Synoptic fluctuation of the Taiwan Warm Current in winter on the East China Sea shelf

The seasonal mean and synoptic fluctuation of the wintertime Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) were investigated using a well-validated finite volume community ocean model. The spatial distribution and dynamics of the synoptic fluctuation were highlighted. The seasonal mean of the wintertime TWC has two branches: an inshore branch between the 30 and 100 m isobaths and an offshore branch between the 100 and 200 m isobaths. The Coriolis term is much larger than the inertia term and is almost balanced by the pressure gradient term in both branches, indicating geostrophic balance of the mean current. Two areas with significant fluctuations of the TWC were identified during wintertime. One of the areas is located to the north of Taiwan with velocities varying in the cross-shore direction. These significant cross-shore fluctuations are driven by barotropic pressure gradients associated with the intrusion of the Taiwan Strait Current (TSC). When a strong TSC intrudes to the north of Taiwan, the isobaric slope tilts downward from south to north, leading to a cross-shore current from the coastal area to the offshore area. When the TSC intrusion is weak, the cross-shore current to the north of Taiwan is directed from offshore to inshore. The other area of significant fluctuation is located in the inshore area between the 30 and 100 m isobaths. The fluctuations are generally strong both in the alongshore and cross-shore directions, in particular at the latitudes 26.5 and 28° N. Wind affects the synoptic fluctuation through episodic events. When the northeasterly monsoon prevails, the southwestward Zhe-Min coastal current dominates the inshore area associated with a deepening of the mixed layer. When the winter monsoon is weakened or the southwesterly wind prevails, the northeastward TWC dominates in the inshore area.

Synoptic fluctuation of the Taiwan Warm Current in winter on the East China Sea shelf

The seasonal mean and synoptic fluctuation of the wintertime Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) were investigated using a well validated finite volume community ocean model. The spatial distribution and dynamics of the synoptic fluctuation were highlighted. The seasonal mean of the wintertime TWC has two branches: an inshore branch between the 30 and 100 m isobaths and an offshore branch between the 100 and 200 m isobaths. The Coriolis term is much larger than the inertia term and is almost balanced by the pressure gradient term in both branches, indicating the geostrophic balance of the mean current. Two areas with significant fluctuations of the TWC were identified during wintertime. One of the areas is located to the north of Taiwan with velocities varying in the cross-shore direction. These significant cross-shore fluctuations are driven by barotropic pressure gradients associated with the intrusion of the Taiwan Strait Current (TSC). When a larger TSC intrudes north of Taiwan, the isobaric slope tilts downward from south to north, leading to a cross-shore current from the coastal area to the offshore area. When the TSC intrusion is weak, the cross-shore current to the north of Taiwan is directed from offshore to inshore. The other area of significant fluctuation is located in the inshore area, extending in the region between the 30 and 100 m isobaths. The fluctuations are generally strong in the alongshore direction, in particular at the latitudes 26.5° N and 28° N where they are important for the local cross-shore transports. Wind affects the synoptic fluctuation through episodic events. When the northeasterly monsoon prevails, the southward Zhe-Min Coastal Current dominates the inshore area associated with a deepening of the mixed layer. When the winter monsoon is weakened or the southerly wind prevails, the northward TWC dominates in the inshore area.

Why Are There Upwellings on the Northern Shelf of Taiwan under Northeasterly Winds?

Upwellings are observed on the northern shelf of Taiwan during northeasterly winds. Analytical and realistic numerical models are used to explain how vertical motions are created by divergence and convergence produced by wind acting on the vorticity field of two strong jets: the Kuroshio and the Taiwan Warm Current. The seaward increase in cyclonic vorticity near the Kuroshio’s western edge favors a stronger Ekman transport away from the jet, producing upwelling at the shelfbreak under a northeasterly wind. A similar mechanism for generating vertical motions is found across the Taiwan Warm Current. The numerical model results indicate that the vorticity effects can account for up to 30%–50% of the total variation in the surface Ekman transport. Except during summer’s weak southwesterlies, northeasterly wind is dominant over the East China Sea, suggesting that the vorticity effects may be prominent in the observed shelfbreak upwelling in nonsummer months.