2015/2016年超强厄尔尼诺期间热带西太平洋海洋环流变化特征

本文利用HYCOM （Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model）再分析数据对北赤道流（NEC）、棉兰老流（MC）以及黑潮（KC）所构成的NMK环流系统在2015/2016年超强厄尔尼诺事件期间的变化特征及其影响机制进行了研究,并与其他厄尔尼诺期间的变化特征进行了对比。结果表明,在2015/2016年超强厄尔尼诺事件期间,NEC和MC输运均显著增强,最大值分别达到66 Sv （1 Sv=10⁶ m³/s）和49.4 Sv,北赤道流分叉纬度最北可达16°N,KC输运没有明显增强。NMK环流系统的年际变化主要与此次厄尔尼诺事件期间热带西北太平洋15°N以南、160°E以西海域出现的气旋式环流异常有关。该环流异常出现自厄尔尼诺事件的前期阶段,并于爆发阶段达到顶峰,主要是由15°N以南区域出现的强西风异常所引起的。进一步分析表明,此次厄尔尼诺事件期间NEC、MC输运和NBL的平均值均大于1992— 2014年间所有厄尔尼诺事件的平均状况,但与1997/1998年超强厄尔尼诺事件期间的平均值相近。     

Intermediate Circulation in the Northwestern North Pacific Derived from Subsurface Floats

In order to examine the formation, distribution and synoptic scale circulation structure of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), 21 subsurface floats were deployed in the sea east of Japan. A Eulerian image of the intermediate layer (density range: 26.6–27.0σ_θ) circulation in the northwestern North Pacific was obtained by the combined analysis of the movements of the subsurface floats in the period from May 1998 to November 2002 and historical hydrographic observations. The intermediate flow field derived from the floats showed stronger flow speeds in general than that of geostrophic flow field calculated from historical hydrographic observations. In the intermediate layer, 8 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 10⁶ m³s⁻¹) Oyashio and Kuroshio waters are found flowing into the sea east of Japan. Three strong eastward flows are seen in the region from 150°E to 170°E, the first two flows are considered as the Subarctic Current and the Kuroshio Extension or the North Pacific Current. Both volume transports are estimated as 5.5 Sv. The third one flows along the Subarctic Boundary with a volume transport of 5 Sv. Water mass analysis indicates that the intermediate flow of the Subarctic Current consists of 4 Sv Oyashio water and 1.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate North Pacific Current consists of 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate flow along the Subarctic Boundary contains 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3 Sv Kuroshio water. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

North Pacific Tropical Water: its climatology and temporal changes associated with the climate regime shift in the 1970s

North Pacific Tropical Water (NPTW) is characterized as a subsurface salinity maximum flowing in the North Equatorial Current and is the main source of salt for the North Pacific. We briefly describe the climatological features of its formation and circulation, and then examine temporal changes in its properties associated with the climate regime shift in the 1970s. We use a variety of data, which include the repeat hydrographic sections along 130°E, 137°E, 144°E and 155°E meridians, the hydrographic data from the Hawaii Ocean Time-series, the World Ocean Atlas 1994, and available gridded data of wind stress and evaporation. The classical idea that NPTW originates from the zone of the highest sea surface salinity at 20°–30°N centered around the international date line and spreads along the isopycnal geostrophic flow patterns is confirmed. Further, it is shown that the meridional extent of NPTW along 137°E is from 10°N to 23°N on average and the highest salinity core lies at about 15°N and 24.0σ_θ, and that the portion of NPTW north (south) of about 15°N originates from the formation region west (east) of the date line. NPTW in the 137°E section changed remarkably associated with the mid-1970s regime shift. North of 15°N NPTW increased both in its salinity and thickness while to the south of 15°N only its salinity increased and its thickness remained unchanged. The westward geostrophic velocity is increased significantly in both the southern and northern parts of NPTW. The northern thickening and speedup and the southern speedup increased NPTW transport across 137°E. The changes in the thermohaline forcing such as evaporation and Ekman salt convergence in the NPTW formation region possibly contributed to the increases in salinity in the southern part of NPTW, but not to that of the northern part. On the other hand, the increased Ekman pumping accounts for the increase of the NPTW inventory and transport at 137°E. The increased salinity of NPTW at 137°E, especially its northern portion, was presumably caused by an increase in its formation rate rather than changes in the sea surface salinity in its formation region; the thicker the NPTW layer is, the saltier is the core that tends to survive the mixing processes.     

