The Kuroshio Extension System: Its Large-Scale Variability and Role in the Midlatitude Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction

The Kuroshio Extension and its recirculation gyre form an interconnected dynamic system. The system is located at a crossroads where the meso-scale and large-scale oceanic variability are highest, and where the ocean-atmosphere interaction is most active in the Pacific Ocean outside of the tropics. Following a brief review of the mean flow and meso-scale eddy variability, this study describes in detail the large-scale structural change (an oscillation between an elongated and a contracted state) observed in the Kuroshio Extension system. Causes for this structural change are explored next, and it is argued that the basin-wide external wind forcing and the nonlinear dynamics associated with the inertial recirculation gyre are both important factors. Data analysis results are reviewed and presented, emphasizing that the surface Kuroshio Extension is not simply a well-mixed layer passively responding to heat flux anomalies imposed by the atmosphere. It is argued that large-scale changes in the Kuroshio Extension system influence the surface ocean heat balance and generate wintertime sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies through both horizontal geostrophic heat advection and re-emergence to the surface mixed layer of sequestered mode water temperature anomalies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于IPCC预测结果的北太平洋海表面温度变化分析

利用IPCC-AR4气候模式诊断与比较计划(PCMDI)20C3M试验和A1B情景试验模拟数据,研究了在温室气体排放情景下,北太平洋海表面温度的变化及其对太平洋风应力旋度变化的响应。结果表明,温室气体中等排放A1B情景与20C3M情景相比,北太平洋年平均海表面温度表现为一致增温的趋势,且最大的增温中心位于黑潮及其延伸体区。与20C3M试验相比,CO2增加情景下北太平洋中部东风加强,增加向北的Ekman输送,使得北太平洋内区增温。风应力旋度零线也向北略有移动,导致黑潮延伸体向北移动并得到加强,从而引起延伸体区较强增温。风应力旋度零线的纬度附近产生的Rossby波,向西传播到黑潮延伸体区,进一步加强黑潮延伸体区的温度异常。海洋对北太平洋风应力场变化的局地响应及延迟响应,使黑潮延伸体海域海表面增温远大于周围海区。     

Variation of the Kuroshio in the Tokara Strait Induced by Meso-Scale Eddies

Temporal variations of the Kuroshio volume transport in the Tokara Strait and at the ASUKA line are decomposed by phase-propagating Complex EOF modes of high-resolution sea surface dynamic topography (SSDT) field during the first tandem period of TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS-1 (from October 1992 to December 1993). Both variations are dominated by a mode with nearly semi-annual cycle, which indicates a series of interactions between the Kuroshio and meso-scale eddies. Namely, northern part of a westward-propagating meso-scale eddy at 23°N is captured into the southern side of the Kuroshio at the south of Okinawa, then it moves downstream along the Kuroshio path passing the Tokara Strait, and reaches to the ASUKA line where it merges with another eddy propagating from the east at 30°N. The variation at the ASUKA line is, however, less dominated by this mode; instead, it includes the SSDT variations in the south of Shikoku and the east of Kyushu which would be directly affected by eddies from the east without passing the Tokara Strait. On the other hand, the same analysis for movements of the Kuroshio axis in the Strait indicates that they are governed by short-term variations locally confined to the Kuroshio in the East China Sea without being induced by meso-scale eddies. This results, however, seem to depend strongly on a time scale of interest. It is suggested that the long-term movements of the Kuroshio axis in the Strait would demonstrate coincidence with SSDT variation in the south of Japan.     

