Monitoring of generation and propagation of the Kuroshio small meander using sea level data along the southern coast of Japan

The occurrence of the small meander of the Kuroshio, generated south of Kyushu and propagating eastward, was examined using sea level data collected during 1961–1995 along the south coast of Japan. Intra-annual variation of the sea level was expanded by the frequency domain empirical orthogonal function (FDEOF) modes, and it was found that the second and third modes are useful for monitoring the generation and propagation of the small meander. The third FDEOF for periods of 10–100 days has a phase reversal between Hosojima and Tosa-shimizu with significant amplitude west of Kushimoto, and the amplitude of its time coefficient is large during the non-large-meander (NLM) period and has a significant peak when the small meander exists southeast of Kyushu. The second FDEOF for periods of 20–80 days has a phase reversal between Kushimoto and Uragami, and the amplitude of its time coefficient is large when the small meander propagates to the south of Shikoku. The third FDEOF mode allowed us to conclude that the small meander occurred 42 times from July 1961 to May 1995, most of them (38) occurring during the NLM periods. The second FDEOF mode permits the conclusion that half of the 38 small meanders reached south of Shikoku. Of these, five small meanders influenced transitions of the Kuroshio path from the nearshore NLM path; one caused the offshore NLM path and four brought about the large meander. About one-tenth of the total number of small meanders are related to the formation of the large meander.     

Influence of the Kuroshio Fluctuations on Sea Level Variations along the South Coast of Japan

The correlation between the Kuroshio and coastal sea level south of Japan has been examined using the altimetry and tide gauge data during the period 1992–2000. The sea level varies uniformly in a region bounded by the coast and the mean Kuroshio axis, which stretches for several hundred kilometers along the coast. These variations are related with the Kuroshio velocity, as coastal sea level decreases (or increases) when the Kuroshio is faster (or slower). To the east of the Kii Peninsula, where sea level variations are different from these to the west, movement of the Kuroshio axis additionally affects coastal sea level variations.     

基于ARGO数据的日本以南黑潮水温垂直变化研究

以日本以南的黑潮下游段为研究区,使用中国ARGO实时资料,中心提供的2005～2009年的ARGO浮标资料,研究该范围的温度垂直分布规律,并利用同纬度带开阔大洋的ARGO资料进行对比分析.发现在该海域200m深度附近存在—不随季节变化的恒温层,温度常年保持在19.1℃附近,标准偏差0 5℃,且该现象自西向东渐不明显.恒...     

Index and Composites of the Kuroshio Meander South of Japan

Using the merged NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC)/Japan Oceanographic Data Center (JODC)/Marine Information Research Center (MIRC) historical hydrographic dataset, a new Kuroshio large meander (LM) index is introduced. This index helps to distinguish between the LM events and other types of Kuroshio Current (KC) variability south of Japan. Observations, re-systematized according to the index, provide composite patterns of typical formation and decay of the LM. The patterns reveal a remarkable similarity between individual LMs and support the deterministic rather than the stochastic model of LM evolution on a time-scale of one year. A “trigger” meander (TM) occurs on composite maps six months prior to the LM formation as a 1° latitude southward shift of the KC axis south of Kyushu. When propagating eastward along the coast of Japan, TM gradually increases in area. In principal the emergence of LM takes only one month. East of TM and LM a remarkable onshore shift of the KC is noticed, supplying the coastal region with warm water. Other warm anomalies are found on the warm side of KC next to the propagating TM and in the larger warm eddy area southeast of Kyushu. Different LMs survive for different times and decay in some months after KC “jumps” across the Izu Ridge. Changes of water properties on isopycnals in the interior of LM can be roughly described by two-layer kinematics with an interface at σ_θ = 27 which suggests a strong inflow of deep Kuroshio waters into the LM core during the formation of the latter. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

海平面变化对黑潮变异的响应

本文对黑潮影响海区海平面变化进行了分析.发现海平面变化与黑潮变异之间存在着密切关系.每当黑潮大弯曲发生时.海平面上升出现高值。另外还对海平面变化原因做了讨论。     

Temporal-spatial oceanic variation in relation with the three typical Kuroshio paths south of Japan

Empirical orthogonal function(EOF) analysis was applied to a 50-year long time series of monthly mean positions of the Kuroshio path south of Japan from a regional reanalysis. Three leading EOF modes characterize the contributions from three typical paths of the Kuroshio meander: the typical large meander path, the offshore nonlarge meander path, and the nearshore non-large meander path, respectively. Accordingly, the spatial variation characteristics of oceanic anomaly fields can be depicted by...     

