Sea surface height variations in the Mindanao Dome region in response to the northern tropical Pacific winds

Sea surface height (SSH) variability in the Mindanao Dome (MD) region is found to be one of the strong variations in the northern Pacific. It is only weaker than that in the Kuroshio Extension area, and is comparable to that in the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent region. Based on a 1.5-layer reduced gravity model, we analyzed SSH variations in this region and their responses to northern tropical Pacific winds. The average SSH anomaly in the region varies mainly on a seasonal scale, with significant periods of 0.5 and 1 year, ENSO time scale2-7years, and time scale in excess of 8 years. Annual and long-term variabilities are comparably stronger. These variations are essentially a response to the northern tropical Pacific winds. On seasonal and ENSO time scales, they are mainly caused by wind anomalies east of the region, which generate westward-propagating, long Rossby waves. On time scales longer than 8 years, they are mostly induced by local Ekman pumping. Long-term SSH variations in the MD region and their responses to local winds are examined and discussed for the first time .

Variations of the Eco-Hydro-Climatic Environment Response to the 2015/2016 Super El Niño Event in the Mindanao Dome Upwelling System

A super El Niño event occurred in the equatorial Pacific during 2015-2016,accompanied by considerable regional eco-hydro-climatic variations within the Mindanao Dome(MD)upwelling system in the tropical western Pacific.Using timeseries of various oceanic data from 2013 to 2017,the variability of eco-hydro-climatic conditions response to the 2015/2016 super El Niño in the upper 300 m of the MD region are analyzed in this paper.Results showed that during the 2015/2016 super El Niño event,the upwelling in the MD region was greatly enhanced compared to those before and after this El Niño event.Upwelling Rossby waves and the massive loss of surface water in the western Pacific were suggested to be the main reasons for this enhanced upwelling.De-creased precipitation caused by changes in large-scale air-sea interaction led to the increased surface salinities.Changes in the struc-tures of the thermohaline and nutrient distribution in deep waters contributed to the increased surface chlorophyll a,suggesting a po-sitive effect of El Niño on surface carbon storage in the MD region.Based on the above analysis,the synopsis mechanism illustrating the eco-hydro-climatic changing processes over the MD upwelling system responding to the El Niño event was proposed.It high-lights the prospect for the role played by El Niño in local eco-hydro-climatic effects,which has further profound implications for understanding the influence of the global climate changes on the ocean carbon cycle.

Variation of the North Equatorial Current, Mindanao Current, and Kuroshio Current in a High-Resolution Data Assimilation during 2008–2012

Outputs from a high-resolution data assimilation system,the global Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model and Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation （HYCOM＋NCODA） 1/12° analysis,were analyzed for the period September 2008 to February 2012.The objectives were to evaluate the performance of the system in simulating ocean circulation in the tropical northwestern Pacific and to examine the seasonal to interannual variations of the western boundary currents.The HYCOM assimilation compares well with altimetry observations and mooring current measurements.The mean structures and standard deviations of velocities of the North Equatorial Current （NEC）,Mindanao Current （MC） and Kuroshio Current （KC） also compare well with previous observations.Seasonal to interannual variations of the NEC transport volume are closely correlated with the MC transport volume,instead of that of the KC.The NEC and MC transport volumes mainly show well-defined annual cycles,with their maxima in spring and minima in fall,and are closely related to the circulation changes in the Mindanao Dome （MD） region.In seasons of transport maxima,the MD region experiences negative SSH anomalies and a cyclonic gyre anomaly,and in seasons of transport minima the situation is reversed.The sea surface NEC bifurcation latitude （NBL） in the HYCOM assimilation also agrees well with altimetry observations.In 2009,the NBL shows an annual cycle similar to previous studies,reaching its southernmost position in summer and its northernmost position in winter.In 2010 and 2011,the NBL variations are dominantly influenced by La Ni（n）a events.The dynamics responsible for the seasonal to interannual variations of the NEC-MC-KC current system are also discussed.

棉兰老隆起三维结构特征及变化规律

利用日本气象厅(JAMSTEC)所提供的Argo格点温盐资料,系统地研究了棉兰老隆起(Mindanao Dome;MD)的三维结构及变化特征。结果表明,MD的水平位置大致在5°N^10°N,127°E^145°E范围内1个纬向延伸的狭长带状结构。其垂向范围大致在50~600m之间,强度在次表层100~200m附近最显著。温盐结构表现为深层低温、低盐水向上涌升增强,温跃层深度变浅,上混合层厚度变薄的特征。功率谱分析结果表明,MD具有明显的季节变化信号,表现为冬强秋弱,具有一年和半年的较为显著的变化周期。在El Ni珘no期间,MD的次表层水温明显下降,MD增强。局地风场对MD的变异起着重要作用,MD的变化与该处风应力旋度的变化的相关系数为-0.346。MD的变化和暖池的变化具有较好的负相关关系,在暖池发展比较充分时候,由于其暖水范围增大,暖水厚度增加,在某种程度上会抑制MD的发展;反之亦然。

2004年至2008年间棉兰老穹窿海域温跃层深度变化对涡旋动能的影响

利用卫星观测的海表面高度异常数据和HYCOM(Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model)模式的全球同化数据,考察了2004年至2008年间棉兰老穹窿(Mindanao Dome,MD)海域涡旋动能(Eddy Kinetic Energy,EKE)的变化特征,并探讨了影响EKE时间变化的物理机制,发现MD海域EKE变化和温跃层深度变化密切相关。从2004-2008年间,MD海域温跃层深度逐渐加深,导致背景流场的经向梯度减弱,引起MD南部海域EKE的逐渐降低。进一步研究发现EKE的变化是背景密度场和流场经向梯度共同影响的结果,其中流场梯度的影响更大,密度梯度的影响则主要在次表层。而2004年至2008年间ENSO信号和局地风应力旋度因未引起背景场经向梯度的响应,故对EKE的影响并不明显。