Dynamics of the Kuroshio large meander - Barotropic model.

Yasuda Ichiro, Yoon Jong-Hwan, Suginohara Nobuo

doi:10.1007/bf02109275

The bimodality of the Kuroshio path is studied numerically with a barotropic inflow-outflow model. The dynamics that determines the path depends on the Rossby number, Ro (proportional to inlet velocity) and the Reynolds number (representing effects of viscosity). At low Ro (<Ro₁) only a meander path occurs, while at high Ro (>Ro₂) only a straight path is developed. Between these critical values (Ro₁RoRo₂) either of the two paths can occur (multiple states), and the choice of path is determined by its history. Increase (decrease) in Ro across Ro₂ (Ro₁) leads to catastrophic transition from one path to the other. In the intermediate range (Ro₁≤Ro≤Ro₂), the straight path is conditionally unstable to finite amplitude disturbances, and abrupt changes to the meander path take place. Absolute vorticity is almost conserved along the meander path, while along the straight path it is dissipated in large amount near the coast. At low Re, the flow tends to a viscous flow, and steady states are obtained. At high Re, time variations with different periods for the meander and straight paths become dominant. Intermittent transitions from one state to the other without any changes of external parameters are found at intermediate Ro and at high Re.

Dynamics of the Kuroshio large meander - Barotropic model.

Bibliographic Information

Description

Journal

Citations (16)*help

References(5)*help

Details 詳細情報について

Export

Report a problem