Physical oceanography of the Caroline M4 seamount in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean in summer 2017

Physical oceanography plays an important role in the formation of submarine sediments,and the distribution of nutriments and biocenoses in seamounts.The M4 seamount is located in the Caroline Island Ridge of the Western Pacific Ocean.The physical properties around M4 seamount are preliminarily analyzed based on the in-situ data obtained in summer 2017 in Caroline M4 seamount and open-sourced data.We found that the water in the upper 200 m is controlled by the westward North Equatorial Current(NEC),while the water between 300-1000 m is dominated by the eastward North Equatorial Undercurrent(NEUC).The current direction fluctuates significantly below 300 m at upstream stations.At the same depth of the lee sides,the current direction changes with the distance from seamount.These are likely caused by the obstacle of M4 seamount.The calculation results show that there is an anticyclonic cap above M4 seamount caused by tidal rectification.Tidal currents in M4 seamount are squeezed by the topography and amplified,and the amplified tidal currents play a dominant role in M4 seamount.First,the circulation system generated by the interaction of the amplified tidal current and M4 seamount drives the upward/downward movement of the isotherms.Secondly,the thickness of the surface turbulent layer is changed with the tidal phase.Thirdly,high turbulent diffusivities are found in the bottom of M4 seamount,and these are most likely attributed to the turbulent mixing induced by the mutual effect between semidiurnal tidal currents and steep bathymetry.This article of physical oceanography provides scientific basis for further analysis of the distribution of biological community and deposition mechanism in M4 seamount.

The Tropical Pacific–Indian Ocean Associated Mode Simulated by LICOM2.0

Oceanic general circulation models have become an important tool for the study of marine status and change. This paper reports a numerical simulation carried out using LICOM2.0 and the forcing field from CORE. When compared with SODA reanalysis data and ERSST.v3 b data, the patterns and variability of the tropical Pacific–Indian Ocean associated mode(PIOAM) are reproduced very well in this experiment. This indicates that, when the tropical central–western Indian Ocean and central–eastern Pacific are abnormally warmer/colder, the tropical eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific are correspondingly colder/warmer. This further confirms that the tropical PIOAM is an important mode that is not only significant in the SST anomaly field, but also more obviously in the subsurface ocean temperature anomaly field. The surface associated mode index(SAMI) and the thermocline(i.e., subsurface) associated mode index(TAMI) calculated using the model output data are both consistent with the values of these indices derived from observation and reanalysis data. However, the model SAMI and TAMI are more closely and synchronously related to each other.

The bacterial diversity and community composition altered in the oxygen minimum zone of the Tropical Western Pacific Ocean

The oxygen minimum zones(OMZs)are globally expanding,yet the variation pattern of microbial communities related to dissolved oxygen levels remain unclear.Spatial variability of bacterial diversity and community composition(repre sented by 16 S rRNA)of six stations was investigated within the water column in the seamount area of Tropical Western Pacific Ocean(TWPO)in May 2019.The seawater has dissolved oxygen(DO)concentration of 3.01-6.68 mg/L and the core of the oxygen minimum zones was located between the depths of 650 m and 1750 m.The bacterial alpha-diversity showed unimodal pattern with the decreasing DO with depths and peaked in the upper oxycline(UO)of OMZs.The bacterial community structure of the mixed layer(ML)and the bottom layer clustered and separated from each other,while those of UO and the OMZ core(OM)clustered and overlapped.Overall,bacterial community composition transitioned from being Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria-dominant in ML to being Gammaproteobacteria and Nitrososphaeria/Deltaproteobacteria-dominant in UO and OM,and then changed to being Clostridia and unidentified Actinobacteria-dominant in the bottom layer.Moreover,both bacterial alpha-diversity and the abundant classes fitted varying sectioned functions with DO.The DO solely explained 40.37%of the variation of bacterial community composition among layers(P<0.001).The predicted function profiling showed that the water column was predominant by chemoheterotrophy,cyanobacteria,and photoautotrophy in ML,by chemoheterotrophy and nitrate/sulfide cycling in UO and OM,and by chemoheterotrophy and ferme ntation in the bottom layer.Our findings revealed the DO-associated variation in bacterial diversity and community composition,and help to clarify the potential responses of microbes and their involved biogeochemical processes to the expansion and intensification of OMZs.

