The Effect of the East China Sea Kuroshio Front on the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Various satellite data,JRA-25(Japan reanalysis of 25 years) reanalyzed data and WRF(Weather Research Forecast) model are used to investigate the in situ effect of the ESKF(East China Sea Kuroshio Front) on the MABL(marine atmospheric boundary layer).The intensity of the ESKF is most robust from January to April in its annual cycle.The local strong surface northerly/northeasterly winds are observed right over the ESKF in January and in April and the wind speeds decrease upward in the MABL.The thermal wind effect that is derived from the baroclinic MABL forced by the strong SST gradient contributes to the strong surface winds to a large degree.The convergence zone existing along the warm flank of the ESKF is stronger in April than in January corresponding to the steeper SST(sea surface temperature) gradient.The collocations of the cloud cover maximum and precipitation maximum are basically consistent with the convergence zone of the wind field.The clouds develop higher(lower) in the warm(cold) flank of the ESKF due to the less(more) stable stratification in the MABL.The lowest clouds are observed in April on the cold flank of the ESKF and over the Yellow Sea due to the existence of the pronounced temperature inversion.The numerical experiments with smoothed SST are consistent with the results from the ovservations.

The Formation of Wind Curl in the Marine Atmosphere Boundary Layer over the East China Sea Kuroshio in Spring

Various data are used to investigate the characteristics of the surface wind field and rainfall on the East China Sea Kuroshio(ESK) in March and April, 2011. In March, the wind speed maximum shows over the ESK front(ESKF) in the 10 meter wind field, which agrees with the thermal wind effect. A wind curl center is generated on the warm flank of the ESKF. The winds are much weaker in April, so is the wind curl. A rainband exists over the ESKF in both the months. The Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model is used for further researches. The winds on the top of the marine atmosphere boundary layer(MABL) indicate that in March, a positive wind curl is generated in the whole MABL over the warm flank of the ESKF. The thermal wind effect forced by the strong SST gradient overlying the background wind leads to strong surface northeasterly winds on the ESKF, and a positive shearing vorticity is created over the warm flank of the ESKF to generate wind curl. In the smoothed sea surface temperature experiment, the presence of the ESKF is responsible for the strong northeast winds in the ESKF, and essential for the distribution of the rainfall centers in March, which confirms the mechanism above. The same simulation is made for April, 2011, and the responses from the MABL become weak. The low background wind speed weakens the effect of the thermal wind, thus no strong Ekman pumping is helpful for precipitation. There is no big difference in rainfall between the control run and the smooth SST run. Decomposition of the wind vector shows that local wind acceleration induced by the thermal wind effect along with the variations in wind direction is responsible for the pronounced wind curl/divergence over the ESKF.

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.

Role of Kuroshio frontal eddy in exchange between shelf water and Kuroshio water in East China Sea

Basic patterns of the reversal of the Kuroshio water toward the shelf, intrusion of the shelf mixed water into the Kuroshio and uplifting of the near-bottom nutrient-rich water into the upper layer by the pumping of the frontal eddy are analyzed on the basis of satellite infrared images and hydrologic, chemical and biological observations. Results show that the Kuroshio frontal eddies play a very important role in the exchange between the shelf water and the Kuroshio water. The estimation of the average volume transports for three frontal eddy events indicates that the shelf mixed water entrained by an eddy into Kuroshio is 0.44×10~6 m3/s and the reversal Kuroshio water onto the shelf region only 0.04×10~6 m3/s. Along the whole shelf edge, the volume transport of the shelf mixed water entrained by the eddies into the Kuroshio is 1.8×10~6 m3/s. The nutrient (NO3-N) flux pumped to the euphotic zone and input to the continental shelf through a column with 1 m wide is 974 μmol/(s·m) when there is frontal eddy and only 79 μmol/(s·m) in the case of no frontal eddy. Yearly nutrient (NO3-N) flux input to the shelf area caused by the frontal eddy is 1.7×10~5 t/a.

Variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in 1995

A modified inverse method is ed to compute the Kuroshio in the East China Sea with the CTD andwind data collected by R/V Chofu Maru during four cruises of 1995. The computed results show that: (1) The volume transport (hereafter VT) of the Kuroshio through fortion PN is 23. 3×106, 34. 1× 106,21. 1× 106 and 26. 7 ×106 m3/s, respectively , during winter, spring, summer and autumn, i. e., its VT is largest in spring but smallest inthe summer of 1995. However, from the statistical average results [e. g., Yuan et al. (1993) ], its VT is largest insummer but smallest in autumn. This means that the year 1995 is an anomalous year, which can also be shown from the T - S distributions. The heat transport (hereafter HT ) through Section PN is 1. 6×1015, 2. 5× 1015, 1. 7 x1015 and 2.1× 1015 W, respectively, during winter, spring, summer and autumn. This shows also that the year 1995is an anomalous year. VT through Section TK (at the Tokara Staik) is the largest in the spring of 1995. (2) Thereare two current cores at Section PN during winter, spring and summer, and three cores in autumn. (3) The Kuroshiovelocities at Section PN are stronger in spring and autumn than those in the winter and summer of 1995. (4) Thereare countercurrents under and east of the Kuroshio at Section PN. (5 ) The average rate of heat transfer in the computed area from the ocean to the atmosphere is 6.28×103, -0.83× 103, -2.09×103 and 2.49×103J/(cm2.d), respectively, during winter, spring, summer and autumn.

A spectral mixture model analysis of the Kuroshio variability and the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea

For understanding more about the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea,We studied the variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea(ECS) in the period of 1991 to 2008 using a three-dimensional circulation model,and calculated Kuroshio onshore volume transport in the ECS at the minimum of 0.48 Sv(1 Sv ;106 m3/s) in summer and the maximum of 1.69 Sv in winter.Based on the data of WOA05 and NCEP,The modeled result indicates that the Kuroshio transport east of Taiwan Island decreased since 2000.Lateral movements tended to be stronger at two ends of the Kuroshio in the ECS than that of the middle segment.In addition,we applied a spectral mixture model(SMM) to determine the exchange zone between the Kuroshio and the shelf water of the ECS.The result reveals a significantly negative correlation(coefficient of-0.78) between the area of exchange zone and the Kuroshio onshore transport at 200 m isobath in the ECS.This conclusion brings a new view for the water exchange between the Kuroshio and the East China Sea.Additional to annual and semi-annual signals,intra-seasonal signal of probably the Pacific origin may trigger the events of Kuroshio intrusion and exchange in the ECS.

A motion instability formation mechanism of the multi-core structure of the East China Sea Kuroshio

On the basis of the inductive analysis of observation and calculation results, this paper presents a motion instability formation mechanism of the multi-core structure of the East China Sea Kuroshio. This theoretical work includes presentation of the simplified model, derivation of the existence condition of the instable solution and some scaling estimation of the multi-core structure. Theoretical results are in good consistence with the observations.

Study on interaction between the coastal water, shelf water and Kuroshio water in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea

The main processes of interaction between the coastal water, shelf water and Kuroshio water in the Huanghai Sea (HS) and East China Sea (ECS) are analyzed based on the observation and study results in recent years. These processes include the intrusion of the Kuroshio water into the shelf area of the ECS, the entrainment of the shelf water into the Kuroshio, the seasonal process in the southern shelf area of the ECS controlled alternatively by the Taiwan Strait water and the Kuroshio water intruding into the shelf area, the interaction between the Kuroshio branch water, shelf mixed water and modified coastal water in the northeastern ECS, the water-exchange between the HS and ECS and the spread of the Changjiang diluted water.

