Branching of the Tsushima Current by an Abrupt Increase of Bottom Depth

An analytical model of the branching of an inertial current partly afloat incident upon a step fall in bottom topography is considered to account for the branching of the Tsushima Current induced by an abrupt increase of the bottom depth near the northern end of the Korea-Tsushima Strait. The grounded portion of the incident current is constraint by bottom topography and eventually runs along the depth discontinuity over the shallow region. Due to the inertia of the incident current, however, the ungrounded portion crosses the depth discontinuity and forms a free inertial jet, giving rise to the branching. The deflection angle of this free inertial jet is determined through an integrated momentum balance. The branching is more restricted as the grounded portion of the incident current becomes relatively more important, in terms of the momentum transport, than the ungrounded portion. For typical values of the bottom depth, the transport of the Tsushima Current through the Korea-Tsushima Strait, and for acceptable values of other physical parameters, it appears that branching is possible. Hence, the abrupt increase of the bottom depth near the northern end of the Korea-Tsushima Strait, combined with the inertia of current, may indeed be an important factor in the branching of the Tsushima Current.     

大亚湾大鹏澳海流流速概率分布

本文利用大亚湾大鹏(?)1989年7～8月海流连续观测资料,用黄金分割法逐步逼近威布尔分布参数的改进适线法,拟合出该湾流速三参数威布尔分布函数。流速良好地服从三参数威布尔分布,文中还探讨了资料的代表性对所求分布函数的影响。     

Sedimentary records of multidecadal-scale variability of diatom productivity in the Bungo Channel, Japan, associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

In order to examine the responses of primary productivity in the southern coastal sea of Japan to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) in the 20th century, sedimentary records of diatom productivity (diatom valve fluxes) were reconstructed using core samples from the Bungo Channel (BC) in southwest Japan. The record of the Thalassionema spp. flux—the best index of fall primary productivity in the BC—indicated a multidecadal-scale duration with a low flux (1943–1982) and those with a high flux (1913–1943 and 1982–2001); apparent shifts were recognized in 1943 and 1982. The shift in 1982 was also recognized in the flux records of other early summer to fall predominant genera in the BC and, previously, in the biogenic silica records from a broad region of the southeast BC. This indicates that in our records, this shift reflects a general trend in the primary production in the southeast BC. A comparison among the Thalassionema spp. flux records, meteorological data from an observatory adjacent to the core site, and the PDO index showed that the flux records were more similar to the PDO index than the other meteorological records, which suggests that the multidecadal-scale variability of the BC primary productivity may be associated with some marine-derived forcing. The bottom intrusions of nutrient-rich water that upwelled from the shelf slope into the BC, the axis movement or the transport of the Kuroshio Current off the BC, and a basin-scale wind stress in the North Pacific might play an important role in this forcing and mediate between the BC primary productivity and the PDO.     

Significance of Shallow Bottom Friction in the Dynamics of the Tsushima Current

A simple analytical model is considered for the dynamics of volume transport of the Tsushima Current. This model is basically baroclinic but allows bottom friction over the shallow regions connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Japan Sea basin, and is thus different from previous models which are either purely barotropic with bottom friction predominating over the whole domain, or purely baroclinic with bottom friction completely ignored. Compared to the previous barotropic model, this model is not only more realistic but also gives much simpler results. It gives the observed downstream sea level slope, which is not seen in the previous baroclinic model. As a result, the estimated transport of the Tsushima Current is closer to the observational data than those of previous models. This model indicates that the localized bottom friction acting over the shallow regions not only controls the transport of the Tsushima Current but also moves the stagnation point of the western boundary current northward. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Current structure and volume transport of the Soya Warm Current in summer

ADCP, CTD and XBT observations were conducted to investigate the current structure and temperature, salinity and density distributions in the Soya Warm Current (SWC) in August, 1998 and July, 2000. The ADCP observations clearly revealed the SWC along the Hokkaido coast, with a width of 30–35 km and an axis of maximum speed of 1.0 to 1.3 ms⁻¹, located at 20–25 km from the coast. The current speed gradually increased from the coast to a maximum and steeply decreased in the offshore direction. The SWC consisted of both barotropic and baroclinic components, and the existence of the baroclinic component was confirmed by both the density front near the current axis and vertical shear of the alongshore current. The baroclinic component strengthened the barotropic component in the upper layer near the axis of the SWC. The volume transport of the SWC was 1.2–1.3 SV in August, 1998 and about 1.5 SV and July, 2000, respectively. Of the total transport, 13 to 15% was taken up by the baroclinic component. A weak southeastward current was found off the SWC. It had barotropic characteristics, and is surmised to be a part of the East Sakhalin Current.     

Volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current, west of Tsugaru Strait bifurcation area

Northern and southern latitudinal transects were conducted west of Tsugaru Strait to estimate the volume transport in this area. It was found that the Tsushima Warm Current is the northward volume transport across the southern transect and the Northward Current is the northward volume transport across the northern transect. The current in Tsugaru Strait,viz. the Tsugaru Warm Current, is the flow remaining when the Northward Current is subtracted from the Tsushima Warm Current. Both CTD transects covered from near-shore to west of the subarctic front, and observed depths were from the surface to the bottom or to 1000-1500 m depth. Our estimations indicate that large interannual variations of volume transport occur, relative to the seasonal ones, with interannual variations sometimes exceeding seasonal variations in the Tsushima Warm Current and the Northward Current. The Tsugaru Warm Current has near-steady transport. Fluctuations in the Tsushima Warm Current are thus transmitted to the Northward Current. Further, our results revealed seasonal variations in the flow: the baloclinic structure became deeper in April and the current axis tended to shift in a near-shore direction in October. Therefore, previous studies, which had shallow reference levels and lacked nearshore stations, may have underestimated the transport and excessive seasonal variations.     

Sea Levels and Western Boundary Flow Near a Tectonic Zone in the Northern Pacific

This article concerns an interrelation between the sea levels and the western boundary flow near a tectonic boundary in a local zone in the Northwestern Pacific. In this zone, sea level variations at stations located on the coast facing the Pacific are studied to find the interrelation between variations of the Kurosio flow as an index of the distance of the flow axis off a specific coast. The result is discussed after data processing of the monthly means of the sea levels, and a notice is taken of variations caused by active crustal upheavals during a seismic event, a local earthquake.     

夏、冬季对马暖流（表层）来源的数值模拟

本文利用黄海南部、东海及台湾以东海域表层流分布图提供的资料作为边界条件，对区域１１９°～１３２°Ｅ，２１°～４１°Ｎ做数值模拟．模拟出的流场各流系与实测的基本吻合。所得主要结论为：（１）在３０°～３３°Ｎ，１２５°～１２８°Ｅ这一区域流速小，流向不稳定，它的西、南部分别有流入，东、北部有流出的这一特点与孙湘平所提出的“海水集散”区概念一致、（２）对马暖流不能简单地视为黑潮的分支，应该认为“海水集散区”是它的发源地，此“海水集散区“的水来源是多方面的。     

On the Taiwan Warm Current Water

Using our data from special observation in the source area of the Taiwan Warm Current from 19S2 to 1985) and historical data, the authors conducted studies to clarify the temperature and salinity characteristics, variability, and origin of the Taiwan Warm Current Water, and its influence on the expanding direction of the Changjiang Diluted Water.The main results of these studies are briefly given below. (1) The Taiwan Warm Current Water can be divided into two parts:the Surface Water of the Taiwan Warm Current and the Deep Water of the Taiwan Warm Current; the former is formed due to the mixing of the Kuroshio Surface Water flowing northward along the east coast of Taiwan with the Taiwan Strait Water; the latter completed originates from Kuroshio Subsurface Water to the east of Taiwan. It is characterized by lower temperature and higher salinity in summer and the characteristics of temperature and salinity are more stable. The maximum seasonal variational range and maximum secular variational range of t     

Deep-circulation flow at mid-latitude in the western North Pacific

Direct current measurements with five moorings at 27–35°N, 165°E from 1991 to 1993 and with one mooring at 27°N, 167°E from 1989 to 1991 revealed temporal variations of deep flow at mid-latitude in the western North Pacific. The deep-circulation flow carrying the Lower Circumpolar Deep Water from the Southern Ocean passed 33°N, 165°E northwestward with a high mean velocity of 7.8 cm s⁻¹ near the bottom and was stable enough to continue for 4–6 months between interruptions of 1- or 2-months duration. The deep-circulation flow expanded or shifted intermittently to the mooring at 31°N, 165°E but did not reach 35°N, 165°E although it shifted northward. The deep-circulation flow was not detected at the other four moorings, whereas meso-scale eddy variations were prominent at all the moorings, particularly at 35°N and 29°N, 165°E. The characteristics of current velocity and dissolved oxygen distributions led us to conclude that the deep-circulation flow takes a cyclonic pathway after passing through Wake Island Passage, passing 24°N, 169.5–173°E and 30°N, 168–169°E northward, proceeds northwestward around 33°N, 165°E, and goes westward through the south of the Shatsky Rise. We did not find that the deep-circulation flow proceeded westward along the northern side of the Mid-Pacific Seamounts and eastward between the Hess Rise and the Hawaiian Ridge toward the Northeast Pacific Basin.