N2 fixation rate and diazotroph community structure in the western tropical North Pacific Ocean

In the present study, we report N2 fixation rate(15N isotope tracer assay) and the diazotroph community structure(using the molecular method) in the western tropical North Pacific Ocean(WTNP)(13°–20°N, 120°–160°E). Our independent evidence on the basis of both in situ N2 fixation activity and diazotroph community structure showed the dominance of unicellular N2 fixation over majority of the WTNP surface waters during the sampling periods.Moreover, a shift in the diazotrophic composition from unicellular cyanobacteria group B-dominated to Trichodesmium spp.-dominated toward the western boundary current(Kuroshio) was also observed in 2013. We hypothesize that nutrient availability may have played a major role in regulating the biogeography of N2 fixation.In surface waters, volumetric N2 fixation rate(calculated by nitrogen) ranged between 0.6 and 2.6 nmol/(L·d) and averaged(1.2±0.5) nmol/(L·d), with <10 μm size fraction contributed predominantly(88%±6%) to the total rate between 135°E and 160°E. Depth-integrated N2 fixation rate over the upper 200 m ranged between 150 μmol/(m^2·d)and 480 μmol/(m^2·d)average(225±105) μmol/(m^2·d). N2 fixation can account for 6.2%±3.7% of the depthintegrated primary production, suggesting that N2 fixation is a significant N source sustaining new and export production in the WTNP. The role of N2 fixation in biogeochemical cycling in this climate change-vulnerable region calls for further investigations.

Nutrient distributions and nitrogen-anomaly(N^(*))in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

Based upon cruise observations broadly covering the tropical North Pacific during July-November 2017,together with data obtained from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment Hydrographic Program,this study examined the distribution of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN,nitrate(NO_(3)^(-))+nitrite(NO_(2)^(-))),dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)and related N^(*)(nitrogen-anomaly,N^(*)=N-16P+2.9,where N and P are the concentrations of DIN(>1.0μmol/L)and DIP(>0.1μmol/L)),used as an index of N2fixation,in the upper 1000 m of the water column.Nutrient concentrations displayed distinct spatial variability in the upper ocean but became relatively constant at a depth of 1000 m:they were high at low latitudes and in the eastern region,with an obvious nutricline at~150 m(DIN,~32.0μmol/L;DIP,~2.4μmol/L)and then generally increased with depth;they decreased markedly(DIN,~1.2μmol/L;DIP,~0.1μmol/L;at~150 m)at high latitudes and in the western region,where a nutricline was not apparent.The N^(*)index showed significant meridional and zonal variation,with the most negative values located at low latitudes and in the eastern region(~10°N,~150°-170°E),while becoming positive towards the northwest(the north of~18°N,~160°E westward).A N^(*)concentration larger than 2.0μmol/L which often used as an indicator of N2fixation,was observed between 155°E and 165°E;N^(*)values were 2.0μmol/L to6.0μmol/L at~15°-28°N,i.e.,much higher than those in the southern sector(0-2.0μmol/L at~5°-10°N).Zonally,N^(*)decreased gradually from west(-2.0μmol/L to 4.0μmol/L,~145°-165°E)to east(-2.0μmol/L to-8.0μmol/L,~155°W)along~10°N,which was consistent with the distribution of Trichodesmium abundance and N2fixation rates.Furthermore,since such region was also supplied with aeolian deposition,high N^(*)was probably not only induced by N2fixation but also influenced by iron and/or nitrogen deposition.

Different El Niño Flavors and Associated Atmospheric Teleconnections as Simulated in a Hybrid Coupled Model

A previously developed hybrid coupled model(HCM)is composed of an intermediate tropical Pacific Ocean model and a global atmospheric general circulation model(AGCM),denoted as HCMAGCM.In this study,different El Niño flavors,namely the Eastern-Pacific(EP)and Central-Pacific(CP)types,and the associated global atmospheric teleconnections are examined in a 1000-yr control simulation of the HCMAGCM.The HCMAGCM indicates profoundly different characteristics among EP and CP El Niño events in terms of related oceanic and atmospheric variables in the tropical Pacific,including the amplitude and spatial patterns of sea surface temperature(SST),zonal wind stress,and precipitation anomalies.An SST budget analysis indicates that the thermocline feedback and zonal advective feedback dominantly contribute to the growth of EP and CP El Niño events,respectively.Corresponding to the shifts in the tropical rainfall and deep convection during EP and CP El Niño events,the model also reproduces the differences in the extratropical atmospheric responses during the boreal winter.In particular,the EP El Niño tends to be dominant in exciting a poleward wave train pattern to the Northern Hemisphere,while the CP El Niño tends to preferably produce a wave train similar to the Pacific North American(PNA)pattern.As a result,different climatic impacts exist in North American regions,with a warm-north and cold-south pattern during an EP El Niño and a warm-northeast and cold-southwest pattern during a CP El Niño,respectively.This modeling result highlights the importance of internal natural processes within the tropical Pacific as they relate to the genesis of ENSO diversity because the active ocean–atmosphere coupling is allowed only in the tropical Pacific within the framework of the HCMAGCM.

