A comparison of the strength and position variability of the Kuroshio Extension SST front

Peilong Yu; Lifeng Zhang; Mingyang Liu; Quanjia Zhong; Yongchui Zhang; Xin Li

doi:10.1007/s13131-020-1567-3

Volume 39 Issue 5

May 2020

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Abstract

References

Article Navigation > Acta Oceanologica Sinica > 2020 > 39(5): 26-34

ZHENG Chongwei, PAN Jing, TAN Yanke, GAO Zhansheng, RUI Zhenfeng, CHEN Chaohui. The seasonal variations in the significant wave height and sea surface wind speed of the China's seas[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2015, 34(9): 58-64. doi: 10.1007/s13131-015-0738-0

Citation:

Peilong Yu, Lifeng Zhang, Mingyang Liu, Quanjia Zhong, Yongchui Zhang, Xin Li. A comparison of the strength and position variability of the Kuroshio Extension SST front[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2020, 39(5): 26-34. doi: 10.1007/s13131-020-1567-3

Citation:

PDF( 1336 KB)

A comparison of the strength and position variability of the Kuroshio Extension SST front

doi: 10.1007/s13131-020-1567-3

1.
College of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing 211101, China
2.
No. 91939 Troops of PLA, Jiangmen 529100, China
3.
State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (LASG), Institute of Atmospheric Physic, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
4.
College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Funds: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41975066, 41605051 and 41406003; the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research under contract No. SKLEC-KF201707; the High-Tech Innovation Think-Tank Youth Project under contract No. DXB-ZKQN-2016-019; Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation under contract No. BK20130064.

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: zhanglif_qxxy@sina.cn
Received Date: 2019-02-11
Accepted Date: 2019-05-13

Available Online: 2020-12-28

Publish Date: 2020-05-25

Abstract

Abstract

This study compares the seasonal and interannual-to-decadal variability in the strength and position of the Kuroshio Extension front (KEF) using high-resolution satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) data. Results show that the KEF strength has an obvious seasonal variation that is similar at different longitudes, with a stronger (weaker) KEF during the cold (warm) season. However, the seasonal variation in the KEF position is relatively weak and varies with longitude. In contrast, the low-frequency variation of the KEF position is more distinct than that of the KEF strength even though they are well correlated. On both seasonal and interannual-to-decadal time scales, the western part of the KEF (142°–144°E) has the greatest variability in strength, while the eastern part of the KEF (149°–155°E) has the greatest variability in position. In addition, the relationships between wind-forced Rossby waves and the low-frequency variability in the KEF strength and position are also discussed by using the statistical analysis methods and a wind-driven hindcast model. A positive (negative) North Pacific Oscillation (NPO)-like atmospheric forcing generates positive (negative) SSH anomalies over the central North Pacific. These oceanic signals then propagate westward as Rossby waves, reaching the KE region about three years later, favoring a strengthened (weakened) and northward (southward)-moving KEF.
- sea surface temperature,
- Kuroshio Extension front,
- North Pacific Oscillation-like atmospheric forcing,
- oceanic Rossby waves

FullText(HTML)

References(38)

