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Formation of Intrathermocline Eddies in the Japan East Sea simulated by HYCOM
Patrick J. Hogan and Harley E. Hurlburt
Naval Research Laboratory
(Abstract received 07/25/2007 for session X)
ABSTRACT
Japan-East Sea HYCOM (JES-HYCOM), a numerical model with an advanced vertical coordinate design has been used to simulate ITEs in the JES. ITEs are unique, poorly understood features, but were observed in the JES as reported by Gordon et al. (2002) and Talley et al. (2004). In general these features have spatial scales of ~100 km horizontally and ~100 m vertically and show nearly homogeneous core rotating anticyclonically (clockwise) with temperature ~10°C and salinity ~34.12 PSU. The locations of the ITEs are largely associated with topographically controlled quasi-permanent meanders of the EKWC and TWC. At least three mechanisms for the formation of ITEs in the JES based on JES-HYCOM results have been identified. Those include advection of seasonal variations of temperature and salinity (including their variations in vertical structure) through the Tsushima Strait, restratification of the upper water column due to seasonal heating and cooling of the upper ocean, and subduction of ITE water (with an origin of Tsushima Strait inflow) beneath the winter-time subpolar front. The advection and restratification mechanisms occurred in all of the simulated ITEs. Subduction along the subpolar front was identified (in addition to the other two mechanisms) in the Ulleung ITE. In these simulations, subduction appears to play a minor role in the formation and evolution of the ITEs.
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2007 LOM Workshop, Bergen, Norway, August 20-22, 2007