A Late Winter Hydrography in Hidaka Bay, South of Hokkaido, Japan

Hydrographic observations in Hidaka Bay, south of Hokkaido, Japan were carried out in late winter 1996 and 1997 to examine the spatial distributions and circulation features of two different water masses, i.e., Coastal Oyashio Water (COW) and Tsugaru Warm Water (TWW), and their modifications. It is known that COW is mostly composed of cold and low-salinity water of the melted drift ice coming from the Okhotsk Sea and flows into Hidaka Bay from winter to spring and TWW with high-salinity continuously supplies from the Tsugaru Strait to the North Pacific. Cold surface mixed layers (<26.2σ_θ, 0–100 m depth) were found mainly over the shelf slope, confirming that anti-clockwise flow of COW was formed. TWW was relatively high in salinity and low in potential vorticity, and had some patch-like water masses with a temperature and salinity maximum in the limited area in the further offshore at the deeper density levels of 26.6–26.8σ_θ. The fine structure of vertical temperature and salinity profiles appeared between TWW and COW is an indication of enhanced vertical mixing (double-diffusive mixing), as inferred from the estimated Turner angles. At a mouth of the Tsugaru Strait in late winter 1997, a significant thermohaline front between TWW and the modified COW was formed and a main path of TWW spreaded south along the Sanriku coast, probably as the bottom controlled flow. Hence, the patch-like TWW observed in late winter is isolated from the Tsugaru Warm Current and then rapidly modified due to a diapycnal mixing. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Processes influencing iron distribution in the coastal waters of the Tsugaru Strait,Japan

We report measurements of iron, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, humic-type fluorescence intensity and chlorophyll a concentrations in the coastal waters at the inflow (western) and outflow (eastern) ends of Tsugaru Strait (Japan) in June 2003 and 2004. Two different water masses (intensive eastward flow “subtropical Tsugaru Warm Current Water (TWCw)” and weak westward flow “subarctic Oyashio Water (OW)”) were observed at the eastern end of the strait. TWCw at the southern part of the eastern strait was vertically homogeneous with a uniform concentrations of iron (0.7–1.1 nM for labile dissolved Fe and 14–20 nM for total dissolvable Fe in 2003) as well as other chemical, biological and physical components throughout the water column of 200 m due to strong vertical mixing in the strait. The degree of mixing in the Tsugaru Warm Current (TWC) is predominantly affected by diurnal tidal current, which is strong during the period of tropical tides and weak during the period of equinoctial ones. The especially strong vertical water mixing in 2003 is caused by large dissipation energy input due to the bottom friction of passage-flow through the strait and tidal current. At the northern part of the eastern strait, the fresh surface layer overlying the OW and the deep-bottom waters in 2003 contained large concentrations of dissolved iron, resulting from iron supplied from river runoff and shelf sediments, respectively. These results suggest that the most important mechanism for transporting iron in the strait is the strong vertical water mixing due to the tidal current, and that the iron sources in the coastal waters are the organic-associated, iron-rich freshwater input into the surface water.     

Seasonal variations of water system distribution and flow patterns in the southern sea area of Hokkaido,Japan

Hydrographic data and composite current velocity data (ADCP and GEK) were used to examine the seasonal variations of upper-ocean flow in the southern sea area of Hokkaido, which includes the “off-Doto” and “Hidaka Bay” areas separated by Cape Erimo. During the heating season (April–September), the outflow of the Tsugaru Warm Current (TWC) from the Tsugaru Strait first extends north-eastward, and then one branch of TWC turns to the west along the shelf slope after it approaches the Hidaka Shelf. The main flow of TWC evolves continuously, extending eastward as far as the area off Cape Erimo. In the late cooling season (January–March), part of the Oyashio enters Hidaka Bay along the shallower part of the shelf slope through the area off Cape Erimo, replacing almost all of the TWC water, and hence the TWC devolves. It is suggested that the bottom-controlled barotropic flow of the Oyashio, which may be caused by the small density difference between the Oyashio and the TWC waters and the southward migration of main front of TWC, permits the Oyashio water to intrude along the Hidaka shelf slope.     

