Abstract
Sea surface height (SSH) variability in the Mindanao Dome (MD) region is found to be one of the strong variations in the northern Pacific. It is only weaker than that in the Kuroshio Extension area, and is comparable to that in the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent region. Based on a 1.5-layer reduced gravity model, we analyzed SSH variations in this region and their responses to northern tropical Pacific winds. The average SSH anomaly in the region varies mainly on a seasonal scale, with significant periods of 0.5 and 1 year, ENSO time scale 2–7 years, and time scale in excess of 8 years. Annual and long-term variabilities are comparably stronger. These variations are essentially a response to the northern tropical Pacific winds. On seasonal and ENSO time scales, they are mainly caused by wind anomalies east of the region, which generate westward-propagating, long Rossby waves. On time scales longer than 8 years, they are mostly induced by local Ekman pumping. Long-term SSH variations in the MD region and their responses to local winds are examined and discussed for the first time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barron C N, Kara A B, Jacobs G A. 2009. Objective estimates of westward Rossby wave and eddy propagation from sea surface height analyses. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114: C03013.
Boebel O, Barron C N. 2003. A comparison of in-situ float velocities with altimeter derived geostrophic velocities. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 50(1): 119–139.
Fu L, Qiu B. 2002. Low-frequency variability of the North Pacific Ocean: the roles of boundary- and wind-driven baroclinic Rossby waves. Journal of Geophysical Research, 107(C12): 3 220.
Kashino Y, Ishida A, Hosoda S. 2011. Observed ocean variability in the Mindanao Dome region. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 41(2): 287–302.
Masumoto Y, Yamagata T. 1991. Response of the western tropical Pacific to the Asian winter monsoon: the generation of the Mindanao Dome. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 21(9): 1 386–1 398.
Mellor G L. 2004. Users Guide for a Three-dimensional, Primitive Equation, Numerical Ocean Model. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. 56p.
Meyers G. 1979. On the annual Rossby wave in the tropical North Pacific Ocean. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 9(4): 663–674.
Qiu B. 1999. Seasonal eddy field modulation of the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent: TOPEX/Poseidon observations and theory. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 29(10): 2 471–2 486.
Qiu B, Chen S. 2005. Variability of the Kuroshio Extension jet, recirculation gyre, and mesoscale eddies on decadal time scales. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 35(11): 2 090–2103.
Qiu B, Chen S. 2010a. Interannual variability of the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent and its associated mesoscale eddy field. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 40(1): 213–225.
Qiu B, Chen S. 2010b. Eddy-mean flow interaction in the decadally modulating Kuroshio Extension system. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 57(13–14): 1 098–1 110.
Qu T, Gan J, Ishida A, Kashino Y, Tozuka T. 2008. Semiannual variation in the western tropical Pacific Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 35: L16602.
Suzuki T, Sakamoto T T, Nishimura T, Okada N, Emori S, Oka A, Hasumi H. 2005. Seasonal cycle of the Mindanao Dome in the CCSR/NIES/FRCGC atmosphere-ocean coupled model. Geophysical Research Letters, 32: L17604.
Tozuka T, Kagimoto T, Masumoto Y, Yamagata T. 2002. Simulated multiscale variations in the western tropical Pacific: the Mindanao Dome revisited. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 32(5): 1 338–1 359.
Udarbe-Walker M J B, Villanoy C L. 2001. Structure of potential upwelling areas in the Philippines. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 48(6): 1 499–1 518.
Wang B, Wu R, Lukas R. 2000. Annual adjustment of the thermocline in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Journal of Climate, 13(3): 596–616.
Wang C, Picaut J. 2004. Understanding ENSO physics—a review. In: Wang C, Xie S, Carton J A eds. Earth’s Climate: the Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction. Geophysical Monograph Series, AGU, Washington D C. p.21–48.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40890151), and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2012CB417401)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Song, D., Hu, D. & Zhai, F. Sea surface height variations in the Mindanao Dome region in response to the northern tropical Pacific winds. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 30, 675–683 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-012-1155-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-012-1155-2