Subinertial and seasonal variations in the Soya Warm Current revealed by HF ocean radars,coastal tide gauges,and bottom-mounted ADCP |
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| Authors: | Naoto Ebuchi Yasushi Fukamachi Kay I Ohshima Masaaki Wakatsuchi |
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| Institution: | (1) Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Subinertial and seasonal variations in the Soya Warm Current (SWC) are investigated using data obtained by high frequency
(HF) ocean radars, coastal tide gauges, and a bottom-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The HF radars clearly
captured the seasonal variations in the surface current fields of the SWC. Almost the same seasonal cycle was repeated in
the period from August 2003 to March 2007, although interannual variations were also discernible. In addition to the annual
and interannual variations, the SWC exhibited subinertial variations with a period of 5–20 days. The surface transport by
the SWC was significantly correlated with the sea level difference between the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk for both the
seasonal and subinertial variations, indicating that the SWC is driven by the sea level difference between the two seas. The
generation mechanism of the subinertial variation is discussed using wind data from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather
Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses. The subinertial variations in the SWC were significantly correlated with the meridional wind stress
component over the region. The subinertial variations in the sea level difference and surface current delay from the meridional
wind stress variations by one or two days. Sea level difference through the strait caused by wind-generated coastally trapped
waves (CTWs) along the east coast of Sakhalin and west coast of Hokkaido is considered to be a possible mechanism causing
the subinertial variations in the SWC. |
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| Keywords: | Soya Warm Current Sea of Okhotsk coastal current HF radar coastally trapped wave |
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