Hydrographic conditions in the Tsushima Strait revisited

Long-term averaged temperature and salinity distributions in the Tsushima Strait are investigated on the basis of a concurrent dataset of the eastern and western channels during 1971–2000. Both temperature and salinity show a clear seasonal variation with weak and strong stratifications in December–April and June–October, respectively. The largest standard deviations occur in summer around the thermocline for temperature and in the surface layer for salinity. This indicates large interannual variability in the development of a thermocline and low salinity water advection from the East China Sea. The water masses in both channels are distinctly different from each other; the water in the western channel is generally colder and fresher than that in the eastern channel throughout the year. Baroclinic transport based on the density distributions shows a seasonal variation with a single peak in August for the eastern channel and double peaks in April and August for the western channel. However, this cannot explain the seasonal variation in the total volume transport estimated from the sea level differences across the channels. The spatial distribution of baroclinic transport shows a year-round negative transport towards the East China Sea behind the Iki Island in the eastern part of the eastern channel. This negative transport reflects the baroclinic structure between the offshore Tsushima Current Water and cold coastal water. The corresponding southwestward currents are found in both Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and high frequency (HF) radars observations.     

Dominant spatial variability scales from observations around the Hawaiian Islands

We utilize a variety of available observations with a semivariogram technique to quantify the oceanic variability around the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian Islands have a significant impact on the North Pacific circulation, and quantifying the characteristics of the variability is important for understanding the eddy energy, as well as required for statistical techniques to work with the data, such as optimal interpolation, data assimilation, etc. Both satellite sea surface height and temperature data are used to determine horizontal scales of variability, while Argo profiles, ship-borne profiles, and autonomous Seagliders provide estimates of the vertical scales. In the lee of the islands, satellite data reveal an increase in horizontal variability attributed to enhanced eddy activity that persists for over 1000 km westward; however, only within 400 km of the immediate lee the horizontal length scales are greatly reduced. Further west, length scales increase significantly indicating a change in the generation mechanism for eddy variability and where eddies merge and coalesce. The meridional length scale gradient is found to be larger than previous results and more representative of the gradient of the first baroclinic mode of the internal Rossby radius. Vertical length scales are shown to increase in the lee, with vertical temperature variability doubled from the windward side.     

Short-term instability of the coastal waters off Tuapse

We present the results of the investigation of the hydrodynamical regime of the coastal zone off Tuapse. We identified the spatial and temporal scales of the dynamic inhomogeneities. The intensity of the vertical component of the relative vorticity and its distribution in the waters of the coastal zone are estimated. We demonstrate that the effects found in the distributions of the relative vortex’s intensity and its orientation are able to lead to the formation of blocking water in marine coastal zones or, inversely, to prompt the ventilation of these waters. Based on the multidimensional statistical analysis, the relationship of the relative eddy distribution and the dynamical topography of the coastal waters was revealed which simplifies the problem of the blocking or ventilation of the coastal waters.     

黑潮延伸体上游中尺度涡场的年代际振荡及其相关机制

黑潮延伸体上游区域的中尺度涡场的涡动能和涡特征尺度存在显著地年代际振荡,和黑潮延伸体路径的年代际变化有很好的相关性。当黑潮延伸体路径比较稳定时,其上游区域涡动能比较高,涡特征尺度比较大,反之相反。通过对黑潮延伸体上游区域的中尺度涡场进行集合分析发现:当黑潮延伸体处于稳定状态时,上游涡场几乎是各向均匀地,有轻微的径向伸长;而当黑潮延伸体处于不稳定状态时,上游的中尺度涡场有显著地纬向伸长。对与中尺度涡场的产生相关的线性斜压不稳定和正压不稳定进行了计算分析,结果显示,线性斜压不稳定不是控制中尺度涡场年代际变化的机制,而正压不稳定对中尺度涡场的年代际变化有积极的贡献。不稳定产生的中尺度涡之间存在非线性涡-涡相互作用。     