References

[1]	Bretherton C S, Widmann M, Dymnikov V P, et al. 1999. The effective number of spatial degrees of freedom of a time-varying field. Journal of Climate, 12(7): 1990–2009. doi: 10.1175/1520-0442(1999)012<1990:TENOSD>2.0.CO;2
[2]	Ceballos L I, Di Lorenzo E, Hoyos C D, et al. 2009. North Pacific Gyre Oscillation synchronizes climate fluctuations in the eastern and western boundary systems. Journal of Climate, 22(19): 5163–5174. doi: 10.1175/2009JCLI2848.1
[3]	Chen Shuiming. 2008. The Kuroshio Extension front from satellite sea surface temperature measurements. Journal of Oceanography, 64(6): 891–897. doi: 10.1007/s10872-008-0073-6
[4]	Ding Ruiqiang, Li Jianping, Tseng Y H. 2015. The impact of South Pacific extratropical forcing on ENSO and comparisons with the North Pacific. Climate Dynamics, 44(7–8): 2017–2034. doi: 10.1007/s00382-014-2303-5
[5]	Ducet N, Le Traon P Y, Reverdin G. 2000. Global high-resolution mapping of ocean circulation from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1 and -2. Journal of Geophysics Research: Oceans, 105(C8): 19477–19498. doi: 10.1029/2000JC900063
[6]	Esbensen S K. 1984. A comparison of intermonthly and interannual teleconnections in the 700 mb geopotential height field during the northern hemisphere winter. Monthly Weather Review, 112(10): 2016–2032. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1984)112<2016:ACOIAI>2.0.CO;2
[7]	Frankignoul C, Sennéchael N, Kwon Y O, et al. 2011. Influence of the meridional shifts of the Kuroshio and the Oyashio Extensions on the atmospheric circulation. Journal of Climate, 24(3): 762–777. doi: 10.1175/2010JCLI3731.1
[8]	Fu L L, Qiu Bo. 2002. Low-frequency variability of the North Pacific Ocean: the roles of boundary-and wind-driven baroclinic Rossby waves. Journal of Geophysics Research: Oceans, 107(C12): 13-1–13-10. doi: 10.1029/2001JC001131
[9]	Kalnay E, Kanamitsu M, Kistler R, et al. 1996. The NCEP-NCAR 40-Year reanalysis project. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 77(3): 437–472. doi: 10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0437:TNYRP>2.0.CO;2
[10]	Kawai Y, Miyama T, Iizuka S, et al. 2015. Marine atmospheric boundary layer and low-level cloud responses to the Kuroshio Extension front in the early summer of 2012: three-vessel simultaneous observations and numerical simulations. Journal of Oceanography, 71(5): 511–526. doi: 10.1007/s10872-014-0266-0
[11]	Kelly K A, Small R J, Samelson R M, et al. 2010. Western boundary currents and frontal air-sea interaction: Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension. Journal of Climate, 23(21): 5644–5667. doi: 10.1175/2010JCLI3346.1
[12]	Kida S, Mitsudera H, Aoki S, et al. 2015. Oceanic fronts and jets around Japan: a review. Journal of Oceanography, 71(5): 469–497. doi: 10.1007/s10872-015-0283-7
[13]	Kwon Y O, Deser C. 2007. North Pacific decadal variability in the Community Climate System Model version 2. Journal of Climate, 20(11): 2416–2433. doi: 10.1175/JCLI4103.1
[14]	Linkin M E, Nigam S. 2008. The North Pacific Oscillation-west Pacific teleconnection pattern: mature-phase structure and winter impacts. Journal of Climate, 21(9): 1979–1997. doi: 10.1175/2007JCLI2048.1
[15]	Masunaga R, Nakamura H, Miyasaka T, et al. 2015. Separation of climatological imprints of the Kuroshio Extension and Oyashio fronts on the wintertime atmospheric boundary layer: Their sensitivity to SST resolution prescribed for atmospheric reanalysis. Journal of Climate, 28(5): 1764–1787. doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00314.1
[16]	Masunaga R, Nakamura H, Miyasaka T, et al. 2016. Interannual modulations of oceanic imprints on the wintertime atmospheric boundary layer under the changing dynamical regimes of the Kuroshio Extension. Journal of Climate, 29(9): 3273–3296. doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0545.1
[17]	Mizuno K, White W B. 1983. Annual and interannual variability in the Kuroshio current system. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 13(10): 1847–1867. doi: 10.1175/1520-0485(1983)013<1847:AAIVIT>2.0.CO;2
[18]	Nonaka M, Nakamura H, Tanimoto Y, et al. 2006. Decadal variability in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension simulated in an eddy-resolving OGCM. Journal of Climate, 19(10): 1970–1989. doi: 10.1175/JCLI3793.1
[19]	O’Reilly C H, Czaja A. 2015. The response of the Pacific storm track and atmospheric circulation to Kuroshio Extension variability. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 141(686): 52–66. doi: 10.1002/qj.2334
[20]	Qiu Bo. 2003. Kuroshio Extension variability and forcing of the Pacific decadal oscillations: responses and potential feedback. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 33(12): 2465–2482. doi: 10.1175/2459.1
[21]	Qiu Bo, Chen Shuiming. 2005. Variability of the Kuroshio Extension jet, recirculation gyre, and mesoscale eddies on decadal time scales. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 35(11): 2090–2103. doi: 10.1175/JPO2807.1
[22]	Qiu Bo, Chen Shuiming. 2010. Eddy-mean flow interaction in the decadally modulating Kuroshio Extension system. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 57(13–14): 1098–1110. doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2008.11.036
[23]	Qiu Bo, Chen Shuiming, Schneider N, et al. 2014. A coupled decadal prediction of the dynamic state of the Kuroshio Extension system. Journal of Climate, 27(4): 1751–1764. doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00318.1
[24]	Reynolds R W, Smith T M, Liu Chunying, et al. 2007. Daily high-resolution-blended analyses for sea surface temperature. Journal of Climate, 20(22): 5473–5496. doi: 10.1175/2007JCLI1824.1
[25]	Sasaki Y N, Minobe S, Schneider N. 2013. Decadal response of the Kuroshio Extension jet to Rossby waves: Observation and thin-jet theory. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 43(2): 442–456. doi: 10.1175/JPO-D-12-096.1
[26]	Seo Y, Sugimoto S, Hanawa K. 2014. Long-term variations of the Kuroshio Extension path in winter: meridional movement and path state change. Journal of Climate, 27(15): 5929–5940. doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00641.1
[27]	Sugimoto S, Hanawa K. 2009. Decadal and interdecadal variations of the Aleutian low activity and their relation to upper oceanic variations over the North Pacific. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 87(4): 601–614. doi: 10.2151/jmsj.87.601
[28]	Sugimoto S, Hanawa K. 2011. Roles of SST anomalies on the wintertime turbulent heat fluxes in the Kuroshio-Oyashio confluence region: Influences of warm eddies detached from the Kuroshio Extension. Journal of Climate, 24(24): 6551–6561. doi: 10.1175/2011JCLI4023.1
[29]	Sugimoto S, Kobayashi N, Hanawa K. 2014. Quasi-decadal variation in intensity of the western part of the winter subarctic SST front in the western North Pacific: The influence of Kuroshio Extension path state. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 44(10): 2753–2762. doi: 10.1175/JPO-D-13-0265.1
[30]	Taguchi B, Xie Shangping, Schneider N, et al. 2007. Decadal variability of the Kuroshio Extension: observations and an eddy-resolving model hindcast. Journal of Climate, 20(11): 2357–2377. doi: 10.1175/JCLI4142.1
[31]	Tokinaga H, Tanimoto Y, Xie Shangping, et al. 2009. Ocean frontal effects on the vertical development of clouds over the western North Pacific: In situ and satellite observations. Journal of Climate, 22(16): 4241–4260. doi: 10.1175/2009JCLI2763.1
[32]	Wallace J M, Gutzler D S. 1981. Teleconnections in the geopotential height field during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Monthly Weather Review, 109(4): 784–812. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1981)109<0784:TITGHF>2.0.CO;2
[33]	Wang Yanxin, Yang Xiaoyi, Hu Jianyu. 2016. Position variability of the Kuroshio Extension sea surface temperature front. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 35(7): 30–35. doi: 10.1007/s13131-016-0909-7
[34]	Yasuda I. 2003. Hydrographic structure and variability in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transition area. Journal of Oceanography, 59(4): 389–402. doi: 10.1023/A:1025580313836
[35]	Yu Peilong, Zhang Lifeng, Liu Hu, et al. 2017. A dual-period response of the Kuroshio Extension SST to Aleutian Low activity in the winter season. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 36(9): 1–9. doi: 10.1007/s13131-017-1104-1
[36]	Yu Peilong, Zhang Lifeng, Zhang Yongchui, et al. 2016. Interdecadal change of winter SST variability in the Kuroshio Extension region and its linkage with Aleutian atmospheric low pressure system. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 35(5): 24–37. doi: 10.1007/s13131-016-0859-0
[37]	Zheng Chongwei, Li Chongyin. 2015. Variation of the wave energy and significant wave height in the China Sea and adjacent waters. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43: 381–387. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2014.11.001
[38]	Zheng Chongwei, Li Chongyin, Pan Jing, et al. 2016. An overview of global ocean wind energy resources evaluations. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 53: 1240–1251. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.09.063