Influence of Mesoscale Eddies on Variations of the Kuroshio Path South of Japan

The influences of mesoscale eddies on variations of the Kuroshio path south of Japan have been investigated using time series of the Kuroshio axis location and altimeter-derived sea surface height maps for a period of seven years from 1993 to 1999, when the Kuroshio followed its non-large meander path. It was found that both the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies may interact with the Kuroshio and trigger short-term meanders of the Kuroshio path, although not all eddies that approached or collided with the Kuroshio formed meanders. An anticyclonic eddy that revolves clockwise in a region south of Shikoku and Cape Shionomisaki with a period of about 5–6 months was found to propagate westward along about 30°N and collide with the Kuroshio in the east of Kyushu or south of Shikoku. This collision sometimes triggers meanders which propagate over the whole region south of Japan. The eddy was advected downstream, generating a meander on the downstream side to the east of Cape Shionomisaki. After the eddy passed Cape Shionomisaki, it detached from the Kuroshio and started to move westward again. Sometimes the eddy merges with other anticyclonic eddies traveling from the east. Coalescence of cyclonic eddies, which are also generated in the Kuroshio Extension region and propagate westward in the Kuroshio recirculation region south of Japan, into the Kuroshio in the east of Kyushu, also triggers meanders which mainly propagate only in a region west of Cape Shionomisaki. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Generation of Small Meanders of the Kuroshio South of Kyushu in a High-Resolution Ocean General Circulation Model

The generation of small meanders of the Kuroshio south of Kyushu has been investigated using a high-resolution ocean general circulation model of the North Pacific Ocean. The small cyclonic meander develops in the region east of the Tokara Strait with a period of about one month, then propagates downstream along the Kuroshio path to the longitude of the Kii Peninsula, which is similar to the so-called trigger meanders for the formation of the large-meander of the Kuroshio south of Japan. It turns out that the generation of the small meander is a local phenomenon, strongly associated with anticyclonic eddies that propagate northeastward along the Kuroshio path in the East China Sea. The vorticity balance indicates that the accumulation of positive vorticity during the developing phase of the small meander occurs mainly from the balance between the stretching and the advection terms. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Hydrographic Features off the Southeast Coast of Kyushu during the Kuroshio Small Meanders: A Case Study for Small Meanders that Occurred in 1994 and 1995 Spring

Three Kuroshio small meanders off the southeast coast of Kyushu that occurred during 1994 to 1995 were investigated by using satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) maps, World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Hydrographic Program (WHP) repeat section and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) hydrographic observations. Based on the satellite data, we observed that the three small meanders are formed by different processes: the triggering and growth of these meanders are caused by a cyclonic eddy propagating from the Kuroshio recirculation region or Kuroshio front meanders traveling from the East China Sea. Investigation of the two small meanders in 1994 and 1995 spring that are captured by the WHP observation showed quite consistent hydrographic features. On the nearshore side of the meandering Kuroshio, a countercurrent appears, associated with vertically uniform upward lifts of the isopycnals from sea surface to bottom at the boundary between the countercurrent and the Kuroshio. In the countercurrent region, the waters in the density ranges of the North Pacific subtropical mode water (NPSTMW) and the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) are more saline and less saline than typical waters that the Kuroshio carries in a non-small meander state, respectively. There are indications that high-salinity NPSTMW and low-salinity NPIW distributed off the Kuroshio was supplied to the countercurrent region. In the meandering Kuroshio flow, while there is no notable change in properties around the NPSTMW density range, salinity of the NPIW is significantly higher than that carried by the Kuroshio in a non-small meander state, but not higher than that in the Kuroshio at the Tokara Strait, which suggests that saline NPIW from the Tokara Strait, less mixed with low-salinity NPIW off the Kuroshio, may be carried by the meandering Kuroshio. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