Observed Variability of Thermohaline Fields,Currents and Eddies in the Western Bay of Bengal During BOBMEX-99

Field measurements during the Bay of Bengal Monsoon Experiment (BOBMEX-99), data from a deep sea moored buoy, and satellite altimeter were used to describe variability in the hydrographic and meso-scale features in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during the summer monsoon of 1999. The thermohaline fields showed two regions of upsloping of isopleths centered at 82°E and 84.75°E, ～110 km and 450 km away from the coast, respectively, followed by downsloping. The upsloping/downsloping of isopleths and the alternating currents was part of cyclonic and anti-cyclonic circulation patterns in the western BoB. In this region, both wind and current were important in the dynamics of coastal upwelling. The observations showed a relationship between the propagating waves and eddy on variability of thermohaline fields. On an annual cycle, four Kelvin waves were observed in the BoB, but only the downwelling Kelvin wave formed during October entered the Arabian Sea. During the monsoon season, four eddies were formed in the western BoB, of which the anticyclonic eddy centered at 15°N, 84°E and the cyclonic eddy centered at 17.5°N, 84.5°E were prominent. The baroclinic instability caused by the opposing currents along the east coast and the wind stress curl favored the formation of eddies. Okhubo-Weiss and Isern-Fontanet parameter confirmed the presence of eddies in the BoB.     

Seasonal variability of the Antarctic Coastal Current and its driving mechanisms in the Weddell Sea

Insight into the dynamics of the Antarctic Coastal Current (ACoC) is achieved by quantifying the contributions of its driving mechanisms to the seasonal variability of its barotropic and baroclinic components. These mechanisms are sought out in the local wind, the sea-ice concentration, wind curl of the Weddell Gyre (Sverdrup transport) and the thermohaline forcing related to warming/cooling and ice melting and freezing. These driving mechanisms induce most of the seasonal variability of both the barotropic and baroclinic components of the ACoC by deepening the pycnocline towards the coast and sharpening the baroclinic profile following thermal wind balance. The resulting coastal current has mainly a barotropic transport (82%) and a major annual cycle, which explains 37% of this component's variability (tides and other high-frequency events generate 40%). The wind contributes with 58% of the seasonal variability of the barotropic component and 23% of the baroclinic; the sea-ice concentration contributes with 8% and 18%, respectively; Sverdrup transport with 4% and 30% and the thermohaline forcing with 30% and 29%. The results of this study are obtained with analysis of fifteen CTD sections (potential density and geostrophic velocities) of RV-Polarstern obtained between 1992 and 2005, as well as composite, spectral and harmonic analyses of 9 years of time series from moored instruments (current speed and temperature), wind speed, atmospheric pressure and sea-ice concentration of satellite imagery.     

Seasonal variability of the barotropic and baroclinic motion in the Tsushima-Korea Strait

The aim of this study is to elucidate the seasonal variation in the volume transport through the Tsushima-Korea Strait using the sea level difference across the Strait. The sea level difference associated with the baroclinic motion is estimated from the geostrophic current profile, which is calculated as its vertical integrated transport is zero, using the CTD data from 1988 to 1990. The sea level difference associated with the barotropic motion is estimated by subtracting the sea level difference associated with the baroclinic motion from the observed one. The range (maximum-minimum) of the seasonal variation in the volume transport is evaluated about 0.7 Sv on the average, using the sea level difference associated with the barotropic motion. It is one third of the seasonal variation in the volume transport which is estimated from observed sea level difference on the assumption that no baroclinic component exists. Such analyses also indicate that the volume transport was at a maximum in early winter and at a minimum in early spring from 1988 to 1990. The negative correlation is also found between the volume transport through the eastern channel and that through the western channel. Moreover, it is noticed that the seasonal variation in the surface current velocity in the Strait largely contains baroclinic motions which are locally caused in the Tsushima-Korea Strait.     