北太平洋西边界流的低频变化特征

基于日本气象厅长时间序列的温、盐度再分析资料,利用动力计算方法分析了北太平洋西边界的北赤道流及其下游黑潮和棉兰老流流量的年际和年代际变化,并探讨了北赤道流变化的可能原因。结果表明,北赤道流和黑潮具有比较一致的年际和年代际变化,均在1976年前后发生了一次气候跃变,之后有长期偏强的趋势,而棉兰老流的年际和年代际变化则有所不同。特别是,北赤道流1976年之后增加的流量似乎大多进入黑潮,而流入棉兰老流的流量则减少。进一步的分析还表明,西传的Rossby波和棉兰老冷涡的变动可能对北赤道流的年际变化有重要影响。     

Velocity structures and transports of the Kuroshio and the Ryukyu current during fall of 2000 estimated by an inverse technique

An inverse calculation using hydrographic section data collected from October to December 2000 yields velocity structure and transports of the Kuroshio in the Okinawa Trough region of the East China Sea (ECS) and south of central Japan, and of the Ryukyu Current (RC) southeast of the Ryukyu Islands. The results show the Kuroshio flowing from the ECS, through the Tokara Strait (TK), with a subsurface maximum velocity of 89 cm s⁻¹ at 460 dbar. In a section (TI) southeast of Kyushu, a subsurface maximum velocity of 92 cm s⁻¹ at 250 dbar is found. The results also show the RC flowing over the continental slope from the region southeast of Okinawa (OS) to the region east of Amami-Ohshima (AE) with a subsurface maximum velocity of 67 cm s⁻¹ at 400 dbar, before joining the Kuroshio southeast of Kyushu (TI). The volume transport around the subsurface velocity maximum southeast of Kyushu (TI) balances well with the sum of those in TK and AE. The temperature-salinity relationships found around these velocity cores are very similar, indicating that the same water mass is involved. These results help demonstrate the joining of the RC with the Kuroshio southeast of Kyushu. The net volume transport of the Kuroshio south of central Japan is estimated to be 64∼79 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 10⁶ m³s⁻¹), of which 27 Sv are supplied by the Kuroshio from the ECS and 13 Sv are supplied by the RC from OS. The balance (about 24∼39 Sv) is presumably supplied by the Kuroshio recirculation south of Shikoku, Japan.     

Observations of the North Equatorial Current,Mindanao Current,and Kuroshio current system during the 2006/07 El Niño and 2007/08 La Niña

Two onboard observation campaigns were carried out in the western boundary region of the Philippine Sea in December 2006 and January 2008 during the 2006/07 El Niño and the 2007/08 La Niña to observe the North Equatorial Current (NEC), Mindanao Current (MC), and Kuroshio current system. The NEC and MC measured in late 2006 under El Niño conditions were stronger than those measured during early 2008 under La Niña conditions. The opposite was true for the current speed of the Kuroshio, which was stronger in early 2008 than in late 2006. The increase in dynamic height around 8°N, 130°E from December 2006 to January 2008 resulted in a weakening of the NEC and MC. Local wind variability in this region did not appear to contribute to changes in the current system.     

