赤道外北太平洋上层洋流异常分析

采用复EOF分析方法.对全年各月份除赤道太平洋外的北太平洋海域的上层洋流异常做了统计动力诊断,并与赤道太平洋洋流异常做了比较:得到的主要结论有:北太平洋海域上层洋流的明显异常发生在日本本州岛以东、以南范围不大的海域(关键区)内,此关键区仅占整个北太平洋海域很小的一部分,而在该海域之外,洋流异常均非常小,虽该洋流异常的第...     

Detection of Pacific tropical water variability by taut-line moorings in the western equatorial Pacific

This study uses temperature and salinity time series acquired with taut-line moorings in the western equatorial Pacific to investigate water mass behavior on the thermocline layer. Basically, it is insufficient to trace water mass variation by the original discrete depth coordinate data because of relatively high variability of density at fixed depth near the thermocline. A reconstruction method based on the density surface motion caused by tidal forcing was used to derive continuous profiles of temperature and salinity from vertically discrete measurements at fixed depths. This method can represent detailed vertical salinity structures and their variation, especially along the potential density surface of 24.8σ_θ, where the salinity maximum of South Pacific tropical water (SPTW) appeared. Variability around the 24.8σ_θ surface at each site was as large as that observed at the surface, which suggests a strong influence of SPTW behavior. High salinity along the 24.8σ_θ surface within the equatorial band of the western Pacific appeared during boreal fall-winter at sites far from New Guinea. In contrast, high salinity appeared near New Guinea during the boreal spring-summer. These features suggest the influence of the New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent. Over longer time scales, several higher salinity events were observed. The most pronounced salinity event occurred during 2007–2008. Interannual variation of the salinity anomaly along the 24.8σ_θ surface was negatively correlated with the Niño 3.4 sea surface temperature anomaly. A long-term salinity anomaly shift from negative to positive occurred around the end of 2002. The relationship with decadal variation in subtropical cell transport is also discussed.     

Variability of the North Pacific Current and its bifurcation

The North Pacific Current (NPC) bifurcates approaching the west coast of North America into a subpolar branch that forms the Alaska Current, and a subtropical branch that includes the California Current. The variability of this current system is discussed using numerical results from a wind-driven, reduced-gravity model. Indices of the strength of the subpolar and subtropical components of the NPC are examined based on output from multi-decadal simulations with the numerical model. This shows periods of both correlated and anti-correlated variability of the subpolar and subtropical gyres. A decomposition of the gyre transport time series indicates that the dominant mode of variability is a “breathing” mode in which the subpolar and subtropical gyres co-vary in response to fluctuations in the strength of the NPC. This finding is consistent with an analysis of dynamic height data of limited duration from the array of Argo drifting floats.The variability of the NPC is also examined using sea surface height (SSH) data from satellite altimetry over the period 1993-2005. The leading mode of SSH over the northeast Pacific dominates the variability of the NPC and is shown to be associated with in-phase variations in the transport of the subtropical and subpolar gyres. A strong correlation is found between time-dependent fluctuations in SSH across the NPC and variations in the strength of the transport of the NPC in the model. This agreement provides evidence for variability of the NPC occuring in direct response to large-scale atmospheric forcing.     

Influence of ENSO variability on sinking-particle fluxes in the northeastern equatorial Pacific

