Buoyancy shutdown process for the development of the baroclinic jet structure of the Soya Warm Current during summer

• Published in: Journal of oceanography 2018-08, Vol.74 (4), p.339-350
• Main Authors: Karaki, Tatsuro, Mitsudera, Humio, Kuroda, Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bottom Ekman layer; Bottom mixed layer; Buoyancy; Coastal currents; Density gradients; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ekman layer; Ekman transport; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Isobaths; Mathematical models; Metalimnion; Mixed layer; Oceanography; Original Article; Seasonal thermocline; Sensitivity analysis; Shutdowns; Subduction; Summer; Thermocline; Thickness; Transport
• ISSN: 0916-8370; 1573-868X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10872-018-0465-1

The Soya Warm Current (SWC), which is the coastal current along the northeastern part of Hokkaido, Japan, has a notable baroclinic jet structure during summer. This study addresses the formation mechanism of the baroclinic jet by analyzing a realistic numerical model and conducting its sensitivity experiment. The key process is the interaction between the seasonal thermocline and the bottom Ekman layer on the slope off the northeastern coast of Hokkaido; the bottom Ekman transport causes subduction of the warm seasonal thermocline water below the cold lower-layer water, so the bottom mixed layer develops with a remarkable cross-isobath density gradient. Consequently, the buoyancy transport vanishes as a result of the thermal wind balance in the mixed layer. The SWC area is divided into two regions during summer: upstream, the adjustment toward the buoyancy shutdown is in progress; downstream, the buoyancy shutdown occurs. The buoyancy shutdown theory assesses the bottom-mixed-layer thickness to be 50 m, consistent with observations and our numerical results. The seasonal thermocline from June to September is strong enough to establish the dominance of the buoyancy shutdown process over the frictional spindown.