Impact of Kuroshio on the dissolved oxygen in the East China Sea region

A marine survey was conducted from 18 May to 13 June 2014 in the East China Sea (ECS) and its adjacent Kuroshio Current to examine the spatial distribution and biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved oxygen (DO) in spring. Waters were sampled at 10?25 m intervals within 100 m depth, and at 25?500 m beyond 100 m. The depth, temperature, salinity, and density (sigma- t ) were measured in situ with a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor. DO concentrations were determined on board using traditional Winkler titration method. The results show that in the Kuroshio Current, DO content was the highest in the euphotic layer, then decreased sharply with depth to about 1 000 m, and increased with depth gradually thereafter. While in the ECS continental shelf area, DO content had high values in the coastal surface water and low values in the near-bottom water. In addition, a low-DO zone off the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary was found in spring 2014, and it was formed under the combined influence of many factors, including water stratification, high primary productivity in the euphotic layers, high accumulation/ sedimentation of organic matter below the euphotic layers, and mixing/transport of oceanic current waters on the shelf. Most notable among these is the Kuroshio intruded water, an oceanic current water which carried rich dissolved oxygen onto the continental shelf and alleviated the oxygen deficit phenomenon in the ECS, could impact the position, range, and intensity, thus the formation/destruction of the ECS Hypoxia Zone.

A Modelling Study of Inter-Annual Variation of Kuroshio Intrusion on the Shelf of East China Sea

Inter-annual variability of the Kuroshio water intrusion on the shelf of East China Sea (ECS) was simulated with a nested global and Northwest Pacific ocean circulation model.The model analysis reveals the influence of the variability of Kuroshio transport east of Taiwan on the intrusion to the northeast of Taiwan:high correlation (r=0.92) with the on-shore volume flux in the lower layer (50 200 m) ;low correlation (r=0.50) with the on-shore flux in the upper layer (0 50 m) .Spatial distribution of correlations between volume fluxes and sea surface height suggests that inter-annual variability of the Kuroshio flux east of Taiwan and its subsurface water intruding to the shelf lag behind the sea surface height anomalies in the central Pacific at 162 E by about 14 months,and could be related to wind-forced variation in the interior North Pacific that propagates westward as Rossby waves.The intrusion of Kuroshio surface water is also influenced by local winds.The intruding Kuroshio subsurface water causes variations of temperature and salinity of bottom waters on the southern ECS shelf.The influence of the intruding Kuroshio subsurface water extends widely from the shelf slope northeast of Taiwan northward to the central ECS near the 60 m isobath,and northeastward to the region near the 90 m isobath.

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.

The study of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea and the currents east of the Ryukyu Islands

In this study, the inverse method is used to compute the Kuroshio in the East China Sea and southeast of Kyushu and the currents east of the Ryukyu Islands, on the basis of hydrographic data obtained during September-October, 1987 by R/V Chofu Maru. The results show that: (1)A part of the Taiwan Warm Current has a tendency to converge to the shelf break; (2) the Kuroshio flows across the section C3 (PN) with a reduced current width, and the velocity of the Kuroshio at the section C3 increases and its maximum current speed is about 158 cm/s, and its volume transport here is about 26×106m3/s; (3) the Kuroshio has two current cores at the sections C3 (PN) and B2 (at the Tokara Strait); (4) the currents east of the Ryukyu Islands are found to flow northward over the Ryukyu Trench during September-October, 1987. The velocities of the currents are not strong throughout the depths. At the section C2 east of the Ryukyu Islands, the maximum current speed is at the 699 m levei and its magnitude is 25 cm/s, and its volume transport is about 21×06 m3/s; (5) the volume transports of the Kuroshio through the sections B2 (at the Tokara Strait) and C6 (southeast of Kyushu) are 23. 33, 67. 31×106 m3/s, respectively; (6) there are two meso-scale anticyclonic warm eddies between 135° E and the area east of the Ryukyu Islands, and their characters and hydrographic structure are discussed.