A time-series sediment trap was operated from July 2003 to July 2008 at a station located in the 10°N thermocline ridge of the northeastern equatorial Pacific (10°30′N, 131°20′W), with the aim of understanding variations in natural background sinking-particle flux and the influence on such fluxes of ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation). Each one of weak El Niño, moderate El Niño and moderate La Niña were observed during the monitoring period. During non-ENSO periods, total mass fluxes varied from 4.1 to 36.9 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, with a distinct seasonal variation, ranging from an average flux of 14.0 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ in the warm season (June-November) to 25.3 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ in the cold season (December-May). This seasonal fluctuation was characterized by a distinct difference in CaCO₃ flux between the two seasons. The enhanced particle fluxes during the cold season are attributed to the supply of nutrient-enriched subsurface water by wind-driven vertical mixing, supported by a simultaneous reduction in sea surface temperature and enhanced trade winds. The weak El Niño event occurred in the monitoring period had no recognizable effect on particle fluxes in the study area, but the moderate El Niño event was accompanied by a significant reduction in particle fluxes to 60% of the average background value in the warm season. In contrast, particle fluxes during the moderate La Niña increased to a maximum value of 129.9 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, almost three times the average background value. Organic carbon and biogenic silica fluxes were most sensitive to the El Niño and La Niña conditions. The observed variations of particle fluxes are synchronized with those of chlorophyll-a, suggesting primary productivity for the main cause of flux change. The present data indicate that marked seasonal variability in background fluxes commonly exceeds the variability associated with ENSO and post-ENSO signals, which should be taken into account when evaluating the influence of ENSO on sinking particle fluxes in the 10°N thermocline ridge area.     

Dirunal variability and its quantification of subsurface sound scatterers in the western equatorial Pacific

A downwardf-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), suspended by a series of surface and subsurface floats and connecte to an anchroed ship, proided a quite stable platform to measure the, vertical profiles of backscatter strenght *BS) and three components of the velocith from 12 to 22 November 1992 at 1°30S and 156°15E, in the Intensive Flux Array (IFA) of TOGA/COARE. While the variability of the horizontal velocity was controlled by the semi-diurnal tide, BS and vertifal velocity were dominated by diurnal variability probably caused by the diel migration of zooplakton. The downward migration occurred early in the moring (0500–0700 in local time) and the upward one late in the afternoon (1700–1900). The average values of about 4 cm s^–1 for the sinking and rising speed were estimated from Doppler shift and BS isopleth displacement. The subsurface chlorophyll maximum (SCM) coincident with the top of the thermocline at 80–100 m was also detectable in the BS data during daytime when almost no migrating zooplankton remained in the upper 300 m. Backscatter signals from the SCM and thermocline were separated by corrlating the BS data with the chlorophylla and temperature data. The maximum contribution of the migrating zooplanktion, passively drifting phytoplankton and temperature gradient on BS was estimated to be 14.8, 7.0, 5.1 dB, respectively.     

热带西太平洋大气气候基本态与厄尔尼诺期间赤道附近西风异常

利用合成分析的方法分析了自1961年以来观测到的8次厄尔尼诺事件中赤道西太平洋地区西风异常与大气气候基本态的关系,结果发现厄尔尼诺年赤道西太平洋地区西风异常具有和大气气候基本态相一致的季节变化特征.利用一个简单热带海-气耦合模式较好地模拟出了观测到的厄尔尼诺年赤道西太平洋地区西风异常的变化特征.对模式结果的分析表明,大气气候基本态对厄尔尼诺年赤道西太平洋地区西风异常的形成起重要作用,它是通过影响大气模式中的加热场来影响赤道西太平洋地区西风异常.大气模式中赤道太平洋地区的加热场的形成具有阶段性和地区性,在厄尔尼诺事件的初始阶段,大气气候基本态是大气模式中的加热场形成的主要因子,而在厄尔尼诺事件的发展和成熟阶段,赤道中东太平洋地区的海表温度异常(SSTA)是加热场形成的主要因子.模式模拟结果对大气气候基本态依赖的敏感性试验说明,在大气模式加热场中含有大气气候基本态的模拟中,沿中西太平洋赤道附近的纬向风异常表现出和观测类似的传播特征.     

JGOFS studies in the equatorial Pacific

This special issue is the third and final volume containing results from the JGOFS Process Study in the equatorial Pacific. Most of the Study in the equational Pacific. Most of the contributions evolved either from the US JGOFS workshop in 1994 on the equatorial Pacific in Scottsdale, AZ or from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on the Carbon Cycle of the Equatorial Pacific in 1995 in Noumea, New Caledonia.     

