Mechanisms for the formation and variability of the Kuroshio Extension system and its influences on the atmosphere and the marine ecosystem

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Multi-scale air-sea interaction under the East-Asian monsoon: A "hot spot" in the climate system
• Project/Area Number: 22106006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Science and Engineering
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: NONAKA Masami 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, アプリケーションラボ, グループリーダー代理 (90358771)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KUBOKAWA Atsushi 北海道大学, 地球環境科学研究院, 教授 (00178039) ; SASAKI Hideharu 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, アプリケーションラボ, 主任研究員 (50359220) ; NAKANO Hideyuki 気象庁気象研究所, 海洋・地球化学研究部, 主任研究官 (60370334) ; HOSODA Shigeki 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, 地球環境観測研究開発センター, グループリーダー代理 (60399582) ; TAGUCHI Bunmei 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, アプリケーションラボ, 主任研究員 (80435841)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YASUDA Ichiro 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 教授 (80270792) ; TSUJINO Hiroyuki 気象庁気象研究所, 海洋・地球化学研究部, 主任研究官 (50343893) ; USUI Norihisa 気象庁気象研究所, 海洋・地球化学研究部, 主任研究官 (50370333) ; SASAI Yoshikazu 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, 地球環境観測研究開発センター, グループリーダー代理 (40419130) ; AIKI Hidenori 独立行政法人海洋研究開発機構, アプリケーションラボ, 主任研究員 (60358752) ; TAKAYA Koutarou 京都産業大, 理学部, 准教授 (60392966)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 中緯度大気海洋相互作用 / 黒潮・黒潮続流 / 海洋前線帯 / 海洋大循環モデル / Argoフロート / 海洋生態系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on mechanisms for formation and variability in oceanic frontal zones, which can be a key of air-sea interaction in midlatitude, the main theme of this “climate hotspot” project. Our studies have made significant improvements in our understanding of the formation and variability mechanisms in the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension, for example, mechanisms for the Kuroshio Large Meander to the south of Japan, and roles of submesoscale and mesoscale phenomena in the ocean and its ecosystem. Also, basin-scale atmospheric response over the North Pacific to decadal variability in the subarctic frontal zone in the western North Pacific is clearly shown in observed and simulated data. Further, heat capacity in the upper ocean in summer is revealed to be much larger than that has been considered. This finding can improve our understanding of the basic relationship between ocean and atmosphere in summer.

Free Research Field

海洋物理学、気候力学