Abstract
The interannual variability of the Kuroshio volume transport passing through the 137°E meridian south of Japan was simulated with an ocean general circulation model (OGCM). The time series of the Kuroshio volume transport over the 1000 m depth in the OGCM is well reproduced by the one-dimensional quasi-geostrophic (QG) vorticity equation with a windstress forcing. In our analysis of the OGCM and QG results, we found that peaks and troughs of the time series of the Kuroshio volume transport with 2–3 yr time-scale were induced by windstress curl, both local and immediately eastward, whereas longer time-scale variability was also induced by windstress curl near the dateline.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akitomo, K., M. Ooi, T. Awaji and K. Kutsuwada (1996): Interannual variability of the Kuroshio transport in response to the wind stress field over the North Pacific: Its relation to the path variation south of Japan. J. Geophys. Res., 101, 14057–14071.
Book, J. W., M. Wimbush, S. Imawaki, H. Ichikawa, H. Uchida and H. Kinoshita (2002): Kuroshio temporal and spatial variations south of Japan determined from inverted echo sounder measurements. J. Geophys. Res., 107, doi:10.1029/2001JC000795.
Haney, R. H. (1971): Surface thermal boundary conditions for ocean circulation models. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 1, 241–248.
Ichikawa, H., H. Nakamura, A. Nishina and M. Higashi (2004): Variability of northeastward current southeast of northern Ryukyu Islands. J. Oceanogr., 60, 303–312.
Kalnay, E., M. Kanamitsu, R. Kistler, W. Collins, D. Deaven, L. Gandin, M. Iredell, S. Saha, G. White, J. Woollen, Y. Zhu, A. Leetmaa, B. Reynolds, M. Chelliah, W. Ebisuzaki, W. Higgins, J. Janowiak, K. C. Mo, C. Ropelewski, J. Wang, R. Jenne and D. Joseph (1996): The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 77, 437–472.
Kawabe, M. (2000): Calculation of interannual variations of sea level in the Subtropical north Pacific. J. Oceanogr., 56, 691–706.
Kawabe, M. (2001): Interannual variations of sea level at the Nansei islands and volume transport of the Kuroshio due to wind changes. J. Oceanogr., 57, 189–205.
Kobashi, F. and H. Kawamura (2002): Seasonal variation and instability nature of the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent and Hawaiian Lee Countercurrent. J. Geophys. Res., 107, doi:10.1029/2001JC001225.
Levitus, S. and T. P. Boyer (1994): World Ocean Atlas 1994. Vol. 4: Temperature. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 4, 117 pp.
Levitus, S., R. Burgett and T. P. Boyer (1994): World Ocean Atlas 1994. Vol. 3: Salinity. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 3, 99 pp.
Mellor, G. L. (2004): Users guides for a three-dimensional, primitive equation, numerical ocean model. Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-0710, 56 pp.
Mellor, G. L. and A. F. Blumberg (1985): Modeling vertical and horizontal diffusivities with the sigma coordinate system. Mon. Wea. Rev., 113, 1380–1383.
Mellor, G. L. and T. Yamada (1982): Development of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problem. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 20, 851–875.
Meyers, G. (1979): On the annual Rossby wave in the tropical North Pacific Ocean. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 9, 663–974.
Qiu, B. and T. M. Joyce (1992): Interannual variability in the mid-and low-latitude western North Pacific. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 22, 1062–1079.
Smagorinsky, J. (1963): General circulation experiments with the primitive equations: The basic experiment. Mon. Wea. Rev., 91, 99–164.
Sverdrup, H. U. (1947): Wind-driven currents in a baroclinic ocean; with application to the equatorial currents of the eastern Pacific. Geophysics, 33, 318–326.
Wakata, Y. and S. Kitaya (2002): Annual variability of sea surface height and upper layer thickness in the Pacific Ocean. J. Oceanogr., 58, 439–450.
Yasuda, T. and Y. Kitamura (2003): Long-term variability of north Pacific subtropical mode water in response to spin-up of the subtropical gyre. J. Oceanogr., 59, 279–290.
Yuan, Y. Y., K. Takano, Z. Pan, J. Su, K. Kawatate, S. Imawaki, H. Yu, H. Chen, H. Ichikawa and S. Umatani (1994): The Kuroshio in the East China Sea and the currents east of the Ryukyu Islands during autumn 1991. La mer, 32, 235–244.
Yuan, Y., J. Su, Z. Pan, H. Chen, H. Ichikawa, S. Imawaki, K. Kawatate, K. Takano and S.-I. Umatani (1995): The western boundary current east of the Ryukyu Islands. La mer, 33, 1–11.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wakata, Y., Setou, T., Kaneko, I. et al. Interannual variability of the Kuroshio transport passing through the 137°E meridian in an OGCM related to the North Pacific windstress. J Oceanogr 62, 25–35 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-006-0029-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-006-0029-7