Determination of the freshwater origin of Coastal Oyashio Water using humic-like fluorescence in dissolved organic matter

Coastal Oyashio Water (COW), defined as a water mass with a temperature lower than 2 °C and a salinity lower than 33.0, is distributed in the North Pacific Ocean off southeastern Hokkaido, Japan, from winter to spring. COW is rich in macronutrients and dissolved iron and is thus considered to affect the spring phytoplankton blooms in the Oyashio region. Although river water and sea-ice melt water have been considered freshwater end-members of COW, the contributions of these freshwater sources to COW have not been well described. In this study, the humic-like components in dissolved organic matter were first applied as a parameter to evaluate the freshwater end-members of COW in March 2015. Linear regressions with negative slopes were determined between the humic-like components and the salinity of COW. The intercepts of the regressions against the humic-like components were within the ranges of those observed for the local rivers of Hokkaido but were very different from those of sea ice. These findings suggest that river water contributed to the COW observed here as a freshwater end-member, although the contribution of sea-ice melt water to COW could not be evaluated. This novel approach also highlighted two different less-saline water masses in COW. The first was characterized by a lower temperature and relatively high levels of humic-like components, while the second was higher in temperature and had higher levels of humic-like components. It is suggested that these different characteristics are due to the contributions of water from different rivers and/or different effects of sea-ice melt water.     

Ocean current and temperature structures in Algoa Bay and beyond in November 1986

Data on ocean temperature, currents, salinity and nutrients were obtained in an area off Algoa Bay on the south-east coast of South Africa during a ship's cruise in early November 1986. Satellite imagery provided information on the position of the Agulhas Current during the cruise period, while wind data were available from weather stations on the eastern and western sides of Algoa Bay. It is surmised that wind-forcing plays a major role in water circulation in the Bay and over the inshore continental shelf remote from the influence of the open ocean. The predominantly barotropic current flow, of the order of 0,5 m·s^?1, was downwind and influenced by topographic features and coastline shape. The Agulhas Current influences the ocean structures by long-term (large episodic meanders) and short-term (upwelling forced by the Current, core upwelling in frontal eddies and warm frontal plumes at the surface) fluctuations. Temperature structures showed well mixed water in Algoa Bay and a strong thermocline over the continental shelf, and were typical of a western boundary current in the Agulhas Current itself. The presence of a thermocline at 30–50 m over the shelf prevented upward mixing of nutrients. The Current exerted a dominant effect on shelf waters north of Algoa Bay.     

Seasonal hydrology of waters off the Otago peninsula,South‐Eastern New Zealand

Variations of temperature and salinity were observed off the Otago Peninsula from October 1966 to December 1967. In‐shore temperatures were more variable than those seawards and variability decreased with increasing depth. Temperatures over the continental shelf and down to 200 m in the open sea varied seasonally. Below 200 m temperature variations were small and non‐seasonal. Salinities were depressed in the shallow coastal waters by land run‐off, this tendency being more pronounced in autumn and winter. Seawards of this coastal zone seasonal variations of salinity were small. Over the outer shelf a zone of higher salinities was always present. Beyond this zone salinities decreased with increasing distance from shore and with increasing depth. A salinity minimum was sometimes present between 500 and 1,000 m.

Although the upper 200 m were seasonally stratified, the same water masses could always be recognised. Two water masses were present near the surface, the Southland Current, here interpreted as being subtropical in origin, being located in shore of Subantarctic Surface Water. These two water masses are separated by the clearly defined Southland Front. Along the shore, neritic conditions develop through modification of Southland Current water by coastal and climatic effects. Seawards, beneath Subantarctic Surface Water, the core of Antarctic Intermediate Water could sometimes be recognised as a salinity minimum.     

东海西部陆架海域水团的季节特征分析

On the basis of the CTD data and the modeling results in the winter and summer of 2009, the seasonal characteristics of the water masses in the western East China Sea shelf area were analyzed using a cluster analysis method. The results show that the distributions and temperature-salinity characteristics of the water masses in the study area are of distinct seasonal difference. In the western East China Sea shelf area, there are three water masses during winter, i.e., continental coastal water（CCW）, Taiwan Warm Current surface water（TWCSW） and Yellow Sea mixing water（YSMW）, but four ones during summer, i.e., the CCW, the TWCSW, Taiwan Warm Current deep water（TWCDW） and the YSMW. Of all, the CCW, the TWCSW and the TWCDW are all dominant water masses. The CCW, primarily characterized by a low salinity, has lower temperature, higher salinity and smaller spatial extent in winter than in summer. The TWCSW is warmer, fresher and smaller in summer than in winter, and it originates mostly from the Kuroshio surface water（KSW） northeast of Taiwan, China and less from the Taiwan Strait water during winter, but it consists of the strait water and the KSW during summer. The TWCDW is characterized by a low temperature and a high salinity, and originates completely in the Kuroshio subsurface water northeast of Taiwan.     

