Abstract
During autumn 1968 an oceanographic investigation was conducted in the region of the Subarctic boundary between 155°E and 180°. The geostrophic flow of the upper 500 m was remarkably similar in direction; hence the salinity-minimum, Intermediate water must have the same path of flow as water at the surface. A water mass analysis revealed a decrease in the percentage of Subarctic water to the south and east, plus an increase in the homogeneity of water to the east, which supports Reid's conclusions that the salinity minimum results mainly from lateral mixing in the pycnocline in this region. Salinity at the minimum increases toward the south and east, and the density at this level also increases slightly from the western to the central Pacific, perhaps as a result of unequal vertical mixing above and below the minimum.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvarez-Borrego, S. andP. K. Park (1971): AOU as indicator of water flow direction in the central North Pacific. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan,27, 142–151
Dodimead, A. J., F. Favorite andT. Hirano (1963): Review of oceanography of the Subarctic Pacific region. Internat. North Pac. Fish. Comm. Bull. No. 13, 195 pp.
Gordon, L.I., P.K. Park, S.W. Hager andT.R. Parsons (1971): Carbon dioxide partial pressures in North Pacific surface waters-time variations. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan,27, 81–90.
Kawai, H. (1972): Hydrography of the Kuroshio extension.In, Kuroshio: Physical Aspects of the Japan Current, ed. byH. S. Stommel andK. Yoshida, Univ. Washington Press, Seattle, pp. 235–352.
Koshliakov, M.N. (1961): On water dynamics of the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Trudy Inst. Okeanol. Akad. Nauk SSSR,38, 31–55.
Pickard, G. L. (1963): Descriptive Physical Oceanography. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 200 pp.
Reed, R.K. (1973): Distribution and variation of physical properties along the SEAMAP standard section. NOAA Tech. Rpt. ERL 292-PMEL 20, Boulder, Colo., 16 pp.
Reed, R.K. andD. Halpern (1976): Observations of the California Undercurrent off Washington and Vancouver Island. Limnol. Oceanogr.,21, 389–398.
Reid, J. L. (1965): Intermediate Waters of the Pacific Ocean. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 85 pp.
Roden, G.I. (1970): Aspects of the mid-Pacific transition zone. J. Geophys. Res.,75, 1097–1109.
Saito, Y. (1952): On the Oyashio Current (Part I), a synthetic research on the oceanographical state of the North Pacific Ocean. J Inst. Polyt., Osaka (B),3, 79–140.
Sverdrup, H. U., M. W. Johnson andR. H. Fleming (1942): The Oceans: Their Physics, Chemistry and General Biology. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1087 pp.
Uda, M. (1935): On the distribution, formation and movement of the dichothermal water to the northeast of Japan. Umi to Sora,15, 445–452.
Wüst, G. (1935): Die Stratosphäre. Wiss. Ergebn. Dtsch. Atlant. Exped. “Meteor,”6, I Teil, 109–288.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reed, R.K., Laird, N.P. A study of the subarctic boundary region in the Western North Pacific. Journal of the Oceanographical Society of Japan 33, 247–253 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02109642
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02109642