Observation of physical oceanography at the Y3 seamount (Yap Arc) in winter 2014

Seamounts aff ect the surrounding physical oceanography and form unique dynamic processes.The infl uences of these processes on biological and sedimentary distributions are quite diff erent in seamount areas at diff erent depths.The Y3 seamount is located in the Yap Arc of the tropical Western Pacifi c Ocean.The water depth of its summit is~280 m.Based on fi eld data obtained in December 2014 and other open-access data,the physical oceanography around the Y3 seamount was preliminarily analyzed.The results show that the upper layer(0-150 m)was under the infl uence of the westward-fl owing North Equatorial Current(NEC),while the eastward-fl owing North Equatorial Undercurrent(NEUC)controlled the water between 200-800 m.The NEC was strong and steady,but the NEUC was disturbed by the Y3 seamount.The cold dome above the Y3 seamount was not caused by a Taylor cap or tidal rectifi cation but probably by upwelling during the survey time.Tidal currents were squeezed against topography and greatly amplifi ed in the Y3 seamount.The thicknesses of the surface turbulent layers were greatly infl uenced by the spring-neap tidal cycle.The turbulent diff usivities in the sea surface layer above the Y3 seamount were much larger than those in the open ocean.Calculations showed that the surface wind stress greatly aff ected the turbulent mixing in the surface layer of the Y3 seamount.The reciprocal action between the amplifi ed tidal currents and topography was the most likely cause of the turbulent mixing near the bottom of the Y3 seamount.This study can provide a scientifi c basis for further study of biological and depositional characteristics at the Y3 seamount.

Two new species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves,1874(Crustacea:Anomura:Munidopsidae)from the Caroline Ridge,South of the Mariana Trench

The genus Munidopsis has high biodiversity in seamount habitats.In this study,two new Munidopsis species,Munidopsis ahyongi sp.nov.and Munidopsis carolinensis sp.nov.from the Caroline Ridge in the tropical western Pacific Ocean were described.M.ahyongi sp.nov.is very similar to a group of species in the M.serricornis complex,but can be readily distinguished from the related species in having the oblique posterior orbital margins,2 spines on the lateral carapace margin,and a relatively longer rostral median spine.M.carolinensis sp.nov.is different from two related species primarily in having oblique frontal margins,blunt outer orbital angles,straight lateral margins of the rostrum,scale-like rugae on sternites 5-7,and less spinose pereopod 1(chelipeds,P1)merus and carpus.Aside from the morphological comparisons,DNA barcode analysis and phylogenetic analysis based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene(COI)were employed for the identification of these new species.

STUDY ON THE AMPLITUDE AND PHASE VARIATION OF EQUATORIAL WARMING BY USING COMPLEX EOF(CEOF) ANALYSIS

In order to understand the mechanism of equatorial warming during El Nio and to search for its prediction methods, the complex EOF analysis is used in this article to study the time-space structure of SST variation in the tropical Pacific

Intensified Impact of the Equatorial QBO in August–September on the Northern Stratospheric Polar Vortex in December–January since the Late 1990s

This study reveals an intensified impact of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation(QBO)in August–September(QBO_AS)on the northern stratospheric polar vortex(SPV)in December–January(SPV_DJ)since the late 1990s.The unstable relationship may be related to the differences in the deep convection anomaly over the tropical western Pacific and Indian Oceans in October–November(ON)related to the QBO_AS prior to and after the late 1990s.During 1998–2017,the easterly phase of the QBO_AS is accompanied by a colder tropical tropopause in ON,which enhances the deep convective activity over the tropical western Pacific and suppresses it over the Indian Ocean.The deep convection anomaly generates anomalous Rossby waves that propagate into the northern mid-to-high latitudes to constructively interfere with the climatological wavenumber-1 and wavenumber-2 components,thereby resulting in enhanced upward-propagating tropospheric planetary-scale waves and a weakened SPV_DJ anomaly.During1979–1997,however,the deep convection anomaly over the tropical western Pacific and Indian Oceans in ON related to the easterly phase of the QBO_AS is weaker and shifts eastward,which excites the anomalous Rossby waves to constructively/destructively interfere with the climatological wavenumber-1 component in the midlatitudes/high latitudes,thereby weakening the upward-propagating planetary-scale waves and leading to a weaker linkage with the SPV_DJ.Further analyses reveal that the unstable relationship may be associated with the interdecadal differences in deep convection over the tropical western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the upward-propagating tropospheric planetary-scale waves in ON.