Structure and variability of the North Equatorial Current/undercurrent from mooring measurements at 130°E in the Western Pacific
Zhang, L.; Wang, F.J.; Wang, Q.; Hu, S.; Wang, F.; Hu, D. (2017). Structure and variability of the North Equatorial Current/undercurrent from mooring measurements at 130°E in the Western Pacific. NPG Scientific Reports 7(46310): 9 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep46310
In: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 2045-2322; e-ISSN 2045-2322, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Zhang, L.
- Wang, F.J.
- Wang, Q.
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| Abstract |
The mean structure and variability of the North Equatorial Current/Undercurrent (NEC/NEUC) are investigated with one-year Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers measurements from 4 subsurface moorings deployed at 10.5°N, 13°N, 15.5°N, and 18°N along 130°E in the western Pacific. The strong westward flowing NEC ranges from the sea surface down to 400 m, and the mean zonal velocity of the NEC at 10.5°N is around −30 cm/s at the depth of 70 m. Eastward flowing NEUC jets are detected below the NEC at 10.5°N and 13°N, and the depth of the NEUC could reach at least 900 m. The mean velocity of the NEUC is around 4.2 cm/s at 800 m. No eastward undercurrents are observed at 15°N and 18°N. The mooring measurements also reveal a strong intraseasonal variability of the currents at all 4 mooring sites, and the period is around 70–120 days. The vertical structure of this intraseasonal variability varies at different latitudes. The variability of the NEUC jets at 10.5°N and 13°N appears to be dominated by subthermocline signals, while the variability of the currents at 15.5°N and 18°N is dominated by surface-intensified signals. |
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