Anticyclonic Eddy Revealing Low Sea Surface Temperature in the Sea South of Japan: Case Study of the Eddy Observed in 1999–2000

Various kinds of datasets, such as satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height, surface velocity produced by combining surface drifter and satellite altimeter data, and hydrographic data, led to the discovery of an anticyclonic eddy with lower SST than those of surrounding waters in the Kuroshio recirculation region south of Shikoku, as if the eddy were cyclonic. This anticyclonic eddy was formed east of Kyushu in late August to early September 1999 from the merger of two anticyclonic eddies which had migrated in the recirculation region to the sea south of Japan from the east. After the merger, the anticyclonic eddy strengthened abruptly and began to exhibit the low SST. In October, this eddy coalesced with the Kuroshio and moved swiftly eastward, accompanied by an amplitude growth of the Kuroshio meander. In mid November, off the Kii Peninsula, the eddy detached from the meandering Kuroshio. It then moved southwestward and again slowly propagated westward along the 30°N line. During this period, at least from late October 1999 to January 2000, SSTs over the anticyclonic eddy were found to be continuously lower than those of surrounding waters. This case tells us that we have to pay careful attention to the interpretation of mesoscale SST distributions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Trajectory of Mesoscale Eddies in the Kuroshio Recirculation Region

Trajectories of mesoscale eddies in the Kuroshio recirculation region were investigated by using sea surface height (SSH) anomaly observed by the TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS altimeters. Cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies have been traced on maps of the filtered SSH anomaly fields composed from the altimeter observations every ten days. Both the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies propagate westward in the Kuroshio recirculation region from a region south of the Kuroshio Extension. The propagation speed of these eddies has been estimated as about 7 cm s⁻¹, which is much faster than the phase speed theoretically estimated for the baroclinic first-mode Rossby wave in the study area. It was also found that in the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge region, most of eddies pass through the gap between the Hachijojima Island and Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, and some of the eddies decay around the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. It seems that the trajectory of the eddies is crucially affected by the bottom topography. In the region south of Shikoku and east of Kyushu, some of the eddies coalesce with the Kuroshio. It is also suggested that this coalescence may trigger the path variation of the Kuroshio in the sea south of Japan. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黑潮延续体区域多源观测资料的海洋涡旋的统计对比分析

本文首次利用海面温度、海面高度异常和表面漂流浮标数据等多元观测资料定量比较了获取的涡旋特征要素。结果表明：虽然不同数据源得出的涡旋统计特征具有一定的差异,但具有相似的分布特征。在此基础上,还发现该研究区域存在异常涡旋（逆时针旋转的暖涡和顺时针旋转的冷涡）。     

黑潮延伸体区域50~100 km涡旋分布特征

本文使用基于热成风速度的涡旋识别拓展方法,通过海表面温度数据对黑潮延伸体区域50~100 km涡旋进行研究,发现50~100 km涡旋主要分布在黑潮延伸体流轴两侧,气旋涡和反气旋涡的寿命、半径分布具有一致性。气旋涡多出现在35°N以北,反气旋涡在35°N以南比较集中,与尺度较小的中尺度涡旋分布特征较为相似。冬夏两季涡旋地理分布存在一定差异,主要与不同季节该区域海表温度梯度及风应力旋度的变化有关。35°N以南50~100 km涡旋数量的季节性变化与风速大小的季节性变化存在明显的正相关性。35°N以南50~100 km涡旋三倍半径内风速异常和风应力旋度归一化表明,气旋涡对应风速负异常而反气旋涡对应风速正异常,反气旋涡的产生依赖于风应力负旋度,气旋涡的生成与风应力正旋度有关。     

基于卫星和浮标数据的副热带西北太平洋反气旋型中尺度涡旋的个例观测研究

The comprehensive three-dimensional structures of an anti-cyclonic mesoscale eddy(AE) in the subtropical northwestern Pacific Ocean were investigated by combining the Argo floats profiles with enhanced vertical and temporal sampling and satellite altimetry data. The AE originated near the Kuroshio Extension and then propagated westward with mean velocity of 8.9 cm/s. Significant changes and evolutions during the AE's growing stage(T1) and further growing stage(T2) were revealed through composite analysis. In the composite eddy core,maximum temperature(T) and salinity(S) anomalies were of 1.7(1.9)°C and 0.04(0.07) psu in T1(T2) period,respectively. The composite T anomalies showed positive in almost whole depth, but the S anomalies exhibited a sandwich-like pattern. The eddy's intensification and its influence on the intermediate ocean became more significant during its growth. The trapping depth increased from 400×10~4 Pa to 580×10~4 Pa while it was growing up, which means more water volume, heat and salt content in deeper layers can be transported. The AE was strongly nonlinear in upper oceans and can yield a typical mean volume transport of 0.17×10~6 m~3/s and a mean heat and salt transport anomaly of 3.6×10~(11) W and –2.1×10~3 kg/s during the observation period. The Energy analysis showed that eddy potential and kinetic energy increased notably as it propagated westward and the baroclinic instability is the major energy source of the eddy growth. The variation of the remained Argo float trapped within the eddy indicated significant water advection during the eddy's propagation.     

