Variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in 1993 and 1994

Based on the hydrographic data obtained by the R/V Chofu Maru of eight cruises of 1993~1994, a modified inverse method is used to compute the velocity, volume and heat transports of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea. The calculated results show that: (1) At Section PN, there are two current cores of the Kuroshio in autumn, one or two cores in other seasons. The main cores always lie over the shelf break. Countercurrents always exist east of and in the deep layer under the Kuroshio. (2) At Section TK, the velocity distribution is more complicated, and it may have one, two or three current cores of the Kuroshio. The current cores often appear in the middle and northern parts of the Tokara Strait. There are westward countercurrents in the southern end and deep layer of the strait, and the countercurrent in the southern end of the strait is the strongest in autumn. (3) At Section A, the Tsushima Warm Current (hereafter TSWC) core lies in the shelf break area, and its Vmax varies between 26~46 cm/s. The Huanghai Warrn Current (hereafter HWC) lies to the west of the TSWC, and it is weaker. (4) In 1993 and 1994 the volume transport (hereafter VT) of the Kuroshio is the smallest in spring, but it is the largest or has a larger value in summer. The average net northward VT of the Kuroshio during the four seasons each year, for example, through Section PN, almost has the same value for 1993 and 1994, but both are smaller than that in 1992. The average net northward VT through Sections PN and TK during the eight cruises are 27. 1×106 and 25. 0 ×106 m3/s, respectively. (5) The average heat transports (hereafter HT) through Sections PN and TK are 1. 99 × 1015 and 1. 78× 1015 W, respectively. (6) At the computation area, heat transfer is from the ocean to the atmosphere in autumn and winter, but the direction reverses in summer, and the direction of heat transfer is uncertain in spring. The average rate of heat transfer is the largest in winter, but smaller in spring and summer.

Variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in 1992

Based on the hydrographic data of the four cruises in 1992, a modified inverse method is used to compute the velocity, volume and heat transports of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea. The computed results show that: (1)There are two current cores of the Kuroshio at Section PN in spring and autumn, but one core in winter and summer.The main core always lies over the shelf break.The Kuroshio is strongest in spring, secondary in winter and summer and weakest in autumn. There are also countercurrents under and east of the Kuroshio at Section PN. (2) There are two current cores of the Kuroshio at Section TK in winter, three cores in spring and summer. Countercurrents exist in the southern Part and the deep layer of the Tokara Strait. (3) The Tsushima Warm Current (TSWC) at action A is strongest in autumn and weakest in winter, and is stronger than the Huanghai Warm Current which lies to the west of the TSWC. (4) The net northeastward volume transport (hereafter VT) through Section PN is largest in summer and smallest in autumn with an average of 28. 0 ×106m3/s in the four cruises of 1992. The net eastward VT at Section TK is also largest in summer. The net northward VT at Section A is largest in autumn. (5) The average heat transport through Section PN during the four cruises is 2. 03×1015 W, and that through Section TK is 2. 00×1015 W during the three cruises. (6) In the computation area, heat transfer is from the ocean to the atmosphere during winter,spring and autumn, but from the atmosphere to the ocean in summer. The average rate of heat transfer is largest in winter, but smallest in summer.