Interannual Variations of Sea Level at the Nansei Islands and Volume Transport of the Kuroshio Due to Wind Changes

Interannual variations of sea level at the Nansei Islands and volume transport of the Kuroshio during 1967–95 are calculated by integrating variations carried by windforced Rossby waves. Effects of eddy dissipation and ocean ridges are considered. Ridge effect is inferred by comparing between the calculated and observed sea levels. The calculation is satisfactory to sea levels and Kuroshio transport for the whole period. They are mostly caused by Rossby waves forced by wind and modified by the ridges, and are due to barotropic wave primarily and the first baroclinic wave secondly. The calculated Kuroshio transport well represents variations of several-year scales with maximums in respective duration of the large meander (LM) of the Kuroshio, as well as bi-decadal variation that transport was small during the non-LM period of 1967–75 and large during the LM-dominant period of 1975–91. Mean volume transport of the subtropical gyre is estimated at 57 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³s^–1) and divided by the Nansei Shoto Ridge into those of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea (25.5 Sv) and a subsurface current east of this ridge (31.5 Sv). The Subtropical Countercurrent and a southward deep current east of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge are estimated at 16 Sv and 7 Sv, respectively. The calculated transports of the Kuroshio and other subtropical currents reach maximums at every El Niño event due to strong excitement of upwelling barotropic Rossby wave.     

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.     

Mean and Temporal Variability in Kuroshio Geostrophic Transport South of Taiwan (1993–2001)

Observations of the Kuroshio south of Taiwan have been carried out on a quarterly basis since late 1992 as part of the basin-wide High Resolution expendable bathythermograph/expendable conductivity-temperature-depth (XBT/XCTD) network. Mean geostrophic transport in the Kuroshio, 0–800 m, from 34 cruises is 22.0 Sv ± 1.5, consistent with previous results from moorings and geostrophic calculations in the upstream Kuroshio region. The mean core of the current has speed about 90 cm s⁻¹ and is located close to Taiwan. At this location the Kuroshio appears to be confined mainly to the upper 700 m, and there is no evident tight recirculation of the current. Eddy variability is substantial, and large eddies can be seen propagating westward for thousands of kilometers in TOPEX/Poseidon altimetric data, impinging on the current and altering its structure and transport. The annual range in transport is about 8 Sv ± 6, with maximum in summer. Interannual variability is about 12 Sv ± 6, with transport maxima in 1995 and 2000 and a minimum in 1997–1998. Interannual variability in the upstream Kuroshio may be uncorrelated with that in the downstream region south of Japan, where the transport is much greater. Our quarterly sampling aliases high frequency variability of the current, and an improved boundary-current observation program would include more frequent transects and occasional deeper measurements. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

2012年冬季菲律宾海浮游动物丰度和生物量的水平分布

为了解西太平洋菲律宾海浮游动物丰度和生物量的水平分布特征,于2012年11月26日至2012年12月12日对菲律宾海上层海洋(0—200m)的浮游动物进行了调查。调查站位分别位于受赤道逆流(NECC)、棉兰老流(MC)、北赤道流(NEC)和黑潮(KC)影响的海域。通过比较浮游动物的丰度和生物量(分别用干重,灰分,无灰干重和含能量等指标表示),探讨不同海流中浮游动物的分布特征。结果表明:桡足类、毛颚类和水母类是菲律宾海浮游动物的三大主要类群。调查海域浮游动物丰度为11—116ind./m3,NECC区平均丰度最高((96±28)ind./m3),然后依次是MC区和KC区,NEC区最小((26±9)ind./m3)。在浮游动物生物量(干重)方面,同样NECC区最高((3.25±1.11)mg/m3),其次为MC区,但是平均丰度最小的NEC区生物量超过KC区。造成这一差异的主要原因,可能是由于KC区的浮游动物具有更高的含水量以及较小个体所占比例较高。不同水团之间浮游动物灰分、无灰干重和含能量的分布特征与干重相一致。结合环境因子分析显示,上升流、叶绿素a、初级生产力、海流和温度等因素对浮游动物的分布具有一定影响。     

