Based on the in situ XBT and other data sets, by analyzing the seasonal cycle of the mixed layer depth (MLD) and using the conservative potential vorticity (PV) as a tool, a clear description of the formation process ...Based on the in situ XBT and other data sets, by analyzing the seasonal cycle of the mixed layer depth (MLD) and using the conservative potential vorticity (PV) as a tool, a clear description of the formation process of the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (NPSTMW) is presented for explaining the well known 'Stommel Demon'. The forming of NPSTMW reflects well the ventilation process of the isotherms of the permanent thermocline. The formation process can be divided into the 'ventilation' phase and the 'formation' phase. In the first phase (October-March), with large heat losses at the sea surface from October, the mixed layer deepens and correspondingly, the water mass with low PV emerges and sinks. After continual cooling from October to March, the mixed layer reaches its maximum value ( >300 m) in March. Then, in the second phase (April-June), the mixed layer shoals rapidly from April, a large part of the low PV water mass is sheltered from further air-sea interaction by the emerging seasonal thermocline, and thus forms new NPSTMW. Further analysis indicates that the formation region of warm NPSTMW (17-18℃) is limited between 140°-150°E, while the relatively cold NPSTMW (16-17℃) originates in a wider longitude range (140°-170°E).Climate features of NPSTMW are presented with the use of climatological Levitus (1994 a, b) dataset. It is shown that NPSTMW lies in the region of (130°-170°E, 22°-34°N) with core temperature ranging from about 16-19℃ and potential density around 25-25.8σθ NPSTMW has a three-dimensional structure lying below the seasonal thermocline (about 100 m deep) and reaches almost to 350m depths.展开更多
基金supported by Free Application(No.40276009)NSFC Project for Oversea Young Scientist Found(No.40028605).
文摘Based on the in situ XBT and other data sets, by analyzing the seasonal cycle of the mixed layer depth (MLD) and using the conservative potential vorticity (PV) as a tool, a clear description of the formation process of the North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (NPSTMW) is presented for explaining the well known 'Stommel Demon'. The forming of NPSTMW reflects well the ventilation process of the isotherms of the permanent thermocline. The formation process can be divided into the 'ventilation' phase and the 'formation' phase. In the first phase (October-March), with large heat losses at the sea surface from October, the mixed layer deepens and correspondingly, the water mass with low PV emerges and sinks. After continual cooling from October to March, the mixed layer reaches its maximum value ( >300 m) in March. Then, in the second phase (April-June), the mixed layer shoals rapidly from April, a large part of the low PV water mass is sheltered from further air-sea interaction by the emerging seasonal thermocline, and thus forms new NPSTMW. Further analysis indicates that the formation region of warm NPSTMW (17-18℃) is limited between 140°-150°E, while the relatively cold NPSTMW (16-17℃) originates in a wider longitude range (140°-170°E).Climate features of NPSTMW are presented with the use of climatological Levitus (1994 a, b) dataset. It is shown that NPSTMW lies in the region of (130°-170°E, 22°-34°N) with core temperature ranging from about 16-19℃ and potential density around 25-25.8σθ NPSTMW has a three-dimensional structure lying below the seasonal thermocline (about 100 m deep) and reaches almost to 350m depths.