Seasonal variation of the vertically averaged flow caused by the Jebar effect in the Tsushima Strait

The seasonal variation in the barotropic mode of motion caused by joint effect of the baroclinicity and bottom relief (Jebar effect) in the Tsushima Strait is investigated with the use of the diagnostic numerical model in this study. The Jebar effect in the Tsushima Strait is mainly caused by the intrusion of the Bottom Cold Water along the Korean coast in summer. This Jebar effect along the Korean coast locally supplies the negative vorticity in situ, and it forces the coastal current to be intensified. In summer, the volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current entering the Tsushima Strait is biassed to the western part of the strait comparing with the flow pattern calculated in winter.     

Intrinsic and forced interannual variability of the Gulf of Alaska mesoscale circulation

The response of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) circulation to large-scale North Pacific climate variability is explored using three high resolution (15 km) regional ocean model ensembles over the period 1950-2004. On interannual and decadal timescales the mean circulation is strongly modulated by changes in the large scale climate forcing associated with PDO and ENSO. Intensification of the model gyre scale circulation occurs after the 1976-1977 climate shift, as well as during 1965-1970 and 1993-1995. From the model dynamical budgets we find that when the GOA experiences stronger southeasterly winds, typical during the positive phase of the PDO and ENSO, there is net large-scale Ekman convergence in the central and eastern coastal boundary. The geostrophic adjustment to higher sea surface height (SSH) and lower isopycnals lead to stronger cyclonic gyre scale circulation. The opposite situation occurs during stronger northwesterly winds (negative phase of the PDO).Along the eastern side of the GOA basin, interannual changes in the surface winds also modulate the seasonal development of high amplitude anticyclonic eddies (e.g. Haïda and Sitka eddies). Large interannual eddy events during winter-spring, are phase-locked with the seasonal cycle. The initial eddy dynamics are consistent with a quasi-linear Rossby wave response to positive SSH anomalies forced by stronger downwelling favorable winds (e.g. southwesterly during El Niño). However, because of the fast growth rate of baroclinic instability and the geographical focusing associated with the coastal geometry, most of the perturbation energy in the Rossby wave is locally trapped until converted into large scale nonlinear coherent eddies. Coastally trapped waves of tropical origin may also contribute to positive SSH anomalies that lead to higher amplitude eddies. However, their presence does not appear essential. The model ensembles, which do not include the effects of equatorial coastally trapped waves, capture the large Haïda and Sitka eddy events observed during 1982 and 1997 and explain between 40% and 70% of the tidal gauges variance along the GOA coast.In the western side of the GOA basin, interannual eddy variability located south of the Alaskan Stream is not correlated with large scale forcing and appears to be intrinsic. A comparison of the three model ensembles forced by NCEP winds and a multi-century-long integration forced only with the seasonal cycle, shows that the internal variability alone explains most of the eddy variance. The asymmetry between the eddy forced regime in the eastern basin, and the intrinsic regime in the western basin, has important implications for predicting the GOA response to climate change. If future climate change results in stronger wintertime winds and increased downwelling in the eastern basin, then increased mesoscale activity (perhaps more or larger eddies) might occur in this region. Conversely, the changes in the western basin are not predictable based on environmental forcing. Eastern eddies transport important biogeochemical quantities such as iron, oxygen and chlorophyll-a into the gyre interior, therefore having potential upscale effects on the GOA high-nutrient-low-chlorophyll region.     

Effects of Eddy Variability on the Circulation of the Japan/East Sea

The effect of mesoscale eddy variability on the Japan/East Sea mean circulation is examined from satellite altimeter data and results from the Naval Research Laboratory Layered Ocean Model (NLOM). Sea surface height variations from the Geosat-Exact Repeat Mission and TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter satellites imply geostrophic velocities. At the satellite crossover points, the total velocity and the Reynolds stress due to geostrophic mesoscale turbulence are calculated. After spatial interpolation the momentum flux and effect on geostrophic balance indicates that the eddy variability aids in the transport of the Polar Front and the separation of the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC). The NLOM results elucidate the impact of eddy variability on the EKWC separation from the Korean coast. Eddy variability is suppressed by either increasing the model viscosity or decreasing the model resolution. The simulations with decreased eddy variability indicate a northward overshoot of the EKWC. Only the model simulation with sufficient eddy variability depicts the EKWC separating from the Korean coast at the observed latitude. The NLOM simulations indicate mesoscale influence through upper ocean-topographic coupling. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Propagation of wind and buoyancy forced density anomalies in the North Pacific: Dependence on ocean model resolution