Decadal variations of the transport and bifurcation of the Pacific North Equatorial Current

Decadal variations of the transport and bifurcation latitude of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) in the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean over 1959–2011 are investigated using outputs of the Ocean Analysis/Reanalysis System 3 prepared by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The results indicate that the NEC transports at different longitudes have different decadal fluctuations, which are strongest around 139°E. The NEC bifurcation latitude (NBL) has its largest decadal variations around 150 m. Extremes of the decadal NEC transport and NBL before 1975 correspond to different circulation anomalies from those after 1975. The regression map against decadal NBL exhibits negative sea surface height (SSH) anomalies and a cyclonic gyre anomaly over the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean, while that against the decadal NEC transport exhibits a dipole structure, with positive/negative SSH anomalies to the north/south of about 13°N. Furthermore, decadal variations of the NEC transport and NBL over the whole period have different correlations with Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability (TPDV). Generally, the decadal NEC transport shows higher correlations with PDO than with TPDV, while the NBL has higher correlations with TPDV than with PDO. The high correlation of decadal NEC transport with PDO mainly comes from that of its northern branch with PDO, while its southern branch shows higher correlation with TPDV.     

Mesoscale current fluctuations observed in the deep western North Pacific

A set of simultaneous long-term, deep current measurements was taken using a moored array in the mid-ocean of the western North Pacific near 30°N, 146°E. Five current meters at three stations provided good quality records over 84 days. Low-frequency current fluctuations with meridional dominance are clearly seen in the deep layer records. They are consistent with signals of a mesoscale current fluctuation which has a period of about 100 days, an east-west wave length of about 200 km, and a westward phase propagation with a speed of about 2 cm sec^–1. Bottom intensification of the east component of low-frequency current fluctuations is also observed.     

赤道太平洋次表层海温异常年际和年代际变率特征与ENSO循环

用美国马里兰大学提供的海洋同化(SODA)月平均资料,分析了赤道太平洋次表层海温异常年际和年代际变率的演化特征,讨论了它们对ENSO循环的影响.结果指出,赤道太平洋次表层海温异常年际和年代际变率具相似的ENSO模分布和演变过程,二者均以赤道西太平洋暖池次表层海温显著的异常中心与赤道东太平洋表层海温异常中心显著反号为主要分布特征,其演变过程通过赤道西太平洋暖池次表层海温异常中心沿海洋气候温跃层向东向上传播来完成.赤道西太平洋暖池次表层海温异常年际变率决定了ENSO循环,年代际变率对ENSO循环也有重要影响,其影响主要在中太平洋, 造成ENSO模的年代际变化.当年代际变率处于正常状态时,ENSO循环基本上是东部型冷暖事件之间的转换;当年际和年代际变率位相相同时,ENSO事件强度将会加强和持续,并出现中部型ENSO事件;当二者位相相反时, ENSO事件强度将会减弱.     

Temporal variability of winter mixed layer in the mid-to high-latitude North Pacific

Temperature and salinity data from 2001 through 2005 from Argo profiling floats have been analyzed to examine the time evolution of the mixed layer depth (MLD) and density in the late fall to early spring in mid to high latitudes of the North Pacific. To examine MLD variations on various time scales from several days to seasonal, relatively small criteria (0.03 kg m⁻³ in density and 0.2°C in temperature) are used to determine MLD. Our analysis emphasizes that maximum MLD in some regions occurs much earlier than expected. We also observe systematic differences in timing between maximum mixed layer depth and density. Specifically, in the formation regions of the Subtropical and Central Mode Waters and in the Bering Sea, where the winter mixed layer is deep, MLD reaches its maximum in late winter (February and March), as expected. In the eastern subarctic North Pacific, however, the shallow, strong, permanent halocline prevents the mixed layer from deepening after early January, resulting in a range of timings of maximum MLD between January and April. In the southern subtropics from 20° to 30°N, where the winter mixed layer is relatively shallow, MLD reaches a maximum even earlier in December–January. In each region, MLD fluctuates on short time scales as it increases from late fall through early winter. Corresponding to this short-term variation, maximum MLD almost always occurs 0 to 100 days earlier than maximum mixed layer density in all regions.     