东海黑潮上下游不同的涡动能季节变化特征及其产生机制

用一种新的泛函工具——多尺度子空间变换(multiscale window transform,MWT),得到如实的东海涡动能分布,发现东海黑潮上下游区域的涡动能有着完全不同的季节变化特征.根据功率谱分析,东海黑潮流系可正交地重构到背景流尺度子空间(大于64 d)与涡旋尺度子空间(小于64 d),并用MWT得出相应子空...     

The behavior and the role of the anti-cyclonic eddy in the Kuroshio large meander development

The processes underlying the development of the Kuroshio large meanders that occurred in 1986 and 1989 are investigated using a satellite SST data set and hydrographic data. In both processes visible on the satellite SST images, a round-shaped, lower SST region with a diameter of about 200 km is found to the east of the Kuroshio small “trigger” meander (Solomon, 1978) until the region became extinguished near theEnshu Nada. The lower SST region can be interpreted as an anti cyclonic eddy, mainly because of the existence of a warm water mass in the subsurface layer of this region. The warm water mass is characterized by a constant temperature of 18–19°C, the maximum thickness of which is about 400 m. The satellite images show that the eddy is closely related to the Kuroshio path transforming into a shape like the letter “S”. This means that the eddy plays an important role in the development of the Kuroshio large meander since this, too, tends to follow an “S”-shaped path. Added to this, the subsurface layer structure of the eddy is similar to that of the warm water mass offShikoku. This similarity, together with the eddy behavior visible on the satellite SST images, implies that the examined eddy corresponds to the warm water mass offShikoku. In other words, the warm water mass offShikoku can be advected near to theEnshu Nada when the Kuroshio large meander occurs.     

TMI、AMSR-E全球海表温度与Argo近海表温度的比较

本文将TMI（Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM）Microwave Imager）和AMSR-E（Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System）卫星观测的全球海表温度与Argo浮标观测的近海表温度进行了比较。并检验了影响海温变化的因素,包括风速、水汽含量、液态云和地理位置。结果显示,TMI、AMSR-E海表温度与Argo近海表温度均明显相关。在低风速时,TMI、AMSR-E海表温度整体比Argo近海表温度高。在低风速时,TMI比AMSR-E海表温度更接近Argo近海表温度,但TMI海表温度在高纬可能没有经过良好校正。温度差异显示,在低水汽含量时,TMI和AMSR-E海表温度显示出暖的差异,代表TMI和AMSR-E海表温度在高纬均没有经过良好校正。黑潮延伸区的海表温度变化要比海潮区明显。春季在黑潮延伸区,卫星观测的海表温度与Argo近海表温度差异较小。在低风速时,TMI和AMSR-E海表温度均经过了良好校正,而TMI比AMSR-E效果更好。     

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.     

黑潮延伸体海域典型涡旋的次中尺度特征分析

本文基于卫星遥感资料和高分辨率ROMS(Regional Ocean Modeling System)数值模拟结果, 对黑潮延伸体海域典型中尺度涡旋的次中尺度特征进行了探讨。卫星观测和模拟结果显示, 黑潮延伸体涡旋海域伴随着活跃的次中尺度现象。涡旋演变与多尺度能量分析结果表明, 涡旋海域次中尺度动能的强弱与涡旋海域地转流动能有着密切联系, 锋生可能是涡旋边缘次中尺度动能增强的重要机制。次中尺度现象在中尺度涡旋海域具有沿地转流方向的复杂涡丝状结构特征, 意味着涡旋边缘较强的水平浮力梯度和地转流侧向剪切为次中尺度过程形成与发展提供了有利条件。此外, 垂向结构分析表明, 次中尺度过程能引起较大的垂向速度, 最大可达100m·day^-1, 该垂向速度可以影响至混合层下200m深度处, 对海洋内部的垂向物质能量交换、海—气相互作用等有着重要的影响。     

