Three-dimensional properties of mesoscale cyclonic warm-core and anticyclonic cold-core eddies in the South China Sea

In general,a mesoscale cyclonic(anticyclonic)eddy has a colder(warmer)core,and it is considered as a cold(warm)eddy.However,recently research found that there are a number of"abnormal"mesoscale cyclonic(anticyclonic)eddies associated with warm(cold)cores in the South China Sea(SCS).These"abnormal"eddies pose a challenge to previous works on eddy detection,characteristic analysis,eddy-induced heat and salt transports,and even on mesoscale eddy dynamics.Based on a 9-year(2000–2008)numerical modelling data,the cyclonic warm-core eddies(CWEs)and anticyclonic cold-core eddies(ACEs)in the SCS are analyzed.This study found that the highest incidence area of the"abnormal"eddies is the northwest of Luzon Strait.In terms of the eddy snapshot counting method,8620 CWEs and 9879 ACEs are detected,accounting for 14.6%and 15.8%of the total eddy number,respectively.The size of the"abnormal"eddies is usually smaller than that of the"normal"eddies,with the radius only around 50 km.In the generation time aspect,they usually appear within the 0.1–0.3 interval in the normalized eddy lifespan.The survival time of CWEs(ACEs)occupies 16.3%(17.1%)of the total eddy lifespan.Based on two case studies,the intrusion of Kuroshio warm water is considered as a key mechanism for the generation of these"abnormal"eddies near the northeastern SCS.

Three-dimensional characteristics of mesoscale eddies simulated by a regional model in the northwestern Pacific Ocean during 2000–2008

Mesoscale eddies play vital roles in ocean processes.Although previous studies focused on eddy surface features and individual three-dimensional(3D)eddy cases in the northwestern Pacific Ocean,the analysis of unique eddy3D regional characteristics is still lacking.A 3D eddy detection scheme is applied to 9 years(2000-2008)of eddyresolving Regional Ocean Modeling System(ROMS)output to obtain a 3D eddy dataset from the surface to a depth of 1000 m in the northwestern Pacific Ocean(15°-35°N,120°-145°E).The 3D characteristics of mesoscale eddies are analyzed in two regions,namely,Box1(Subtropical Countercurrent,15°-25°N,120°-145°E)and Box2(Southern Kuroshio Extension,25°-35°N,120°-145°E).In Box1,the current is characterized by strong vertical shear and weak horizontal shear.In Box2,the current is characterized by the strong Kuroshio,topographic effect,and the westward propagation of Rossby waves.The results indicate the importance of baroclinic instability in Box1,whereas in Box2,both the barotropic and baroclinic instability are important.Moreover,the mesoscale eddies’properties in Box1 and Box2 are distinct.The eddies in Box1 have larger number and radius but a shorter lifetime.By contrast,Box2 has fewer eddies,which have smaller radius but longer lifetime.Vertically,more eddies are detected at the subsurface than at the surface in both regions;the depth of 650 m is the turning point in Box1.Above this depth,the number of cyclonic eddies(CEs)is larger than that of anticyclonic eddies(AEs).In Box2,the number of CEs is dominant vertically.Eddy kinetic energy(EKE)and mean normalized relative vorticity in Box2are significantly higher than those in Box1.With increasing depth,the attenuation trend of EKE and relative vorticity of Box1 become greater than those of Box2.Furthermore,the upper ocean(about 300 m in depth)contains 68.6%of the eddies(instantaneous eddy).Only 16.6%of the eddies extend to 1000 m.In addition,about87%of the eddies are bowl-shaped eddies in the two regions.Only about 3%are cone-shaped eddies.With increasing depth of the eddies,the proportion of bowl-shaped eddies gradually decreases.Conversely,the coneand lens-shaped eddies are equal in number at 700-1000 m,accounting for about 30%each.Studying the 3D characteristics of eddies in two different regions of the northwestern Pacific Ocean is an important stepping stone for discussing the different eddy generation mechanisms.