内潮对吕宋海峡地转流动力计算的影响

利用2008年8~9月份吕宋海峡121°E断面上19.5°N~21°N之间4个连续站的CTD资料,讨论了内潮引起的温、盐剖面扰动对地转流诊断计算的影响,指出:在吕宋海峡,内潮引起的温、盐剖面扰动对地转流诊断计算的干扰不可忽略。因此,地转流诊断计算必须剔除温、盐剖面中的"内潮噪声"。另外,本文根据4个连续站时间平均后的温、盐剖面,通过动力计算法得到了吕宋海峡121°E断面上的地转流场,得出结论如下:吕宋海峡地转流速度较大部分多位于350 m以浅,流速最大值出现在表层;黑潮入侵南海主要发生于19.8°N~21°N的上层;在19.5°N~21°N之间,50~1 700 m深度范围内,海水体积通量呈现"上进下出"的垂向结构,350 m以浅为入流,流量约为2.6 Sv(1 Sv=1×106m3.s-1),350 m以深为出流,流量约为3.1 Sv。同期观测所得121°E断面上的盐度分布验证了本文所得地转流场的合理性。     

用Argo温盐资料估计印度尼西亚贯穿流多年平均地转输送

利用Argo浮标资料,估计了2003—2007年期间印度尼西亚贯穿流（ITF）出口处114.5^οE断面上层(0—1000m)的地转流,并与WOA05资料进行对比。在114.5^οE断面上9.5^ο—18.5^οS之间,依据Argo资料计算的上层(0—1000m)地转流年平均输送为4.2Sv(1 Sv = 106m^3.s^-1),比依据WOA05资料计算的流量大0.5Sv左右,与前人对IX1断面的估算接近。依据Argo资料计算的ITF的季节变化也与WOA05比较一致,最大输送都出现在7月份,可以达到10Sv,而冬季二者差异较大。比较了盐度资料的差异以及114.5^οE断面南侧缺测对估计ITF地转流输送的影响,发现盐度资料的改善可以改进对ITF地转输送量的估计,而断面南侧的缺测对ITF年平均输送的影响较小。因此,Argo资料可以作为监测ITF输送量的一种有效手段,特别是用于年平均流量的研究。     

庆良间水道的水交换对东海黑潮水团特性的影响

庆良间水道水交换对其上下游东海黑潮的流量和水团特性的变异都起到了非常重要的作用,本文通过将历史观测的WOD资料插值为1/8°×1/8°的网格化数据,估算了庆良间水道的地转流通量特征,然后结合Argo浮标数据讨论了庆良间水道的水交换对东海黑潮水团特性的影响,研究结果表明:(1)西太平洋通过庆良间水道流入东海冲绳海槽主要发生在水道的次表层,并且次表层的入侵可能跟庆良间水道东部的琉球流有关;(2)庆良间水道上下游黑潮的水团特性由于受到来自庆良间水道的动力混合作用导致其存在差异。黑潮次表层高盐水到达冲绳附近之后盐度略微增加,深度略微变浅,然而黑潮中层低盐水的盐度显著减小,深度明显加深;(3)庆良间水道上下游东海黑潮的次表层高盐水和中层低盐水其盐度的季节变化规律不一致。次表层高盐水盐度的季节变化可能同时受到庆良间水道的流量和表层淡水通量的影响,在冬季最强,夏季最弱,然而中层低盐水盐度的季节变化主要受庆良间水道流量的影响,在秋季最强,夏季最弱。     

基于Argo浮标的西北太平洋环流特征分析

基于2004 年1 月～2009 年12 月月平均Argo(Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography)温盐格点资料, 结合P-vector 方法重构了西北太平洋绝对地转流, 重点分析了西北太平洋环流时空变化特征。结果表明, 基于Argo 资料西北太平洋三维结构特征与以前的研究结果是一致的。与WOA09(World Ocean Atlas 2009)计算的纬向流相比, Argo 资料计算的纬向流要偏大。北赤道逆流(NECC)、北赤道流(NEC)、黑潮再生流(KCC)和黑潮延伸体(KE)都有明显的季节和年际变化。NECC 和NEC 基本上呈现春强秋弱的季节变化特征, KCC 和KE 的季节特征与NECC 和NEC 存在反相关系。NECC 和NEC 表现出周期为1～2 a 的年际信号, KCC 和KE 为非周期性的年际信号。表层NEC 流核所在位置以及NEC南边界位置都有南移的趋势。另外, NEC、KCC 和KE 的流量也呈逐渐增大的趋势。     

