Effects of Kuroshio intrusion optimization on the simulation of mesoscale eddies in the northern South China Sea

The impacts of Kuroshio intrusion(KI) optimization on the simulation of meso-scale eddies(MEs) in the northern South China Sea(SCS) were investigated based on an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model by comparing two numerical experiments with differences in their form and intensity of KI due to the optimizing topography at Luzon Strait(LS). We found that a reduced KI reduces ME activities in the northern SCS, which is similar to the observations. In this case, the biases of the model related to simulating the eddy kinetic energy(EKE) west of the LS and along the northern slope are remarkably attenuated. The reduced EKE modeling bias is associated with both the reduced number of anti-cyclonic eddies(AEs) and the reduced amplitude of cyclonic eddies(CEs). The EKE budget analysis further suggests that the optimization of the KI will change the EKE by changing the horizontal velocity shear and the slope of the thermocline, which are related to barotropic and baroclinic instabilities, respectively. The former plays the key role in regulating the EKE in the northern SCS due to the changing of the KI. The EKE advection caused by the KI is also important for the EKE budget to the west of the LS.

Seasonal variability of mesoscale eddies in the Banda Sea inferred from altimeter data

Using the mesoscale eddy trajectory atlas product derived from satellite altimeter data from 1993 to 2016,this study analyzes statistical characteristics and seasonal variability of mesoscale eddies in the Banda Sea of the Indonesian seas.The results show that there were 147 mesoscale eddies that occurred in the Banda Sea,of which 137 eddies were locally generated and 10 originated from outside.The total numbers of cyclonic eddies(CEs,clockwise)and anticyclonic eddies(AEs,anticlockwise)are 76 and 71,respectively.Seasonally,the number of CEs(AEs)is twice larger than the number of AEs(CEs)in winter(summer).In winter,CEs are distributed in the southern and AEs in the northern basins,respectively,but the opposite thing occurs in summer,i.e.,the polarities of mesoscale eddies observed at the same location reverse seasonally.The mechanisms of polarity distribution reversal(PDR)of mesoscale eddies are examined with reanalysis data of ocean currents and winds.The results indicate that the basin-scale vorticity,wind stress curl,and the meridional shear of zonal current reverse seasonally,which are favorable to the PDR of mesoscale eddies.The possible generation mechanisms of mesoscale eddies include direct wind forcing,barotropic and baroclinic instabilities,of which the direct wind forcing should play the dominant role.