Characteristics of summer and winter circulations and their variability in the source area of the Tsushima Warm Current

ＣｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓｏｆｓｕｍｍｅｒａｎｄｗｉｎｔｅｒｃｉｒｃｕｌａｔｉｏｎｓａｎｄｔｈｅｉｒｖａｒｉａｂｉｌｉｔｙｉｎｔｈｅｓｏｕｒｃｅａｒｅａｏｆｔｈｅＴｓｕｓｈｉｍａＷａｒｍＣｕｒｒｅｎｔ￥ＳｏｎｇＷａｎｘｉａｎ（ＲｅｃｅｉｖｅｄＮｏ...     

On the origin of the Tsushima Warm Current Water

ＯｎｔｈｅｏｒｉｇｉｎｏｆｔｈｅＴｓｕｓｈｉｍａＷａｒｍＣｕｒｒｅｎｔＷａｔｅｒ￥ＴａｎｇＹｕｘｉａｎｇａｎｄＨｅｕｎｇ－ＪａｅＬｉｅ（ＦｉｒｓｔｉｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅＯｆＯｃｅａｎｏｇｒａｐｈｙ，ＳｔａｔｅＯｃｅａｎｉｃＡｄｍｉｎｉｓｔｒａｔｉｏｎ，Ｑ...     

Flux of low salinity water from Aniva Bay (Sakhalin Island) to the southern Okhotsk Sea

In this study, we examined the relationship between the low salinity water in the shelf region of the southern Okhotsk Sea which was seasonally sampled (0–200 m), and fluxes of low salinity water from Aniva Bay. To express the source of freshwater mixing in the surface layer, we applied normalized total alkalinity (NTA) and stable isotopes of seawater as chemical tracers. NTA-S diagrams indicate that NTA of low salinity water in the upper 30 m layer just off the Soya Warm Current is clearly higher than in the far offshore region in summer and autumn. Using NTA-S regression lines, we could deduce that the low salinity and high NTA water in the upper layer originates from Aniva Bay. For convenience, we defined this water as the Aniva Surface Water (ASW) with values S < 32, NTA > 2450 μmol kg⁻¹. Formation and transport processes of ASW are discussed using historical data. The interaction between the maximum core of high NTA water on the bottom slope of eastern Aniva Bay and an anticyclonic eddy at the mouth of Aniva Bay are concluded to control ASW formation. Upwelling of the Cold Water Belt water at the tip of Cape Krillion is considered to cause ASW outflow from Aniva Bay.     

东海北部气旋涡区冬半年水文特征的初步分析

关于东海北部气旋涡区夏半年水文结构及其逐月变化,作者已作了比较系统的分析。本文是上述工作的继续。鉴于冬半年海水的温、盐度等要素垂直分布均匀,其结构简单,而夏半年几个突出的水文现象大多没有出现,因此,本文叙述的方式和内容同前文是不同的。 迄今,只有毛汉礼等(1964)曾对研究海区冬季的水文特征以及海水类型作过分析,但对这一海区的水文特征在冬半年的变化规律尚未见报道。历史资料表明,该海区在冬     

东海和南黄海夏季环流的斜压模式

基于拉格朗日余流及其输运过程的一种三维空间弱非线性理论，引进了黑潮边界力及长江径流，给出了东海和南黄海的夏季环流及上升流区的分布。计算结果表明：在黑潮西侧存在着台湾－对马暖流系统；进入朝鲜海峡的对马暖流来自台湾暖流、黑潮、东海混合水和西朝鲜沿岸流；黄海暖流主要来源于东海混合水，表面有部分来自对马暖流；闽浙沿岸存在上升流区且构成一带状区域；在长江口外、东海东北部和陆坡上也存在在上升流式；陆坡处上升流     

