Abstract
The deep water (1000–3000 m) circulation in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines has been little studied. Moriyasu (1972) and Reid (1981) discussed the 3000 db surface (3000/1200 db) and 2000 db surface (2000/3500 db) circulations of the Philippine Sea Basin, respectively. They both showed that there may be a northward current close to the western margin of the Sea Basin. Recent analyses of two sets of deep sea hydrographic data yielded quite different results, i. e., at deep waters in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines southward countercurrents flow under the upper northward currents.
The possible causative mechanism of these southward deep countercurrents is the blocking effects of the submarine ridge east of Suao and of the Ryukyu Islands Shelf on the northward flowing upper currents.
The above-mentioned preliminary deductions were wholely based on consideration of the relative geostrophic current and calculation, though the reference surface (3500 db) was very deep. It is suggested that direct measurements of the deep currents in the study area are needed to verify these results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fan, K. L., 1979. On upwelling along the southeastern coast of Taiwan.Acta Oceanogr. Taiwanica,10: 151–159.
Fukasawa, M. and T. Teramoto, 1986. Characteristics of deep currents off Cape Shiono-misaki before and after formation of the large meander of the Kuroshio in 1981.J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan,42 (1): 53–68.
Guan, B. X. (Kwan, P. H.), 1978. The topographic effects of Taiwan Island, China and adjacent bottom relief on the path of the Kuroshio.Studia Marina Sinica,14: 1–21 (in Chinese, with English abstract).
Guan, B. X., 1984. Current path in a deep layer of the Kuroshio east of Taiwan—a case study of the observation results of February to March, 1940.La mer,22 (3–4): 156–162.
Guan, B. X., 1988. Major features and variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea.Chin. J. Oceanol. Limnol.,6 (1): 35–48.
Moriyasu, S., 1972. Deep waters in the western North Pacific. In: Kuroshio—Its Physical Aspects (Edited by H. Stommel and K. Yoshida), University of Tokyo Press, pp. 387–408.
Reid, J. L., 1981. On the mid-depth circulation of the world ocean. In: Evolution of the Physical Oceanography (Edited by B. A. Warren and C. Wunsch), pp. 70–111.
Taft, B. A., 1978. Structure of the Kuroshio south of Japan.J. Mar. Res.,36 (1): 77–117.
Takematsu, M., K. Kawatate, W. Koterayama, T. Suhara and M. Mitsuyasu, 1986. Moored instrument observations in the Kuroshio south of Kyushu.J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan,42, (3): 201–211.
Worthington, L. V. and H. Kawai, 1972. Comparison between deep sections across the Kuroshio and the Florida Current and Gulf Stream. In: Kuroshio-Its Physical Aspects (Edited by H. Stommel and K. Yoshida), University of Tokyo Press, pp. 371–385.
Yamashiro, T. and N. Ichikawa, 1985. Currents in the deep layer of the Okinawa Through. In: Abstracts of Lectures in Spring Assembly of Oceanographic Society of Japan, pp. 109 (in Japanese).
Data Source
Japan Oceanographic Data Center, 1967. Preliminary Data Report of CSK, pp. 1–59.
Japan Oceanographic Data Center, 1971, Data Report of CSK, pp. 1–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 1750 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica. This paper was presented at the PRC/USA Symposium on Western Pacific Air-Sea Interaction (Nov., 1988, Beijing). This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bingxian, G. A note on the deep circulation in the area east of Taiwan and the Philippines. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 8, 167–176 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850449
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850449