The response of the thermocline to changes in atmospheric forcing are explored in two 50-year hindcast North Pacific model runs. The model runs only differ in their resolution and horizontal viscosity values. The thermocline response is explored through a modal decomposition. The first baroclinic mode response is qualitatively similar in both model runs, with a somewhat smaller response in the lower resolution model. This mode is primarily wind driven. The second baroclinic mode shows a larger response at midlatitudes in the low-resolution model than in the higher resolution model. This is consistent with the presence of very large-scale baroclinic instability in the return flow of the subtropical gyre at low-resolution, and represents a spurious response of the ocean model to large horizontal viscosity. This spurious mode of decadal variability in the thermocline is maintained even when there is variability in atmospheric forcing. This result suggests that care must be taken in interpretation of the realism of mid-latitude modes of variability centered in western boundary current extensions of coupled ocean–atmosphere models.     

Temporal Variability of High Vertical Wavenumber Shear over the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge

Recent numerical studies (Hibiya et al., 1996, 1998, 2002) showed that the energy cascade across the internal wave spectrum down to small dissipation scales was under strong control of parametric subharmonic instabilities (PSI) which transfer energy from low vertical mode double-inertial frequency internal waves to high vertical mode near-inertial internal waves. To see whether or not the numerically-predicted energy cascade process is actually dominant in the real deep ocean, we examine the temporal variability of vertical profiles of horizontal velocity observed by deploying a number of expendable current profilers (XCPs) at one location near the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. By calculating EOFs, we find the observed velocity profiles are dominated by low mode semidiurnal (∼double-inertial frequency) internal tides and high mode near-inertial internal waves. Furthermore, we find that the WKB-stretched vertical scales of the near-inertial current shear are about 250 sm and 100 sm. The observed features are reasonably explained if the energy cascade down to small dissipation scales is dominated by PSI.     

台湾海峡西部冬季余流的时空变化

A new data set of observations by six cruises of ship-mounted acoustic doppler current profiler(SADCP) and three 40 d long bottom-mounted ADCPs(BADCPs) is employed to reveal the spatiotemporal variability of tidal and subtidal currents in the western Taiwan Strait(TWS) during winter season. The results confirm the existence of intense cotidal lines for M_2 tidal current, which is located north of 25°N. In this case, no existence of an amphidromic point can be identified. It is also revealed that the counter-wind current(CWC) can extend through the whole western TWS and even occupy the entire water column during winter monsoon relaxation. However,this CWC is observed to be thoroughly overwhelmed by the downwind China coastal current(CCC) during the two big monsoon bloom events in the winter of 2007, and the CCC consequently extends southward throughout the western TWS instead. Most importantly, the variation of the spatial extent for the CWC and the CCC in the western TWS is found to be well explained by the first two modes of the vector empirical orthogonal function(VEOF) analysis, that is, it is mainly controlled by a wind-driven quasi barotropic current as the first mode and slightly modulated by a relatively weak background current with a first-order baroclinic structure as the second mode.     

