Studies on the formation, transport and modification of North Pacific Intermediate Water

DOI Web Site Web Site 185 References
  • Yasuda Ichiro
    Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 北太平洋中層水の形成・輸送・変質過程に関する研究
  • 2011年度日本海洋学会賞受賞記念論文 北太平洋中層水の形成・輸送・変質過程に関する研究
  • 2011ネンド ニホン カイヨウ ガッカイショウ ジュショウ キネン ロンブン キタタイヘイヨウ チュウソウスイ ノ ケイセイ ・ ユソウ ・ ヘンシツ カテイ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ

Search this article

Abstract

<p>Studies on North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) by the author were reviewed as a lecture of 2011 JOS-prize. Thick, cold and low-salinity intermediate water-mass (Okhotsk Sea Mode Water) is formed through dense shelf water sinking in the Okhotsk Sea, largely influenced from strong turbulent vertical mixing around the Kuril Straits. This thick water mass flows out to the Pacific and is mixed with thin Pacific water to form Oyashio water. Significant amount of Oyashio water which retains the thick water mass flows along the east coast of Hokkaido and Honshu, and merge and mix with the Kuroshio Extension, to form new NPIW. The isopycnal mixing near the Kuroshio Extension is enhanced by instability caused by the intermediate thick Oyashio water. The new NPIW flows along the large scale subtropical gyre circulation, and a part loses its intermediate salinity minimum structure in the Transition Domain by overlying low-salinity subarctic water and developed deep mixed layer. This water flows into the Alaskan Gyre and feed the mesothermal (temperature vertical maximum) structure in the subarctic North Pacific. In the intermediate layer in the north Pacific subarctic gyre, supply of this warm and saline water is mostly balanced with cold and low salinity dense water supply in the Okhotsk Sea. The strong turbulent mixing around the Kuril and Aleutian Straits etc. has strong impact on modification and long-term variations of water masses. 18.6-year period tidal cycle is a cause of water-mass variability, and eventually possibly leads to bidecadal variations of ocean and climate.</p>

Journal

  • Oceanography in Japan

    Oceanography in Japan 21 (3), 83-99, 2012-05-15

    The Oceanographic Society of Japan

References(185)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top