黑潮延伸体海域次中尺度过程的季节变化研究

近年来的现场观测和理论研究发现, 次中尺度现象广泛存在于上层海洋, 其产生与锋生作用及混合层斜压不稳定存在密切联系。本文利用高分辨率的数值模拟结果并结合动力学及能量诊断分析, 对黑潮延伸体海域次中尺度过程的季节变化进行了探讨。探讨结果表明, 黑潮延伸体海域次中尺度过程具有冬季最强, 春季和秋季次之, 夏季最弱的显著季节变化特征。基于冬、夏季次中尺度能量源的诊断可以看到, 这些季节变化特征主要与上层海洋的斜压不稳定和锋生作用有关。冬季, 黑潮延伸体海域的中尺度能量较弱, 但次中尺度过程在季节尺度上表现最为活跃, 这主要与混合层斜压不稳定的作用有关; 夏季, 黑潮延伸体海域的混合层较浅, 次中尺度过程较弱, 但中尺度涡旋活跃, 中尺度流场变形引起的锋生作用对夏季次中尺度现象的产生具有重要影响。在次中尺度能量的季节变化方面, 冬季次中尺度过程从中尺度过程汲取能量的速率远高于夏季, 这是冬季次中尺度过程比夏季更为活跃的主要原因。本文研究结果有助于加深对黑潮延伸体海域次中尺度过程季节性变化及其动力机制的理解。     

Anticyclonic eddies in the northeastern South China Sea during winter 2003/2004

The origins and evolutions of two anticyclonic eddies in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) were examined using multi-satellite remote sensing data, trajectory data of surface drifting buoys, and in-situ hydrographic data during winter 2003/2004. The results showed that buoy 22918 tracked an anti-cyclonic warm-core eddy (AE1) for about 20 days (December 4–23, 2003) in the northeastern SCS, and then escaped from AE1 eventually. Subsequently to that, buoy 22517 remained within a different anti-cyclonic warm-core eddy (AE2) for about 78 days (from January 28 to April 14, 2004) in the same area. It drifted southwestward for about 540 km, and finally entered into the so-called “Luzon Gyre”. Using inference from sea level anomaly (SLA), sea surface temperature (SST), geostrophic currents and the buoys’ trajectories, it is shown that both eddies propagated southwestward along the continental slope of the northern SCS. The mean speeds of AE1 and AE2 movements were 9.7 cm/s and 10.5 cm/s, respectively, which are similar to the phase speed of Rossby waves in the northern SCS. The variation of instantaneous speeds of the eddy movement and intensity of anticyclonic eddy may suggest complex interactions between an anticyclonic eddy and its ambient fluids in the northern SCS, where the eddy propagated southwestward with Rossby waves. Furthermore, SLA and SST images in combination with the temperature and salinity profiles obtained during a cruise suggested that AE1 was generated in the interior SCS and AE2 was shed from the “Kuroshio meander”.     

黑潮延伸体区域50-100公里涡旋分布特征

本文使用基于热成风速度的涡旋识别拓展方法,通过海表面温度数据对黑潮延伸体区域50-100公里涡旋进行研究,发现50-100公里涡旋主要分布在黑潮延伸体流轴两侧,气旋涡和反气旋涡的寿命、半径分布具有一致性。气旋涡多出现在35°N以北,反气旋涡在35°N以南比较集中,与尺度较小的中尺度涡旋分布特征较为相似。冬夏两季涡旋地理分布存在一定差异,主要与不同季节该区域海表温度梯度及风应力旋度的变化有关。35°N以南50-100公里涡旋数量的季节性变化与风速大小的季节性变化存在明显的正相关性。35°N以南50-100公里涡旋三倍半径内风速异常和风应力旋度归一化表明,气旋涡对应风速负异常而反气旋涡对应风速正异常,反气旋涡的产生依赖于风应力负旋度,气旋涡的生成与风应力正旋度有关。     

