A model of the upper branch of the meridional overturning of the southern ocean

A zonal-average model of the upper branch of the meridional overturning circulation of the southern ocean is constructed and used to discuss the processes – wind, buoyancy, eddy forcing and boundary conditions – that control its strength and sense of circulation. The geometry of the thermocline ‘wedge’, set by the mapping between the vertical spacing of buoyancy surfaces (the stratification) on the equatorial flank of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and their outcrop at the sea surface, is seen to play a central role by setting the interior large-scale potential vorticity distribution. It is shown that the action of eddies mixing this potential vorticity field induces a residual flow in the meridional plane much as is observed, with upwelling of fluid around Antarctica, northward surface flow and subduction to form intermediate water. Along with this overturning circulation there is a concomitant air-sea buoyancy flux directed in to the ocean.     

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.     

Form Drag Caused by Topographically Forced Waves in a Barotropic β Channel: Effect of Higher Mode Resonance

The relationship between form drag and the zonal mean velocity of steady states is investigated in a very simple system; a barotropic quasi-geostrophic β channel with sinusoidal topography. When a steady solution is calculated by the modified Marquardt method, keeping the zonal mean velocity constant as a parameter, the characteristic of the solution changes at a phase speed of a wave with a wavenumber higher than that of the bottom topography. For velocities smaller than this critical value, there exists a stable quasi-linear solution similar to the linear solution. For larger velocities, there exist three solutions whose form drag is very large. In addition, the resonant velocity of the mode, whose wavenumber is the same as the bottom topography, has no effect on these solutions. When the quiescent fluid is accelerated by a constant wind stress, acceleration stops around the critical velocity for a wide range of the wind stress. If the wind stress is too large for the acceleration to stop, the zonal current speed continues to increase infinitely. It is implied that the zonal velocity of equilibrium is mainly determined, not by the wind stress, but by the amplitude of the bottom topography and the viscosity coefficient.     

The tidal regime of Shark Bay, Western Australia

A non-linear hydrodynamic model is used to describe the tidal dynamics of Shark Bay, Western Australia. The model is forced by tidal elevations generated by M₂, S₂, K₁ and O₁ constituent data at the open boundaries. The absence of suitable boundary data required a ‘calibration’ of the boundary condition against the known constituent data from within the model domain. The model provides a good match to the available field data, and allows the surface-level and current response to be resolved over the entire domain. Due to a near quarter-wave resonance of the semi-diurnal tide along the eastern Hopeless Reach, which increases the semi-diurnal tide by a factor of 2, the tidal characteristics on each of the Reaches are different: on the eastern Hopeless Reach the tides are mainly semi-diurnal while on the western Freycinet Reach the tides are mainly diurnal. The tidal range is also higher along Hopeless Reach. Tidal harmonics, generated by non-linearity, are important in the shallow regions. The tidal wave is shown to propagate as a progressive wave into the Bay. Substantial phase-lag, attenuation and dissipation occur over the Faure Sill, a major shallow region of the eastern reach of the Bay. Non-linear generation of the M₄ and MS₄ tides is also significant in this region. Depth-averaged residual currents are presented, which show a tidally generated circulation that is enhanced in regions of complex topography. Estimates of tidal dissipation indicate that although the total dissipation is small on a global scale, the areal average is comparable with the Gulf of Carpentaria and approximately one-quarter of the value estimated for the Patagonian Shelf.     

福建初夏(7月)旱涝特征的对比分析

以全省25个代表站1960～2000年7月的降水资料和北半球500hPa高度资料、北太平洋海温的月平均资料为素材，首先标定典型旱涝年例，其次揭示降水的演变规律，最后对比分析典型旱涝年例的500hPa环流背景和海温特征，得出以下几点初步结论：1)福建初夏发生干旱年例和洪涝年例各约“十年二遇”；2)2a、5～7a、19a和9a的周期振动较为明显；3)北半球极涡偏弱(强)，乌拉尔山附近的阻塞形势较为明显(不够明显)，冷空气路径比较偏东(西)，西太平洋副高偏强(弱)偏南(北)，东亚中纬度高度场偏低(高)，太平洋中部槽加深(槽较浅)，东亚地区高、中、低纬的距平为“ - ”(“— —”)分布特征，在这环流形势的配置下，为福建初夏发生干旱(洪涝)提供有利的环流背景；4)黑潮区海温偏高(偏低)，而太平洋中东部赤道附近海域海温儡低(偏高)时，福建初夏易于发生干旱(洪涝)。     