Dynamics of a mesoscale eddy off Cape Ann, Massachusetts in May 2005

Observations and numerical modeling indicate that a mesoscale anti-cyclonic eddy formed south of Cape Ann at the northern entrance of Massachusetts Bay (MB) during May 2005, when large river discharges in the western Gulf of Maine and two strong Nor'easters passing through the regions led to an unprecedented toxic Alexandrium fundyense bloom (red tide). Both model results and field measurements suggest that the western Maine Coastal Current separated from Cape Ann around May 7–8, and the eddy formed on around May 10. The eddy was trapped at the formation location for about a week before detaching from the coastline and moving slowly southward on May 17. Both model results and theoretical analysis suggest that the separation of the coastal current from the coast and subsequent eddy formation were initiated at the subsurface by an adverse pressure gradient between Cape Ann and MB due to the higher sea level set up by onshore Ekman transport and higher density in downstream MB. After the formation, the eddy was maintained by the input of vorticity transported by the coastal current from the north, and local vorticity generation around the cape by the horizontal gradients of wind-driven currents, bottom stress, and water density induced by the Merrimack River plume. Observations and model results indicate that the anti-cyclonic eddy significantly changed the pathway of nutrient and biota transport into the coastal areas and enhanced phytoplankton including Alexandrium abundances around the perimeter of the eddy and in the western coast of MB.     

Mesoscale eddies off Peru in altimeter records: Identification algorithms and eddy spatio-temporal patterns

Relatively little is known about coherent vortices in the eastern South-Pacific along the Peruvian coast, even with regard to basic facts about their frequency of occurrence, longevity and structure. This study addresses these issues with nearly 15 years of relatively high-resolution satellite altimetry measurements.We first compare two distinct automated methods for eddy identification. The objective validation protocol shows that the rarely-used geometrical or “winding-angle method”, based on the curvature of the streamline functions, is more accurate than the commonly-used “Okubo–Weiss algorithm”, which defines a vortex as a simple connected region with values of Okubo–Weiss parameter weaker than a given threshold.We then investigate vortices off Peru using more than 20,000 mesoscale eddies identified by the winding-angle method. Coherent eddies, characterized by a high ratio of vorticity to deformation rate, are typically formed along the coast and propagate westward at 3–6 cm s⁻¹. The vortices have a mean radius of 80 km, increasing northward, and are most frequently observed off of Chimbote (9°S) and south of San Juan (15°S). The mean eddy lifetime is about 1 month, but if eddies survive at least 2 months, the probability for surviving an additional week (or month) is constant at 90% (or 67%). Anticyclonic eddies tend to propagate northwestward whereas cyclonic vortices migrate southwestward. In general, cyclones and anticyclones are similar, except for eddies surviving at least 6 months. In this case, after a similar 3–4 months of radius and amplitude growth, amplitudes (or sizes) decay particularly rapidly for anticyclonic (or cyclonic) eddies. In terms of intensity, cyclonic eddies show a rapid decay during the first 3 months before arriving at a quasi-constant value, whereas anticyclones exhibit steady decline. Finally, eddy temporal variations were examined at seasonal and interannual scales in the “coastal” region favorable to the formation of energetic mesoscale structures. On seasonal scales, eddy activity is maximal in fall and minimum in spring. At interannual scales, the eddy activity index was maximal during the strong El Niño of 1997–1998 but another strong maximum of eddy activity also occurred late in 2004. These temporal variations are probably associated with the intensification of the upwelling thermal front and with the passage of coastal-trapped waves which generate baroclinic instabilities. Further investigation of the mechanisms involved on the eddy genesis is needed.     

Tide-induced Lagrangian residual velocity and dynamic analysis based on field observations in the inner Xiangshan Bay,China

In the Xiangshan Bay at the east coast of China, coastal marine pollution is conspicuous and severe in recent years. As transport of the pollutants is closely related to the coastal circulation, there is a great practical significance to investigate the circulation in this area. In this work, the surface pattern and vertical profiles of Lagrangian residual velocity (LRV) were studied based on field observation data from the inner Xiangshan Bay. By tracking GPS-GPRS drifters’ trajectories, the surface LRV pattern is going out in the central deep trough and flowing inwards near the shoreside. Combined with data from two mooring stations, vertical profiles of LRV is flowing out at surface and flowing in at the bottom, consistent with the gravitational circulation induced by baroclinic effects at the estuary. However, according to the diagnostic analysis, the main mechanism driving the residual current is barotropic rather than baroclinic. The LRV equation is controlled by the tidally-averaged barotropic pressure gradient force, tidal body force and tidally-averaged turbulent stress, while the tidally-averaged baroclinic pressure gradient force is one order of magnitude less than other forces. Additionally, the tidally mean eddy viscosity coefficient which is used in the expression of tidally-averaged turbulent stress might be not adequate and requires further studies.     