冬季黑潮延伸体海表温度对阿留申低压活动的双周期响应

Based on our previous work, the winter sea surface temperature(SST) in the Kuroshio Extension(KE) region showed significant variability over the past century with periods of ~6 a between 1930 and 1950 and ~10 a between1980 and 2009. How the activity of the Aleutian Low(AL) induces this dual-period variability over the two different timespans is further investigated here. For the ~6 a periodicity during 1930–1950, negative wind stress curl(WSC)anomalies in the central subtropical Pacific associated with an intensified AL generate positive sea surface height(SSH) anomalies. When these wind-induced SSH anomalies propagate westwards to the east of Taiwan, China two years later, positive velocity anomalies appear around the Kuroshio to the east of Taiwan and then the mean advection via this current of velocity anomalies leads to a strengthened KE jet and thus an increase in the KE SST one year later. For the ~10 a periodicity during 1980–2009, a negative North Pacific Oscillation-like dipole takes2–3 a to develop into a significant positive North Pacific Oscillation-like dipole, and this process corresponds to the northward shift of the AL. Negative WSC anomalies associated with this AL activity in the central North Pacific are able to induce the positive SSH anomalies. These oceanic signals then propagate westward into the KE region after 2–3 a, favoring a northward shift of the KE jet, thus leading to the warming of the KE SST. The feedbacks of the KE SST anomaly on the AL forcing are both negative for these two periodicities. These results suggest that the dual-period KE SST variability can be generated by the two-way KE-SST-AL coupling.     

CHARACTERISTICS ON INTERANNUAL VARIATIONS OF NORTH PACIFIC SST AND ITS RELATION TO EAST ASIA CLIMATE

The interannual variations of the monthly sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Pacific (including Equatorial East Pacific) during 1951-1980 are analysed by means of EOF method. The findings are:(1) In the cold and warm ocean current areas, such as the North Pacific Current, the California Current and the Equatorial East Pacific areas, the convergence speeds are the fastest, while in the Kuroshio and the western part of the North Equatorial Current areas they are fast only in winter.(2) The physical features of the first 3 eigenvectors are obvious. The first eigenvector shows that the SST values are high in the south and low in the north in the latitudinal distribution of the SST field. The warm current area, i.e. the northwestern part of the North Pacific is positive and the cold current area, i.e. the southeastern part of the North Pacific including the Eastern Equatorial Pacific is negative. The zero line of the 2nd eigenvector field runs from northeast to southwest, in the same direction as the     

Mesoscale Eddies Observed by TOLEX-ADCP and TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimeter in the Kuroshio Recirculation Region South of Japan

Mesoscale eddies in the Kuroshio recirculation region south of Japan have been investigated by using surface current data measured by an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) installed on a regular ferry shuttling between Tokyo and Chichijima, Bonin Islands, and sea surface height anomaly derived from the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter. Many cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies were observed in the region. Spatial and temporal scales of the eddies were determined by lag-correlation analyses in space and time. The eddies are circular in shape with a diameter of 500 km and a temporal scale of 80 days. Typical maximum surface velocity and sea surface height anomaly associated with the eddies are 15–20 cm s^–1 and 15 cm, respectively. The frequency of occurrence, temporal and spatial scales, and intensity are all nearly the same for the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, which are considered to be successive wave-like disturbances rather than solitary eddies. Phase speed of westward propagation of the eddies is estimated as 6.8 cm s^–1, which is faster than a theoretical estimate based on the baroclinic first-mode Rossby wave with or without a mean current. The spatial distribution of sea surface height variations suggests that these eddies may be generated in the Kuroshio Extension region and propagate westward in the Kuroshio recirculation region, though further studies are needed to clarify the generation processes.     

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.