open access

https://doi.org/10.14943/lowtemsci.82.135

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/91754

Ocean currents that connect subtropical and subarctic gyres in the North Pacific Ocean, and the formation of the Transitional Domain

日本語

bottom topography

2024-03-29

低温科学第82巻編集委員会

Low Temperature Science

82

135-141

A boundary region between the subtropical gyre and subarctic gyre in the North Pacific exists around 40°N eastward from Hokkaido. The region is called the Transitional Domain. There, the Kuroshio origin water and Oyashio origin water are mixed and form a unique water. Recently, quasi-stationary surface currents that carry the Kuroshio water into the Transition Domain were discovered. The surface currents flow along ocean bottom rises of a height of ~500 m, despite the bottom depth there exceeds 6000 m. In this article, we explain the mechanism of the formation of the quasi-stationary currents and describe the results from Lagrangean analyses to elucidate roles of these currents for the formation of the Transitional Domain, including observations using in-situ drifters as well as the particle tracking using current information retrieved from satellite altimeters.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1880-7593