南海冬、夏季环流的三维数值模拟

本文利用一个斜压三维陆架海模式——HAMSOM模式对12月份和8月份的南海环流进行数值模拟,结果为:对上层流场,在12月份,在西沙群岛－中沙群岛海区间呈现一个气旋式环流,在越南中部东岸存在一支南向西边界流,在金兰湾的远海为一局地反气旋涡,在南海南部,主要表现为万安滩的气旋式大弯曲(气旋涡)及在北康暗沙北侧的反气旋涡;在8月份,在东沙群岛－中沙群岛－吕宋岛西侧海域间存在一大尺度的气旋涡,在南海西部主要表现为以西沙群岛南部的气旋涡与金兰湾－礼乐滩间的反气旋式大环流相对峙的局面,同时在万安滩东侧有－气旋涡.由于斜压效应、底形效应的作用,使冬、夏季的南海南部中层流场几乎与上层流场相反.     

Numerical Experiments of the Influences of the Transport Variation through the Korea Strait on the Japan/East Sea Upper Layer Circulation

Numerical experiments were performed in order to investigate the effects of variations of the transport through the Korea/Tsushima Strait, an inlet of the Japan/East Sea, on the upper layer circulation in the JES based on a 10-month transport observation from May 1999 to March 2000 (Perkins et al., 2000). All external forcings to the model were annual mean fields, except the transport variation through the Korea Strait. In the experiments where the periodic variation of the transport repeated continuously sinusoidally by several periods, strong variability of sea surface height (SSH) was detected in the region extending from the Korea Strait to the Japanese coast due to the geostrophy of the buoyancy forcing at the Korea Strait. The region along the Korean coast is more sensitive to the long-term variations than the short-term (≤60-day period) ones. In two experiments forced by realistic and monthly mean transport, the difference of rms of sea surface height was largest at the Japanese coast and relatively large at the East Korean Warm Current separation region (128∼130°E, 39∼41°N) and to the east of Yamato Rise. The distribution of difference of eddy kinetic energy at 100 m depth between the two experiments was similar to that of the rms of SSH. In the distributions of mean SSH and mean kinetic energy at 100 m depth the realistic transport invokes eddy variability to interact with mean current resulting in the changes of the mean SSH and the mean kinetic energy at the East Korean Warm Current separation region, but it does not produce conspicuous changes in the mean fields of entire JES compared with the mean fields forced by the seasonal transport.     

Characteristics of the eddy caused by Izu-Oshima Island and the Kuroshio branch current in Sagami Bay,Japan

Direct current measurements of the branch current of the Kuroshio intruding into Sagani Bay were carried out during 1989–1990 in order to clarify the frequency characteristics of the eddies in the lee of Izu-Oshima Island, which are well recognized as cold water mass produced by upwelling. Satellite and ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) data indicated that current velocity in the eddy fluctuates with periods of 2–4 days and 6–8 days.When the Kuroshio branch current intruding into Sagami Bay from the western channel is weak and its velocity at the depth of 400 m is approximately 10 cm s^–1, the 6–8 day period fluctuation is dominant. On the other hand, when the branch current strongly intrudes from the western channel with a velocity of approximately 20 cm s^–1, the 2–4 day period fluctuation dominates. The relationship between the periods and velocities agrees well with theory based on laboratory experiments for a flow of a homogeneous fluid past a circular obstacle. These periods correspond to the time scale of appearance of the eddy caused by the intrusion of the Kuroshio branch current into Sagami Bay and Izu-Oshima Island.