Spatial distribution of turbulent diapycnal mixing along the Mindanao current inferred from rapid-sampling Argo floats

The Mindanao Current (MC) bridges the North Pacific low-latitude western boundary current system region and the Indonesian Seas by supplying the North Pacific waters to the Indonesian Throughflow. Although the previous study speculated that the diapycnal mixing along the MC might be strong on the basis of the water mass analysis of the gridded climatologic dataset, the real spatial distribution of diapycnal mixing along the MC has remained to be clarified. We tackle this question here by applying a finescale parameterization to temperature and salinity profiles obtained using two rapid-sampling profiling Argo floats that drifted along the MC. The western boundary (WB) region close to the Mindanao Islands and the Sangihe Strait are the two mixing hotspots along the MC, with energy dissipation rate ε and diapycnal diffusivity K_ρ enhanced up to?~?10^–6 W kg^?1 and?~?10^–3 m² s^?1, respectively. Except for the above two mixing hotspots, the turbulent mixing along the MC is mostly weak, with ε and K_ρ to be 10^–11–10^–9 W kg^?1 and 10^–6–10^–5 m² s^?1, respectively. Strong mixing in the Sangihe Strait can be basically attributed to the existence of internal tides, whereas strong mixing in the WB region suggests the existence of internal lee waves. We also find that water mass transformation along the MC mainly occurs in the Sangihe Strait where the water masses are subjected to strong turbulent mixing during a long residence time.

     

三种垂向混合方案对HYCOM模拟北太平洋西边界流系的影响研究

基于HYCOM(Hybrid Coordinate Oceanic Circulation Model),以OFES(OGCM for the Earth Simulator)资料为参考,分析了KPP、MY2.5、KT三种不同混合方案对北太平洋西边界流系的模拟结果的影响。结果表明:三种不同混合方案模拟的上层海洋平均流场与OFES资料相似,但在流向和流幅上略有差异,其中KPP方案模拟的流速与OFES资料最为接近,MY2.5方案次之,KT方案与其差别最大。通过代表性断面上流速的对比分析,对模式就北赤道流、棉兰老流、棉兰老潜流、黑潮的模拟效果进行比较,KPP方案模拟的效果同前人的观测和研究最为接近。分析了北赤道流,棉兰老流,棉兰老潜流,黑潮的流量的季节变化特征,其中KPP方案与OFES资料计算的棉兰老流和棉兰老潜流的季节变化特征与前人描述比较一致,表现为春强秋弱。KPP方案和OFES资料的计算结果表明,北赤道流和棉兰老流大致上是同向变化的,而在冬季棉兰老流同黑潮的变化基本上是一致的。     

Formation, Distribution and Volume Transport of the North Pacific Intermediate Water Studied by Repeat Hydrographic Observations

In order to examine the formation, distribution and transport of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), repeated hydrographic observations along several lines in the western North Pacific were carried out in the period from 1996 to 2001. NPIW formation can be described as follows: (1) Oyashio water extends south of the Subarctic Boundary and meets Kuroshio water in intermediate layers; (2) active mixing between Oyashio and Kuroshio waters occurs in intermediate layers; (3) the mixing of Oyashio and Kuroshio waters and salinity minimum formation around the potential density of 26.8σ_θ proceed to the east. It is found that Kuroshio water flows eastward even in the region north of 40°N across the 165°E line, showing that Kuroshio water extends north of the Subarctic Boundary. Volume transports of Oyashio and Kuroshio components (relative to 2000 dbar) integrated in the potential density range of 26.6–27.4σθ along the Kuroshio Extension across 152°E–165°E are estimated to be 7–8 Sv (10⁶ m³s⁻¹) and 9–10 Sv, respectively, which is consistent with recent work. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Decadal variations of the North Pacific Tropical Water at 137°E