Influence of non-photosynthetic pigments on light absorption and quantum yield of photosynthesis in the western equatorial Pacific and the Subarctic North Pacific

Regional variations in the contribution of non-photosynthetic pigments (ā _np^*) to the total light absorption of phytoplankton (ā _ph^*) and its influence on the maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (φ _m) were investigated. In the western equatorial Pacific, the surface ā _np^* : ā _ph^* ratio was higher in the western warm pool than that in the upwelling region. This difference appears to be attributable to severe nitrate depletion and higher percentage of prokaryotes, which can accumulate very high concentrations of zeaxanthin in the western warm pool. In the subarctic North Pacific, the ā _np^* : ā _ph^* ratio was expected to be higher in the Alaskan Gyre where the thermocline is sharper and iron limitation may possibly be more severe than in the Western Subarctic Gyre. However, the ratio was actually higher in the Western Subarctic Gyre, contradictory to our expectations. This east-west variation appears to be attributable to changes in the taxonomic composition; cyanobacteria were more abundant in the Western Subarctic Gyre. The values of ā _np^* : ā _ph^* and its vertical variations were relatively small in the subarctic North Pacific compared to those in the western equatorial Pacific. These inter-regional variations appear to be attributable to the lower solar radiation intensity, smaller percentage of cyanobacteria, and relatively strong vertical mixing in the subarctic North Pacific. The spatial variations in ā _np^* : ā _ph^* significantly influence φ _m. In comparison with φ _m based on the total light absorption (φ _{m ph}), the values corrected for the contribution of non-photosynthetic pigments (φ _{m ps}) showed an increase in both the western equatorial Pacific and the subarctic North Pacific.     

Low-frequency variability of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation in the past 40 years from SODA

The low-frequency variability of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) bifurcation during 1958 to 2001 was investigated with the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) 2.0.2 dataset.In agreement with recent observations,the NEC bifurcation latitude (NBL) shifted northward as depth increases, from about 12.7°N near the surface to about 17.1°N at depths around 500 m for the annual average. This study reveals that the interannual variations of NBL,with five years period,mainly focused on the upper 500 m with amplitude increasing as depth increased.The NBL shifted southward in the past 40 years,which was more significant in the subsurface at more than -0.02°/a.The NBL manifests itself in the transports of NMK (NEC-Mindanao Current (MC)-Kuroshio) system in strong relationship with MC (0.7) and Kuroshio (-0.7).The EOF analysis of meridional velocity off the Philippine coast shows that the first mode,explaining 62% of variance and 5 years period,was highly correlated with the southward shift of NBL with coefficient at about 0.75.The southward shift of NBL consists with the weakening of MC and strengthening of Kuroshio,which exhibited linear trends at -0.24Sv/a and 0.11Sv/a.Both interannual variation and trend of NBL were closely related to the variation of NMK system.     

Effects of interannual salinity variability on the dynamic height in the western equatorial Pacific as diagnosed by Argo

In this paper, interannual variations of the ocean dynamic height over the tropical Pacific are diagnosed using three-dimensional temperature and salinity fields from Argo profiles, with a focus on the...     