Relationships between intensity of the Kuroshio current in the East China Sea and the East Asian winter monsoon

Based on satellite altimeter and reanalysis data,this paper studies the relationships between the intensity of the Kuroshio current in the East China Sea（ECS） and the East Asian winter monsoon（EAWM）.The mechanisms of their possible interaction are also discussed.Results indicate that adjacent transects show consistent variations,and on an interannual timescale,when the EAWM is anomalously strong（weak）,the downstream Kuroshio in the ECS is suppressed（enhanced） in the following year from February to April.This phenomenon can be attributed to both the dynamic effect（i.e.,Ekman transport） and the thermal effect of the EAWM.When the EAWM strengthens（weakens）,the midstream and downstream Kuroshio in the ECS are also suppressed（intensified） during the following year from October to December.The mechanisms vary for these effects.The EAWM exerts its influence on the Kuroshio＇s intensity in the following year through the tropospheric biennial oscillation（TBO）,and oceanic forcing is dominant during this time.The air-sea interaction is modulated by the relative strength of the EAWM and the Kuroshio in the ECS.The non-equivalence of spatial scales between the monsoon and the Kuroshio determines that their interactions are aided by processes with a smaller spatial scale,i.e.,local wind stress and heating at the sea surface.

Interannual variation of nutrients along a transect across the Kuroshio and shelf area in the East China Sea over 40 years

Long-term datasets of water temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen,phosphate and nitrate from 1973 to 2013 were used to study interannual variations of these parameters along a transect(section PN)across the Kuroshio and shelf area in the East China Sea.Water temperature and salinity at depths of 0–200 m showed a low-high-low-high pattern over the 40-year period.Water temperature and salinity at 500 m were relatively high from 1985 to 1990 and decreased continuously thereafter.Salinity at 800 m was lowest around 1993 and increased thereafter.Nutrients were highest between 1980 and 1985.After 1985,nutrients at 500 m were increasing.The range of variation in nutrients was large before 1985 and the magnitude increased with greater depths.Apparent oxygen utilization at 500 m depth was decreasing before 1990 and started to increase after 1992.Significant changes after 1990 at 500 m depth may be due to the upward trend of the upper boundary of Kuroshio intermediate water.Interannual variation of water temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen,phosphate and nitrate along section PN has a significant correlation with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index.

A study on zooplankton distribution patterns and indicator species in Kuroshio upstream area and adjacent East China Sea

On the basis of the data of zooplankton biomass and three major taxa—— Copepoda, Chaetognatha andSiphonophora of May-June 1986, July-August and December 1987, the distributional patterns and the indicator species of zooplankton in the Kuroshio and adjacent waters of the East China Sea are preliminarily studied. The results are as follows:The horizontal distribution of zooplankton biomass and the abundance of copepods, chaetognaths and siphonophores arecurred in the continent area northwest of Taiwan and the south-centre section of the East China Sea continent, which are the mix front of different waters. Zooplankton in the water area inside of Ryukyu Islands presented low abundance and high diversity. There are clear seasonal variations in zooplankton biomass and abundance in the study area. The strength or weakness of different water masses and fronts is the basic reason for the variations of zooplankton biomass and abundance.The species composition of zooplankton in the study area is complex and varies, however, the tropic oceanic species predominates overwhelmingly. The distribution of different ecotype species evidences the distribution of different water masses and the state of mixture. The indicator species of each water mass are listed in the paper so as to provide grounds for the variation of currents in the Kuroshio area.The temperature and salinity of sea water are important factors affecting zooplankton distribution, composition and diversity , however the role of salinity is major. With the replacement of one season by another, the correlative levels of temperature and salinity to various zooplankton taxa are more or less significant.

