deviation of the central Pacific sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) during the period from October to February shows that the central Pacific SSTA variation is primarily due to the occurrence of the Central Pacific El Nio (CP-El Nio) and has a connection with the subtropical air-sea interaction in the northeastern Pacific. After removing the influence of the Eastern Pacific El Nio, an S-EOF analysis is conducted and the leading mode shows a clear seasonal SSTA evolving from the subtropical northeastern Pacific to the tropical central Pacific with a quasi-biennial period. The initial subtropical SSTA is generated by the wind speed decrease and surface heat flux increase due to a north Pacific anomalous cyclone. Such subtropical SSTA can further influence the establishment of the SSTA in the tropical central Pacific via the wind-evaporation-SST (WES) feedback. After established, the central equatorial Pacific SSTA can be strengthened by the zonal advective feedback and thermocline feedback, and develop into CP-El Nio. However, as the thermocline feedback increases the SSTA cooling after the mature phase, the heat flux loss and the re-versed zonal advective feedback can cause the phase transition of CP-El Nio. Along with the wind stress variability, the recharge (discharge) process occurs in the central (eastern) equatorial Pacific and such a process causes the phase consistency between the thermocline depth and SST anomalies, which presents a contrast to the original recharge/discharge theory.     

Drought Forecasting in a Semi-arid Watershed Using Climate Signals:a Neuro-fuzzy Modeling Approach

Large-scale annual climate indices were used to forecast annual drought conditions in the Maharlu-Bakhtegan watershed,located in Iran,using a neuro-fuzzy model.The Standardized Precipitation Index（SPI） was used as a proxy for drought conditions.Among the 45 climate indices considered,eight identified as most relevant were the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation（AMO）,Atlantic Meridional Mode（AMM）,the Bivariate ENSO Time series（BEST）,the East Central Tropical Pacific Surface Temperature（NINO 3.4）,the Central Tropical Pacific Surface Temperature（NINO 4）,the North Tropical Atlantic Index（NTA）,the Southern Oscillation Index（SOI）,and the Tropical Northern Atlantic Index（TNA）.These indices accounted for 81% of the variance in the Principal Components Analysis（PCA） method.The Atlantic surface temperature（SST：Atlantic） had an inverse relationship with SPI,and the AMM index had the highest correlation.Drought forecasts of neuro-fuzzy model demonstrate better prediction at a two-year lag compared to a stepwise regression model.     

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 Change Features of the West Boundary Bifurcation Line of the North Equatorial Current in the Pacific

The equatorial Current in the North Pacific(NEC) is an upper layer westward ocean current, which flows to the west boundary of the ocean, east of the Philippines, and bifurcates into the northerly Kuroshio and the main body of the southerly Mindanao current. Thus, NEC is both the south branch of the Subtropical Circulation and the north branch of the Tropical Circulation. The junction of the two branches extends to the west boundary to connect the bifurcation points forming the bifurcation line. The position of the North Pacific Equatorial Current bifurcation line of the surface determines the exchange between and the distribution of subtropical and tropical circulations, thus affecting the local or global climate. A new identification method to track the line and the bifurcation channel was used in this study, focusing on the climatological characteristics of the western boundary of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation line. The long-term average NEC west boundary bifurcation line shifts northwards with depth. In terms of seasonal variation, the average position of the western boundary of the bifurcation line is southernmost in June and northernmost in December, while in terms of interannual variation, from spring to winter in the years when ENSO is developing, the position of the west boundary bifurcation line of NEC is relatively to the north(south) in EI Ni?o(La Ni?a) years as compared to normal years.