Impact of nonlinear processes on formation of the Kuroshio large meander path in a barotropic inflow-outflow model -- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2015,33(1):252-261

	Cite this paper:
	ZHANG Peijun, WANG Qiang, MA Libin. Impact of nonlinear processes on formation of the Kuroshio large meander path in a barotropic inflow-outflow model[J]. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2015, 33(1): 252-261

Impact of nonlinear processes on formation of the Kuroshio large meander path in a barotropic inflow-outflow model

ZHANG Peijun^1,3, WANG Qiang^1,2, MA Libin^1,3

1 Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China;
2 LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China;
3 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Abstract:

Based on a barotropic inflow-outflow model, we examine the formation of the Kuroshio large meander (LM) using conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) method. Both linear and nonlinear evolutions of such perturbations obtained by this method are investigated. The results show that the nonlinear evolution can result in the Kuroshio transition from a straight to LM path, whereas the linear evolution cannot. This implies that nonlinearity plays an important role in the formation of the Kuroshio LM path. The nonlinearity exists as advection in the evolution equations of the perturbation derived from the barotropic inflow-outflow model, namely the nonlinear advection of the perturbation by the perturbation (NAPP). By examining the role of this nonlinearity, we find that the NAPP tends to move the cyclonic eddy induced by the CNOP-type perturbation westward. Together with the beta effect, this offsets part of the eastward advection caused by the interaction between the perturbation and the background flow. Hence, the eastward movement of the cyclonic eddy is significantly weakened, effectively causing the eddy to develop. The sufficient evolution of this cyclonic eddy leads to the formation of the Kuroshio LM.

Key words: Kuroshio large meander|nonlinear perturbation advection|conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP)

Received: 2013-10-15 Revised: 2014-07-08

Tools

PDF (639 KB) Free

Print this page

Add to favorites

Email this article to others

Authors

Articles by ZHANG Peijun

Articles by WANG Qiang

Articles by MA Libin

References:
Akitomo K, Awaji T, Imasato N. 1991. Kuroshio path variation south of Japan: 1. Barotropic inflow-outflow model. J. Geophys. Res., 96: 2 549-2 560.
Akitomo K, Masuda S, Awaji T. 1997. Kuroshio path variation south of Japan: stability of the paths in a multiple equilibrium regime. J. Oceanogr., 53: 129-142.
Birgin E G, Martinez J M, Raydan M. 2000. Nonmonotone spectral projected gradient methods on convex sets. SIAM J. Optimiz., 10: 1 196-1 211.
Chao S Y, McCreary J P. 1982. A numerical study of the Kuroshio south of Japan. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 12: 679- 693.
Dong C M, Zhang Q H. 1995. Dynamic studies of Kuroshio bimodal characteristics. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 17 (1): 130-136. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Duan W S, Yu Y S, Xu H, Zhao P. 2013. Behaviors of nonlinearities modulating El Niño events induced by optimal precursory disturbance. Clim. Dyn., 40: 1 399- 1 413, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00382-012-1557-z.
Ebuchi N, Hanawa K. 2003. Influence of mesoscale eddies on variations of the Kuroshio path south of Japan. J. Oceanogr., 59: 25-36.
Farrell, B F, Ioannou P J. 1996a. Generalized stability. Part I: autonomous operators. J. Atmos. Sci., 53: 2 025-2 040.
Farrell, B F, Ioannou P J. 1996b. Generalized stability. Part II: non-autonomous operators. J. Atmos. Sci., 53: 2 041- 2 053.
Fujii Y, Tsujino H, Usui N, Nakano H, Kamachi M. 2008. Application of singular vector analysis to the Kuroshio large meander. J. Geophys. Res., 113: http://dx.doi. org/10.1029/2007JC004476.
Ishikawa Y, Awaji T, Komori N, Toyoda T. 2004. Application of sensitivity analysis using an adjoint model for shortrange forecasts of the Kuroshio path south of Japan. J. Oceanogr., 60: 293-301.
Kawabe M. 1987. Spectral properties of sea level and time scale of Kuroshio path variations. J. Oceanogr. Soc. J a p a n, 43: 111-123.
Kawabe M. 1995. Variations of current path, velocity, and volume transport of the Kuroshio in relation with the large meander. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 25: 3 103-3 117.
Kawabe M. 1996. Model study of flow conditions causing the large meander of the Kuroshio south of Japan. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 26: 2 449-2 461.
Kurogi M, Akitomo K. 2003. Stable paths of the Kuroshio south of Japan determined by the wind stress field. J. Geophys. Res., 108 (C10): 3 332, http://dx.doi.org/10. 1029/2003JC001853.
Masuda S, Akitomo K. 2000. Effects of stratification and bottom topography on the Kuroshio path variation south of Japan. Part II: Path transitions in a multiple equilibrium regime. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 30: 1 431-1 449.
Miyazawa Y, Guo X, Yamagata T. 2004. Roles of mesoscale eddies in the Kuroshio paths. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 34: 2 203-2 222.
Mu M, Duan W S, Wang B. 2003. Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation and its applications. Nonlinear Process. Geophys., 10: 493-501.
Qin X H, Mu M. 2011. A study on the reduction of forecast error variance by three adaptive observation approaches for tropical cyclone prediction. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139: 2 218-2 232.
Qiu B, Miao W. 2000. Kuroshio path variations south of Japan: bimodality as a self-sustained internal oscillation. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 30: 2 124-2 137. Robinson A R, Taft B A. 1972. A numerical experiment for the path of the Kuroshio. J. Mar. Res., 30: 65-101.
Sekine Y. 1990. A numerical experiment on the path dynamics of the Kuroshio with reference to the formation of the large meander path south of Japan. Deep - Sea Res., 37: 359-380.
Taft B A. 1972. Characteristics of the flow of the Kuroshio south of Japan. In: Stommel H, Yoshida K eds. Kuroshio— Its Physical Aspects. University of Tokyo Press. p.165- 216.
Terwisscha van Scheltinga A D, Dijkstra H A. 2008. Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations of the double-gyre ocean circulation. Nonlin. Process Geophys., 15: 727-734.
Tsujino H, Usui N, Nakano H. 2006. Dynamics of Kuroshio path variations in a high resolution general circulation model. J. Geophys. Res., 111: C11001, http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1029/2005JC003118.
Wang Q, Ma L B, Xu Q Q. 2013a. Optimal precursor of the transition from Kuroshio large meander to straight path. Chin. J. Oceanol. Limnol., 31 (5): 1 153-1 161.
Wang Q, Mu M, Dijkstra H A. 2013b. Effects of nonlinear physical processes on optimal error growth in predictability experiments of the Kuroshio Large Meander. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 118: 6 425-6 436, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013JC009276.
Wang Q, Mu M, Dijkstra H A. 2012. Application of conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation method to the predictability study of the Kuroshio large meander. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 29: 118-134.
White W B, McCreary J P. 1976. On the formation of the Kuroshio meander and its relationship to the large-scale ocean circulation. Deep - Sea Res., 23: 33-47.
Xu Q Q, Wang Q, Ma L B. 2013. The optimal precursor of the occurrence of the Kuroshio meander path in the south of Japan and its development mechanism. Marine Sciences, 12(37): 52-61. (in Chinese with English abstract)