Seasonal variability of the Kuroshio Current at the PN Section in the East China Sea based on in-situ observation from 1987 to 2010

As the spatio-temporal variability of the Kuroshio is highly influenced by mesoscale eddies, representing its seasonal variability characteristics requires sufficiently long term observations to reduce the uncertainties. Geostrophic velocity data estimated from hydrographic observation from 1987 to 2010 and the shipboard ADCP velocity data from 1993 to 2008 at the PN Section in the central East China Sea are collected to view the seasonal variability objectively. From both types of observation, it is found that the seasonal climatology mean of the Kuroshio Current exhibits significant difference in three areas, which are located at the Kuroshio Current core and its two flanks in a shallow layer less than 300 m, with the weakest northeast current at the core in autumn, the strongest counter current on the right flank in spring, and the strongest northeast current on the left flank in autumn, respectively. The seasonal variance of the Kuroshio Current also exhibits significant difference on the off- shore side of the Kuroshio, with larger variance in spring and summer while smaller variance in autumn and winter. For the current parallel to the PN Section, the ratio of the seasonal variability component to the intraseasonal variability component is relatively smaller than that for the current perpendicular to the PN Section. Further analyses indicate that the seasonal variability at the PN Section is tightly linked to the upstream and downstream current variability.

ANALYSIS OF Cu, Cd, Co AND Ni IN SURFACE WATER OF THE KUROSHIO AREA IN THE EAST CHINA SEA

Study of 1986 and 1987 heavy metal distribution in surface water of the Kuroshio area in the East China Sea showed regional and slight seasonal variations in distribution and concentration . Heavy metal levels in Taiwan Strait, the sea area north of Taiwan and the continental shelf are higher than those in the main axis of the Kuroshio . Dissolved Cu in summer and winter decreases with the increase of salinity , but dissolved Cd has no obvious change with salinity .

The numerical simulation of the Kuroshio frontal eddies in the East China Sea using a hybrid coordinate ocean mode

A hybrid coordinate ocean model （ltYCOM） is used to simulate the Kuroshio frontal eddies in the East China Sea （ECS）. The research area is located （20°-32°N, 120°-132°E）. Using tile simulating data, it is figured out that the Kuroshio frontal eddies occur in summer as well as in the other season in this area. The life cycle of the Kuroshio and its frontal eddies is different with the position. The life-cycle of the Kuroshio frontal eddies of the northwest Diaoyu Islands is about 14 d; and the life cycle of the Kuroshio frontal eddies of southwest Yakushima about 20 d. This result extends the in situ researching results greatly. In addition, the vertical impact depth of the Kuroshio frontal eddies is also changing with the position. On the whole, in the ECS, the maximum impact depth of the Kuroshio frontal eddies of the northwest Taiwan Islands is about 75 m; the maximum impact depth of the Kuroshio frontal eddies of the northwest Diaoyu Islands is more than 125 m, but no more than 200 m; and the maximum impact depth of the Kuroshio frontal eddies of southwest Yakushima is up to 100 m.

The continental shelf wave of the East China Sea and its effect on the Kuroshio

The free shelf wave theory is applied to the practical case of the continental shelf in the East China Sea to analyse the effects of the shelf wave on the Kuroshio. The results indicate that the shelf wave in lower frequency travels from north to south and its phase velocity is proportional to the Kuroshio's current velocity) the maximum current velocity of the Kuroshio lies at the continental margin. The analytical solutions obtained indicate that the hydrodynamic characters of the sea region over the shelf present band structure. The horizontal motion ( x -component) caused by the shelf wave at the margin may be one of the causes for generating wavy pattern of the Kuroshio's axis .

Transport patterns of micro nutrient elements from the continental shelf of the East China Sea to the Kuroshio area

On the basis of the in situ data of DO2, pH, SiO2. PO4-P, NO3-N and NO2-N collected in the north of the East China Sea during 1987-1988, the following points are mainly expounded.1.The inorgonic nutrients are obviously affected by continent runoff in the north of the East China Sea. Their distributions are characteristic of its distribution of terrigenous materials.2.There are three transport paths of nutrients from the shelf to the Kuroshio area. The first is mixing-diffusing-advec-tion and upwelling process, the process of biology and biochemistry belongs to the second, and the sinking process is the last one.3.The swing of the Kuroshio axis affectes both the range of the migration of substances through mixing-diffusing-advec-tion process and the upwelling degree of the subsurface Kuroshio water to the shelf.4.Most part of the substances sink as macroparticles to the deep layer before reaching the Kuroshio area.