地形对东海黑潮锋面弯曲影响研究

作者运用简化的η坐标 POM模式数值研究了地形对东海黑潮锋面弯曲的产生与成长的影响。平底时 ,小扰动迅速发展导致锋面出现大弯曲。考虑到地形因素和黑潮流核远离陆架的情况 ,因其锋区正处在陡的陆坡之上 ,斜压不稳定被减小 ,其锋面不会出现如观测所示的弯曲。结果表明 ,在该实验条件下 ,地形对锋面起到稳定作用     

Geostrophy in the Intermediate and Deep Layers of the Kuroshio and Its Recirculation Regions South of Japan

Theoretically, the geostrophic approximation holds for the low-frequency flow field, but no detailed examination has been done on how well the estimated geostrophic velocity corresponds with the observed velocity. Intensive surveys were carried out during 1993–1995 in the Kuroshio and its recirculation regions south of Shikoku, Japan, including repeated hydrographic surveys and direct current measurements at nominal depths of 700, 1500 and 3000 m. For these depth intervals, vertical differences of estimated geostrophic velocity are compared with those of observed velocity. For the intermediate layer (between 700 and 1500 m depths), the slope of the regression line is 0.99, correlation coefficient is 0.98, and the root-mean-square of difference from geostrophic balance is 2.8 cm/s which is close to the estimated error of 2.1 cm/s. For the deep layer (between 1500 and 3000 m depths), the corresponding values are 0.82, 0.93, 1.2 cm/s and 2.0 cm/s, respectively. The results indicate that the estimated geostrophic velocity compares well with the observed velocity in these regions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

模式参数的不确定性对日本南部黑潮大弯曲路径预报的影响

基于1.5层浅水方程模式,利用条件非线性最优参数扰动(CNOP-P)方法,研究模式参数的不确定性对黑潮大弯曲路径预报的影响。研究表明,单个模式参数误差如侧向摩擦系数误差、界面摩擦系数误差以及在不同季节具有不同约束的风应力大小误差,对黑潮大弯曲路径预报的影响较小,并且对背景流场的选取具有一定的敏感性;所有模式参数误差同时存在时对黑潮大弯曲路径预报具有一定的影响,并且预报结果在9个月左右不能被接受。因此,要提高黑潮大弯曲路径的预报技巧,模式中的参数需要给出更好的估计。     

Numerical Study of the Generation and Propagation of Trigger Meanders of the Kuroshio South of Japan

We examine the processes underlying the generation and propagation of the small meander of the Kuroshio south of Japan which occurs prior to the transition from the non-large meander path to the large meander path. The study proceeds numerically by using a two-layer, flat-bottom, quasi-geostrophic inflow-outflow model which takes account of the coastal geometries of Kyushu, Nansei Islands, part of the East China Sea, and the Izu Ridge. The model successfully reproduces the observed generation and propagation features of what is called "trigger meander" until it passes by Cape Shiono-misaki; presumably because of the absence of the bottom topography, the applicability of the present numerical model becomes questionable after the trigger meander passes by Cape Shiono-misaki. The generation of the trigger meander off the south-eastern coast of Kyushu is shown to be associated with the increase in the supply of cyclonic vorticity by the enhanced current velocity in the upper layer along the southern coast of Kyushu where the no-slip boundary condition is employed. Thereafter, the trigger meander propagates eastward while inducing an anticyclone-cyclone-cyclone pair in the lower layer. The lower-layer cyclone induced in this way, in particular, plays a crucial role in intensifying the trigger meander trough via cross-stream advection in the upper layer; the intensified trigger meander trough then further amplifies the lower-layer cyclone. This joint evolution of the upper-layer meander trough and the lower-layer cyclone indicates that baroclinic instability is the dominant mechanism underlying the rapid amplification of the eastward propagating trigger meander.     

