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A comparison of the strength and position variability of the Kuroshio Extension SST front

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Abstract

This study compares the seasonal and interannual-to-decadal variability in the strength and position of the Kuroshio Extension front (KEF) using high-resolution satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) data. Results show that the KEF strength has an obvious seasonal variation that is similar at different longitudes, with a stronger (weaker) KEF during the cold (warm) season. However, the seasonal variation in the KEF position is relatively weak and varies with longitude. In contrast, the low-frequency variation of the KEF position is more distinct than that of the KEF strength even though they are well correlated. On both seasonal and interannual-to-decadal time scales, the western part of the KEF (142°–144°E) has the greatest variability in strength, while the eastern part of the KEF (149°–155°E) has the greatest variability in position. In addition, the relationships between wind-forced Rossby waves and the low-frequency variability in the KEF strength and position are also discussed by using the statistical analysis methods and a wind-driven hindcast model. A positive (negative) North Pacific Oscillation (NPO)-like atmospheric forcing generates positive (negative) SSH anomalies over the central North Pacific. These oceanic signals then propagate westward as Rossby waves, reaching the KE region about three years later, favoring a strengthened (weakened) and northward (southward)-moving KEF.

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Correspondence to Lifeng Zhang.

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Foundation item: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41975066, 41605051 and 41406003; the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research under contract No. SKLEC-KF201707; the High-Tech Innovation Think-Tank Youth Project under contract No. DXB-ZKQN-2016-019; Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation under contract No. BK20130064.

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Yu, P., Zhang, L., Liu, M. et al. A comparison of the strength and position variability of the Kuroshio Extension SST front. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 39, 26–34 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-020-1567-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-020-1567-3

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