1986年7月黄海南部及东海北部海况的主要特征

本文简要阐明了1986年7月中美南黄海合作调查所得的东海北部和南黄海的海况特征。给出了2m,50m,底层及主要断面的温、盐度分布图、T-S图解、动力计算和漂流浮标的观测结果。从这些图表可以看出:夏季黄海暖流不再进入南黄海内部,但有经济州海峡重新回归对马暖流的迹象;黄海冷水团内部结构复杂,黄海的陆架锋对黄海水文要素的分布变化有重要影响;南黄海上层存在着封闭的密度环流;济州岛西南依然存在着气旋型海水运动等。     

东海东北部春季若干重要水文结构的分析

本文主要基于韩国海洋研究所在东海沿岸海洋过程试验中收集的ＣＴＤ资料，分析了１９９５年春季出现在东海东北部的一些重要水文结构。结果表明，一种锋涡状结构出现在黑潮向东转折点附近。它不仅使邻近海域的水文结构变得更复杂，而且诱发黑潮水与陆架水间活跃的交换。在陆架坡折处观测到若干孤立的陆架水块，可能是锋涡的卷挟作用所致；该海域存在４个水团，即黑潮水、对马暖流水、陆架水和混合水。对马暖流水分为上下两层：上层水为变性黑潮水，盐度比黑潮水约低０．１，底层对马暖流水仅位于冲绳海槽区，并有着与黑潮中层水相同的温、盐特性；一种双锋结构出现在邻近黑潮的陆架边缘附近。在内陆架形成的陆架锋，由北向南伸展时，愈来愈偏向陆架边缘。而黑潮锋沿九州以西深槽的陆架边缘向北伸展。在黑潮转折点附近，两锋几乎合并为一条锋。狭窄的锋带由黑潮水及其变性水和陆架水的混合水所占据。     

Characteristics of outer shelf water in the East China Sea

Water mass properties along cross-sections of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea (ECS) are investigated in detail. We used temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen data from 2000 and 2002, together with historical temperature and salinity data from 1987 to 2004. Water properties were divided into two groups: high and low salinities or oxygen at temperatures warmer than 15 and 12 °C, respectively. We found the existence of outer shelf water W2, as defined by clear modes in frequency distributions of salinity and oxygen within various temperature segments. The outer shelf water was different from both Kuroshio Tropical Water (KTW) and coastal water. We mapped horizontal and vertical distributions of W2, along with W1 and KTW. The outer shelf water was distributed with density σ _t = 22.5–25.5 over a relatively broad area, from the outer continental shelf to the continental slope, particularly in autumn. Vertical distribution of the water suggests that W2 spread from the outer shelf to just the shelf side of the Kuroshio Current velocity maximum. Seasonal variations are examined with historical data along PN section over 17 years, and suggest that the appearance of W2 is distinct in summer and autumn. By comparing temperature–salinity (T–S) diagrams from Taiwan Strait and east of Taiwan, the outer shelf water (W2) originates from South China Sea Tropical Water (SCSTW), as suggested by Chen, J Geophys Res 110:C05012 (2005). The present study of the ECS clearly shows that SCSTW is transported along the east coast of Taiwan or through the Taiwan Strait into the ECS. It then spreads over a relatively wide area from the outer shelf to just the shelf side of the Kuroshio axis, and there is some horizontal mixing between SCSTW and KTW around the shelf break.     