Predictability of Interannual Variability in the Kuroshio Transport South of Japan Based on Wind Stress Data over the North Pacific

It is expected that a roughly two-year forecast of the Kuroshio transport variation can be made from a past record of wind stress data over the ocean, since it takes nearly ten years for the first-mode baroclinic Rossby wave to traverse the entire basin in the midlatitude North Pacific (∼30°N). We therefore investigated the predictability using an ocean general circulation model driven by the wind stress data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis. Referring to a hindcast experiment as the control run, we carried out fifteen forecast experiments, the initial conditions of which are taken from the hindcast experiment at intervals of two years during the period from the end of 1969 to the end of 1997. Each of the forecast experiments is driven only by wind stress in the year preceding each experiment. The forecasted Kuroshio transport anomaly south of Japan agrees better with the hindcasted one during the first two years of the forecast in most cases. In some cases, however, significant disagreements occur, most of which are likely due to larger unpredictable variations caused by wind stress anomalies near Japan. At the end of forecast year 2, the anomaly correlation coefficient is about 0.7, and rms of the forecast error is smaller than rms of the hindcasted anomaly. These results indicate that the prediction of the interannual variability in the Kuroshio transport could be made two years in advance at a statistically significant level. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Impact of Kuroshio on the dissolved oxygen in the East China Sea region

A marine survey was conducted from 18 May to 13 June 2014 in the East China Sea (ECS) and its adjacent Kuroshio Current to examine the spatial distribution and biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved oxygen (DO) in spring. Waters were sampled at 10?25 m intervals within 100 m depth, and at 25?500 m beyond 100 m. The depth, temperature, salinity, and density (sigma- t ) were measured in situ with a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor. DO concentrations were determined on board using traditional Winkler titration method. The results show that in the Kuroshio Current, DO content was the highest in the euphotic layer, then decreased sharply with depth to about 1 000 m, and increased with depth gradually thereafter. While in the ECS continental shelf area, DO content had high values in the coastal surface water and low values in the near-bottom water. In addition, a low-DO zone off the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary was found in spring 2014, and it was formed under the combined influence of many factors, including water stratification, high primary productivity in the euphotic layers, high accumulation/ sedimentation of organic matter below the euphotic layers, and mixing/transport of oceanic current waters on the shelf. Most notable among these is the Kuroshio intruded water, an oceanic current water which carried rich dissolved oxygen onto the continental shelf and alleviated the oxygen deficit phenomenon in the ECS, could impact the position, range, and intensity, thus the formation/destruction of the ECS Hypoxia Zone.     

Numerical Study of a Kyucho and a Bottom Intrusion in the Bungo Channel,Japan: Disturbances Generated by the Kuroshio Small Meanders

The generation and propagation mechanisms of a Kyucho and a bottom intrusion in the Bungo Channel, Japan, have been studied numerically using the hydrostatic primitive equations by assuming density stratification during summer. The experiments are designed to generate a Kuroshio small meander in Hyuga-Nada, which acts as a trigger for these disturbances. After the current speed of the Kuroshio is changed, a small meander is generated. At the head of the small meander, warm Kuroshio water is engulfed, and encounters the southwest coast of Shikoku. However, convergence of heat flux on the bump off Cape Ashizuri suppresses the generation of a warm disturbance, if the current speed is large. As the cold eddy associated with the small meander approaches Cape Ashizuri, the heat flux diverges on the bump. This heat source forces a warm disturbance, which intrudes along the east coast of the Bungo Channel as a baroclinic Kelvin wave (a Kyucho). After the cold eddy passes off Cape Ashizuri, the Kuroshio approaches the bump again. Strong convergence of heat flux then occurs on the bump, which forces a cold disturbance. This disturbance propagates as a topographic Rossby wave along the shelf break at the mouth of the channel. After the topographic wave reaches the west end of the shelf break, it intrudes along the bottom layer of the channel as a density current (a bottom intrusion). These results suggest that a Kyucho and a bottom intrusion are successive events associated with the propagation of the small meander.     