Interdecadal modulation of interannual atmospheric and oceanic variability over the North Pacific

The interdecadal modulation of interannual variability of the atmosphere and ocean is examined over the North Pacific by using Wavelet Transform combined with Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) or Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) analysis. For the period of record 1899–1997, the interannual variability of the wintertime Aleutian Low, identified by either the North Pacific Index or the leading eigenvector (EOF-1) of North Pacific sea level pressure (SLP), exhibits an interdecadal modulation. Interannual variance in the strength of the Aleutian Low was relatively large from the mid-1920s to mid-1940s and in the mid-1980s, but relatively small in the periods from 1899 to the mid-1920s and from the mid-1940s to the mid-1970s. The periods of high (low) interannual variability roughly coincide with pentadecadal regimes having a time averaged relatively intense (weak) Aleutian Low. Consistent with this SLP variability the interannual variance in the zonal wind stress is strengthened in the central North Pacific after the 1970s. The SLP EOF-2, which is related to the North Pacific Oscillation, exhibited a strengthening trend from the beginning of this century to the mid-1960s. After the 1970s, the interannual variance of SLP EOF-2 is generally smaller than that in the period from 1930 to 1970. Similar interdecadal changes in interannual variance are found in expansion coefficients for the first two EOFs of the Pacific sector 500 hPa height field for the period 1946–1993. EOF-1 of Pacific sector 500 hPa corresponds to the Pacific/North American (PNA) teleconnection pattern, while EOF-2 is related to the Western Pacific (WP) pattern. The relative influence of the atmospheric PNA and WP interannual variability on North Pacific SSTs appears to have varied at pentadecadal time scales. Results from an SVD analysis of winter season (December–February) 500 hPa and North Pacific spring season (March–May) SST fields demonstrate that the PNA-related SST anomaly exhibited larger interannual variance after the 1970s, whereas the interannual variance of the WP related SST anomaly is larger before the 1970s. Correlations between the coastal North Pacific SST records and gridded atmospheric field data also change on interdecadal time scales. Our results suggest that the SST records from both the northwest and northeast Pacific coasts were more closely coupled with the PNA teleconnection pattern during the periods of 1925–1947 and 1977–1997 than in the regime from 1948 to 1976. Teleconnections between ENSO and preferred patterns of atmospheric variability over the North Pacific also appear to vary on interdecadal time scales. However, these variations do not reflect a unique regime-dependent influence. Our results indicate that ENSO is primarily related to the PNA (WP) pattern in the first (last) half of the present century. Correlation coefficients between indices for ENSO and PNA-like atmospheric variability are remarkably weak in the period from 1948 to 1976.     

Intraseasonal variability of the surface zonal current in the equatorial Indian Ocean: Seasonal differences and causes

Using observations and numerical simulations, this study examines the intraseasonal variability of the surface zonal current(u ISV) over the equatorial Indian Ocean, highlighting the seasonal and spatial differences, and the causes of the differences. Large-amplitude u ISV occurs in the eastern basin at around 80°–90°E and near the western boundary at 45°–55°E. In the eastern basin, the u ISV is mainly caused by the atmospheric intraseasonal oscillations(ISOs), which explains 91% of the standard...     

Unusual large-scale phytoplankton blooms in the equatorial Pacific

Unusual large-scale accumulations of phytoplankton occurred across 10,000 km of the equatorial Pacific during the 1998 transition from El Niño to La Niña. The forcing and dynamics of these phytoplankton blooms were studied using satellite-based observations of sea surface height, temperature and chlorophyll, and mooring-based observations of winds, hydrography and ocean currents. During the bloom period, the thermocline (nutricline) was anomalously shallow across the equatorial Pacific. The relative importance of processes that enhanced nutrient flux into the euphotic zone differed between the western and eastern regions of the blooms. In the western bloom region, the important vertical processes were turbulent vertical mixing and wind-driven upwelling. In contrast, the important processes in the eastern bloom region were wave-forced shoaling of nutrient source waters directly into the euphotic zone, along-isopycnal upwelling, and wind-driven upwelling. Advection by the Equatorial Undercurrent spread the largest bloom 4500 km east of where it began, and advection by meridional currents of tropical instability waves transported the bloom hundreds of kilometers north and south of the equator. Many processes influenced the intricate development of these massive biological events. Diverse observations and novel analysis methods of this work advance the conceptual framework for understanding the complex dynamics and ecology of the equatorial Pacific.