普里兹湾区水团和环流时空变化的若干问题

自50年代后期以来国际上对普里兹湾区海洋过程的调査研究不断加强(Zverev,1959,1963; Izvekov,1959),尤其是进入80年代后,由于在现场考察中采用了CTD系统和浮标测流系统,人们对该区海洋过程的认识有了长足的进步。但由于该海区的热盐结构有非常显著的时空变化(Kornilov,1971; Smith et al.,1984; Middleton and Hamphries,1989;乐肯堂等,1996,1997),因而对该海区水团和环流中的若干重要问题,例如环流子午向分布向题,底层水形成问题,热盐结构时空变化间题等,仍缺乏足够的了解。 在乐肯堂等(1996,1997)的文章中,我们主要根据中国第六次(CNARE-Ⅵ,1989-1990)和第七次(CNARE-Ⅶ,1990-1991)南极考察中的海洋调查资料,分析了普里兹湾区的热盐结构、环流性质和混合过程。在本文中,我们将着重分析中国第八次(CNARE-Ⅷ,1991-1992)和第九次(CNARE-Ⅸ,1992-1993)南极考察中的CTD资料,并结合CNARE-Ⅵ,Ⅶ的资料,对该区的水团和环流的时空变化问题进行初步探讨。 关于CNARE-Ⅵ和 CNARE-Ⅶ的资料概况可见乐肯堂等(1996),不再重述。CNARE-Ⅷ的CTD断面设置与 CNARE-Ⅶ相同[参见乐肯堂等(1996)];但观测工作分为两个阶段:第一阶段从1991年12月31日至1992年1月5日,完成了从78°E至108°E共6个断面的测站;第二阶段,从1992年1月23日至25日,完成了68°E和73°E两个断面的测站。CNARE-Ⅸ的CTD断面如图1所示;观测工作也分两个阶段:第一阶段从1993年1月11日至1月15日,完成了I、Ⅱ、Ⅲ3个断面的测站;第二阶段从1993年1月29日至2月5日,进行了IV、V、Ⅵ3个断面的观测。这两次考察的CTD观测,每次均分为两个航次,而两个航次之间又都相隔二十余天,因而资料的同步性受到一定的影响。     

Upward transport of iron at the west shelf edge–slope of the Okinawa Trough in the East China Sea

We studied the behavior of chemical substances in the upper 300 m of the water column across the continental shelf–slope interface in the East China Sea off the Okinawa Trough. The behaviors of iron, inorganic nutrients, and humic-like fluorescent dissolved organic matter were strongly influenced by the extensive water exchange between the East China Sea and the Kuroshio Current across the shelf break and slope via upwelling and frontal processes. We attributed the high humic-like fluorescent intensity at the subsurface of the shelf break and slope regions to the lateral supply of humic-like fluorescent dissolved organic matter from the shelf sediments to the outer shelf region due to the intrusion of shelf water into Kuroshio subsurface water. We found that the behavior of iron at the continental shelf–slope was remarkably different from the conservative mixing of inorganic nutrients and humic-like fluorescent dissolved organic matter. In deep and bottom waters at the shelf–slope, high total iron concentrations, which were closely related to water transmittance, possibly resulted from the swept transport of iron-rich resuspended sediments over the shelf floor from the slope by the invading Kuroshio Intermediate Water close to the bottom.     

东海陆架区的温、盐度逆转现象(Ⅰ)

本文根据国家海洋局1975—1979年标准断面调查资料,对东海陆架区出现的温、盐度逆转现象进行定义和划分;通过统计分析得出,在东海陆架区出现两个逆转现象高频海区,一个位于江苏、浙江近海和外海的一狭长海域内,另一个位于济州岛以南和以西海域。通过对逆转现象成因的讨论认为,前者高频区主要是由于几个不同水团的叠置、交汇、相互作用的结果;由于气旋型涡旋的存在和黄海暖流水附近冷水块的出现而伴生的海水上升运动是导致后者高频区的因素。     

Characteristics of the Sôya Warm Current in the Okhotsk Sea

Characteristics of the Sôya Warm Current from Abashiri Bay to the area off the coast of the southern Kuril Islands are clarified by water mass analysis. The water flowing into the Okhotsk Sea as the Sôya Warm Current is divided into two: the Forerunner of the Sôya Warm Water (March to May) and the Sôya Warm Water (June to November). It is shown that in May the Sôya Warm Current flows in the subsurface layer (about 200–400m deep) in Abashiri Bay, and flows northeastward just off the coast of the Kuril Islands as a subsurface current reaching a region northwest of Etorofu Island by the end of May. The dissolved oxygen content is fairly effective in identifying the Forerunner of the Sôya Warm Water in the subsurface layer. The Sôya Warm Current shifts upwards to the surface layer in Abashiri Bay by early July, because the Sôya Warm Water with large thermosteric anomaly _t begins to flow into the Okhotsk Sea in June. It is shown that, in general, the major portion of the Sôya Warm Current flows northeastward just off the coast of the Kuril Islands during the summer season, although a minor branch of the current flows northward in the area off the Shiretoko Peninsula, and another minor branch flows out to the Pacific Ocean through the Nemuro Straits.