黑潮入侵对南海东北部浮游植物群落结构的影响

To further understand the effect of Kuroshio intrusion on phytoplankton community structure in the northeastern South China Sea(NSCS, 14°–23°N, 114°–124°E), one targeted cruise was carried out from July to August, 2017. A total of 79 genera and 287 species were identified, mainly including Bacillariophyta(129 species), Pyrrophyta(150 species), Cyanophyta(4 species), Chrysophyta(3 species) and Haptophyta(1 species). The average abundance of phytoplankton was 2.14×10~3 cells/L, and Cyanobacterium was dominant species accounting for 86.84% of total phytoplankton abundance. The abundance and distribution of dominant Cyanobacterium were obviously various along the flow of the Kuroshio, indicating the Cyanobacterium was profoundly influenced by the physical process of the Kuroshio. Therefore, Cyanobacterium could be used to indicate the influence of Kuroshio intrusion. In addition, the key controlling factors of the phytoplankton community were nitrogen, silicate, phosphate and temperature, according to Canonical Correspondence Analysis. However, the variability of these chemical parameters in the study water was similarly induced by the physical process of circulations. Based on the cluster analysis, the similarity of phytoplankton community is surprisingly divided by the regional influence of the Kuroshio intrusion, which indicated Kuroshio intrusion regulates phytoplankton community in the NSCS.     

Sensitivity of the Interannual Kuroshio Transport Variation South of Japan to Wind Dataset in OGCM Calculation

Numerical experiments were carried out using OGCM (Ocean General Circulation Model), MOM2.2 (Modular Ocean Model Ver. 2.2), over realistic topography data, ETOPO5 (Earth Topography - 5 Minute), to investigate the interannual variability of the Kuroshio transport in 1960–2000 south of Japan; 1) the PN line located off the East China Sea, and 2) the ASUKA (Affiliated Surveys of the Kuroshio off Cape Ashizuri) line located off Cape Ashizuri. We adopted two wind datasets as driving forces of the OGCM: 1) the NCEP/NCAR (National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research) reanalysis monthly mean wind stress data, and 2) the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts) daily wind data. In the ECMWF experiments we replaced the NCEP/NCAR data only in 1979–1993 because of the availability of the data. The OGCMs and observation basically agree on the temporal variation patterns of the transports until 1986 on the PN line with correlation coefficients of about 0.6. During the 1990s, when data were collected on the ASUKA line, the NCEP/NCAR experiments give lower correlation coefficients (less than 0.3), on both PN and ASUKA lines, while the ECMWF experiments have a higher value on the ASUKA line (0.5). One of the reasons for the disagreement between the observations and OGCMs during the 1990s might arise from the NCEP/NCAR data. An additional analysis of a wind-driven circulation was performed to examine the sensitivity of integrated Sverdrup transport along the western boundary to the propagation speed of a baroclinic Rossby wave, which is varied by stratification. A variation of the stratification, which might be induced by variability of air-sea heat and freshwater fluxes, cannot be a main cause of the disagreement. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Review on the Currents in the South China Sea: Seasonal Circulation, South China Sea Warm Current and Kuroshio Intrusion

Researches on the currents in the South China Sea (SCS) and the interaction between the SCS and its adjacent seas are reviewed. Overall seasonal circulation in the SCS is cyclonic in winter and anticyclonic in summer with a few stable eddies. The seasonal circulation is mostly driven by monsoon winds, and is related to water exchange between the SCS and the East China Sea through the Taiwan Strait, and between the SCS and the Kuroshio through the Luzon Strait. Seasonal characteristics of the South China Sea Warm Current in the northern SCS and the Kuroshio intrusion to the SCS are summarized in terms of the interaction between the SCS and its adjacent seas.     

南海北部内孤立波生成对黑潮响应的初步研究

为了研究南海北部黑潮入侵对内孤立波生成造成的影响,本研究在对合成孔径雷达图像处理分析的基础上,运用二维非静力模式,对南海北部内孤立波生成以及其对黑潮入侵的响应做了初步的模拟和分析。对4 a(2007~2010年)的合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像统计分析发现,内波出现频率呈现明显的季节变化。月平均数据表明,内波出现频率在5月到8月期间较高并在6月达到峰值,占全年总数的29%;而在11月到次年的2月份期间出现频率较低并在12月和1月达到最低,各占全年的0.5%。通过二维、非静力近似数值模拟研究发现:黑潮入侵引起的平流对吕宋海峡区域内孤立波的激发产生具有明显的影响。具体表现为,黑潮入侵引起的的西向平均流拉伸了内孤立波波形并加强内孤立波的能量的频散,使得大振幅内孤立波演变成多个分散的波动,波长变长、振幅变小。敏感性实验通过替换夏季温盐场为冬季温盐场,对模拟结果并无实质上的影响,表明冬夏季温盐场的差异并非是SAR观测内波出现频率呈季节变化的重要因素。