On the Vertical Structure of Mesoscale Eddies in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension

December 16, 2023·
Hengkai YAO
Hengkai YAO
Chao Ma
Chao Ma
Corresponding
Zhao Jing
Zhao Jing
Zhengguang Zhang
Zhengguang Zhang
· 0 min read
Image credit: Hengkai Yao
Abstract
Vertical structure of mesoscale eddies is key to the eddy-induced heat/material transport that further affects the climate and marine ecosystem. This study explores the vertical structure of mesoscale eddies in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension region (KOE) and its underlying dynamics. By applying the hierarchical ascending classification to the observational and reanalysis data sets, we classify mesoscale eddies with three distinct kinds of vertical structures. Each kind of eddies exhibits clear spatial aggregation along a distinct zonal band. Eddies have core depths of 100–300 m in the northern part of the KOE and core depths of 300–500 m and 0–100 m in the southern. The eddy splitting or merging does not introduce new kind of eddy vertical structure but causes large intra-kind variability. The different kinds of eddy vertical structures can be partially accounted for by the baroclinic instabilities at the eddy generation sites and local adjustment process.
Type
Publication
Geophysical Research Letters
publications

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Hengkai YAO
Authors
Hengkai YAO (he/him)
Ocean Scientist
Dr. Hengkai Yao (姚恒恺) is a lecturer of School of Mathmetica and Physics at the Qingdao University of Science and Technology. He got Ph.D of Physical Oceanograpy from Ocean University of China. His research interests include mesoscale eddies, ocean modeling and AI oceanography. He is member of the AI Oceanography group, which develops big data in ocean, ocean simulation, and ocean prediction. He is also a chief scientist in Qingdao Oakfull Water Technology Co., Ltd.
Chao Ma
Authors
Associate Professor of Physical Oceanography

Associate Professor College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Ocean University of China 238 Songling Rd, Qingdao 266100, China Tel: +86-532-66782802 Email:machao@ouc.edu.cn

Education 09/2000-06/2003, B.S. in Marine Science, Ocean University of China 09/2003-06/2006, M.S. in Physical Oceanography, Ocean University of China 09/2006-06/2009, Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography, Ocean University of China 09/2007-09/2008, Joint Ph.D. candidate, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

EMPLOYMENT 07/2009-12/2013, Lecture, Ocean University of China 01/2014-present, Associate Professor, Ocean University of China

Major PROJECTS 01/2017-12/2020, NSFC project “On the multi spatial and temporal scale variations of the Kuroshio and its exchange process with the coastal sea” (41676004), 700k, PI 01/2014-12/2017, NSFC project “The Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Processes in the Kuroshio Extension Region and Their Effects on Circulations in the East Asian Marginal Seas” (41376001), 960k, PI 01/2011-12/2013, NSFC project “The Effect of Abnormal Signals to the East of Japan on Seasonal Variations of the Tsushima Strait Warm Current and Sea Level in the Japan/East Sea” (41006003), 200k, PI 07/2012-12/2014, Promotive Research Fund for Excellent Young and Middle-aged Scientists of Shandong Province “Seasonal variability of the Tsushima Warm Current and its effect on the Yellow Sea Warm Current” (BS2012HZ019), 50k, PI 07/2010-07/2012, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities “Study on the mechanism for seasonal variations of the Yellow Sea Warm Current and the sea level in Chinese coastal waters” (201013021),80k,PI 01/2015-08/2019, National Basic Research Program of China (973) project “Response of the Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current to global warming and its effect on climate change” (2015CB954300), 4.9m, Participant 01/2014-08/2018, National Basic Research Program of China (973) project “Generation and dissipation of oceanic mesoscale eddies and horizontal eddy mixing mechanisms around islands” (2014CB745001), 3.6m, Participant

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS Ma, C., D. Wu, X. Lin, J. Yang, and X. Ju, 2012: On the Mechanism of Seasonal Variation of the Tsushima Warm Current. Cont. Shelf Res., 48, 1-7, doi:10.1016/j.csr.2012.08.013 Ma, C., D. Wu, X. Lin, J. Yang, and X. Ju, 2010: An open-ocean forcing in the East China and Yellow Seas. J. Geophys. Res., 115, C12056, doi:10.1029/2010JC006179 Ma, C., J. Yang, D. Wu, and X. Lin, 2010: The Kuroshio Extension: a leading mechanism for the seasonal sea-level variability along the west coast of Japan. Ocean Dynam., 60(3), 667-672 Ma, C., D. Wu, and X. Lin, 2009: Variability of surface velocity in the Kuroshio Current and adjacent waters derived from Argos drifter buoys and satellite altimeter data, Chin. J. Oceanol. Limnol., 27(2), 208-217 Xu, L., X. Lin, and C. Ma, 2009: Mechanism of the Yellow Sea Warm Current and its seasonal variation, J. Hydrodynamics, 21(2), 159-165

Awards Wu, D., X. Lin, X. Wan, X. Chen, C. Ma, X. Bao, and J. Song, 2013: The Dynamics Framework and Variability of Ocean Environment in the East China Coastal Seas, First prize of Natural Science Award of the Ministry of Education, 2012-21 Wu, D., X. Chen, X. Bao, X. Lin, J. Song, C. Ma, X. Han, H. Yu, L. Qiao, P. Zheng, and G. Wang, 2015: Study on the key processes of ocean dynamic environment in the East China Sea and their fine numerical simulations and applications, First prize of Science and Technology Award of China Association of Oceanic Engineering, 2014-01-01

Courses Undergraduate: Ocean Circulation; FORTRAN Programming

Research Interests Numerical and theoretical studies of ocean circulation; Interactions between open ocean and marginal seas.

Zhao Jing
Authors
Professor of Physical Oceanography
Zhengguang Zhang
Authors
Professor of Physical Oceanography
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