Study on circulation and meso-scale eddies in the South China Sea in summer of 1998

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南海夏季风爆发与西太平洋暖池区热含量及对流异常

利用1955～1998年逐月的上层海洋热含量资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,研究了南海夏季风爆发与热带西太平洋暖池区热含量异常的关系,并对影响过程进行了探讨.结果表明:(1)热带西太平洋暖池区是热带上层海洋热含量变化最大的区域,暖池区的热含量的变化与ENSO关系密切,是ENSO循环的重要组成部分,也是影响南海夏季风爆发最明显的地区.(2)南海夏季风爆发与前期(特别是前期冬、春季)暖池热状态的变化有密切关系,当前期暖池热含量高时,南海夏季风爆发早,反之爆发晚,这与由暖池变化所产生的上空大气的对流活动密切相关;4月暖池区热含量高(低)是预报南海夏季风爆发早(晚)的一个很好指标.(3)西太平洋暖池区热含量正异常时,辐散中心位于南海—西太平洋,对流强,西太副高弱且位置偏东,季风环流(印度洋纬向环流和经向环流)和Walker环流为正距平环流;正距平的季风环流有利于低空西到西南气流的加强,南海夏季风爆发早,反之爆发晚.由暖池变化所引起的大尺度季风环流和Walker环流的异常变化可能是影响南海夏季风爆发的一个重要动力机制.     

ENSO循环相关的海洋异常信号传播特征及其机制

通过分析最新的海洋模式同化资料(EstimatingtheCirculationandClimateoftheOcean,EC CO),研究了ENSO循环相关的海洋异常信号在太平洋中的传播过程。研究发现,导致ENSO位相变化的温跃层异常信号主要从北太平洋西传而来,该区与赤道东太平洋相反的温跃层异常信号到达西太暖池区,再从西太暖池沿赤道传到东太平洋,可使ENSO向反位相发展。该异常信号沿赤道东传过程中热带西南太平洋也会出现类似的温跃层异常变化,但是随着异常信号东移和从南太平洋东边界10°S左右传来的反异常信号入侵,热带西南太平洋的异常信号逐渐减弱并消失。稳定性分析表明,北太平洋较大面积区域存在斜压不稳定性或正压不稳定性,有利于ENSO相关的温跃层异常信号以Rossby波形式有效地西传;而在南太平洋,不稳定区的面积较小,且主要局限于海盆东侧,因而传播较弱,这样就造成了ENSO信号在太平洋南、北半球的非对称传播。一般来说,ENSO信号主要在以赤道波导区、东边界、北太平洋纬向区域和西边界组成的回路中循环,在南半球的传播不明显。     

河口环流和盐水入侵I--模式及控制数值试验

本文应用ECOM模式,设计1个控制试验,研究理想河口环流和盐水入侵的动力过程.数值计算结果表明,盐水入侵产生盐度锋面,在锋面处底层存在着向陆的密度流,为保持断面上质量连续,上层的流速趋于增大;近口门附近底层流有偏南分量,表明有横向环流存在.在口门外因斜压和底形的作用,产生明显的上升流.盐水入侵在空间上具有不对称性,高盐水位于北岸的下层.在拦门沙上游出现上下2个相反方向的横向环流,而在口门处只出现1个顺时针方向的横向环流.从动力机制上分析了盐水入侵的空间不对称性和横向环流的产生.     

温盐环流稳定性以及年代际变率的研究进展

对近期国内外有关温盐环流的模拟研究作了综合评述,着重介绍温盐环流的稳定性、多平衡态及其转化以及年代际变率问题的研究进展。