The decadal variations of the North Pacifi c Tropical Water (NPTW) at 137°E in the western North Pacific Ocean are investigated based on the repeated hydrographic observations along with two global gridded ocean products. The results indicate that the maximum salinity of NPTW experiences signifi cant quasi-decadal variations, having maxima around 1979, 1987, 1995, 2004, and 2012, while minima around 1974, 1983, 1991, 1999, and 2008 during the period of interest. The NPTW area also shows similar quasidecadal variation, expanding/shrinking as its maximum salinity increases/decreases at the 137°E section. These variations are induced mainly by changes in the mixed layer salinity in the source region and largescale circulation in the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean, both of which are related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The underlying processes at work are further confi rmed through conducting the subsurface salinity budget analysis. Besides, short-term processes are also at work through nonlinear interactions, especially after 2000.     

The South China Sea,a <Emphasis Type="Italic">cul-de-sac</Emphasis> of North Pacific Intermediate Water

This study discusses branching of the Kuroshio Current including North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) into the South China Sea (SCS). The spreading path of the subtropical salinity minimum of NPIW is southwestward pointing to the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Luzon islands. Using a large collection of updated hydrography, results show that the SCS is a cul-de-sac for the subtropical NPIW because even the NPIW’s upper boundary neutral density surface σ _N = 26.5 is completely blocked by the Palawan sill and partly blocked by the southern Mindoro Strait. In autumn, NPIW is driven out of the Luzon Strait by the preceding anticyclonic summer monsoon due to an intraseasonal variation and seasonal phase lag response to the weaker summer monsoon. Stronger inflow under winter monsoon than outflow under summer monsoon results in a net annual transport of NPIW of about 1.1 ± 0.2 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³s⁻¹) into the SCS. This net transport accounts for the anomaly in NPIW transport across the World Ocean Circulation Experiment section P8 (130° E). An earlier study estimated a large westward NPIW transport of about 3.9 ± 0.2 Sv, resulting in a difference of 1.2 ± 0.2 Sv from the basin-wide mean of 2.7 ± 0.2 Sv. Observations are generally in agreement with numerical results although the intraseasonal signal seems to cause a slight bias and remains to be simulated by future model experiments.     

Influence of Kuroshio Flow on the Horizontal Distribution of North Pacific Intermediate Water in the Shikoku Basin

The influence of the Kuroshio flow on the horizontal distribution of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) in the Shikoku Basin is examined based upon observational data collected by the training vessel “Seisui-maru” of Mie University together with oceanographic data compiled by the Japan Oceanographic Data Center (JODC). Although it has been stated that the NPIW with salinity less than 34.2 psu had been confined to the south of the Kuroshio main axis along the PT (KJ) Line on the eastern side of the Izu Ridge, a similar tendency can be detected on the western side of the Izu Ridge. Namely, the NPIW on the southern side of the Kuroshio main axis in the Shihoku Basin does not indicate a tendency to go northward across the Kuroshio main axis without an increase in salinity of more than 34.2 psu. However, the JODC data show that less saline water (<34.2 psu) was present on the northern side of the Kuroshio main axis south of the Kii Peninsula in May 1992. Satellite observed sea surface temperature (SST) data suggested that the Kuroshio approaches the Kii Peninsula after forming a small meander off Kyushu and some intrusions of the NPIW into the northern coastal side of the Kuroshio main axis occurred in this period. It is concluded that intrusion of the NPIW with salinity less than 34.2 psu to the northern coastal side through the Kuroshio main axis occurred during the decay period of the small meander path in May 1992. Based on these observational results, the source of the salinity minimum water on the northern coastal side of the Kuroshio main axis is discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.