Relative Articles

Relative Articles

Supplements(0)

Cited By

Cited by

Periodical cited type(10)

1.	M F Islami, Jasruddin, E H Sujiono. The Utilization of Seasonal Variation of Ocean Wave Characteristics Identification in Monitoring the Chlorophyll-a Distribution in South Sulawesi. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2023, 1251(1): 012027. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1251/1/012027
2.	Bahareh Kamranzad, Khalid Amarouche, Adem Akpinar. Linking the long-term variability in global wave energy to swell climate and redefining suitable coasts for energy exploitation. Scientific Reports, 2022, 12(1) doi:10.1038/s41598-022-18935-w
3.	Yuhan Cao, Changming Dong, Ian R. Young, et al. Global Wave Height Slowdown Trend during a Recent Global Warming Slowdown. Remote Sensing, 2021, 13(20): 4096. doi:10.3390/rs13204096
4.	Yuru Li, Shuyang Ma, Caihong Fu, et al. Appraising the Status of Fish Community Structure in the Yellow Sea Based on an Indicator-Testing Framework. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021, 8 doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.646733
5.	Shuyang Ma, Yang Liu, Jianchao Li, et al. Climate-induced long-term variations in ecosystem structure and atmosphere-ocean-ecosystem processes in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. Progress in Oceanography, 2019, 175: 183. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2019.04.008
6.	Zhuxiao Shao, Bingchen Liang, Huajun Li, et al. Extreme significant wave height of tropical cyclone waves in the South China Sea. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 2019, 19(10): 2067. doi:10.5194/nhess-19-2067-2019
7.	Yanda Ou, Fangguo Zhai, Peiliang Li. Interannual wave climate variability in the Taiwan Strait and its relationship to ENSO events. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2018, 36(6): 2110. doi:10.1007/s00343-019-7301-3
8.	Bijoy Thompson, Pavel Tkalich, Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli. Regime shift of the South China Sea SST in the late 1990s. Climate Dynamics, 2017, 48(5-6): 1873. doi:10.1007/s00382-016-3178-4
9.	Chongwei Zheng, Chongyin Li, Hailang Wu, et al. 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Construction of Remote Islands and Reefs. Springer Oceanography, doi:10.1007/978-981-10-8114-9_4
10.	Tiago C.A. Oliveira, Pavel Tkalich, Bien Aik Tan, et al. High-resolution wind-wave model for the Sea Surface Wave Height forecasting and hindcasting. Global Oceans 2020: Singapore – U.S. Gulf Coast, doi:10.1109/IEEECONF38699.2020.9389087