Atmospheric Effects of the Kuroshio Large Meander during 2004–05*

Xu, Haiming; Tokinaga, Hiroki; Xie, Shang‐Ping

doi:10.1175/2010jcli3267.1

Cited by 63 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(47 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The steep SST front maintains a distinct peak of temperature difference between the ocean and atmosphere DT OA . The low-SLP wedge in the unfiltered field strongly indicates the hydrostatic effect along the SST front as found in high-pass-filtered SLP field by Tokinaga et al (2009) and Xu et al (2010) along the K-KE region and Minobe et al (2008Minobe et al ( , 2010 the Q peak is probably due to thermal advection by the mean northwesterlies, as shown in the equatorial region by Small et al (2003Small et al ( , 2005. While weak easterlies are expected from geostrophy north of the low-SLP wedge, the observed surface winds are northwesterlies with a crossbaric component toward the center axis of the low-SLP wedge.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…Song et al(2006) show that, based on the RAM experiments, pressure gradient across the Gulf Stream front is main force modifying the surface winds. Xu et al (2010) also detected a hydrostatic effect over the cool water pool formed between the Pacific coast of Japan and the large meander of the Kuroshio.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…For this SMTH run, we apply a 108 running mean filter to the observed SST. We should note that the amount of enthalpy flux into the model atmosphere might not be same between the two runs, although this kind of experimental design has been employed in the numerical studies (Nakamura et al 2008;Taguchi et al 2009;Xu et al 2010;Iizuka 2010).…”

Section: Regional Atmospheric Model Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Sea Level Pressure Minimum along the Kuroshio and Its Extension*

et al. 2011

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Atmospheric effects of sea surface temperature (SST) fronts along the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension (K-KE) are investigated by examining spatial characteristics of the climatological sea level pressure (SLP), surface winds and surface heat flux (Q) fields based on an in situ observation dataset. A hydrostatic effect of the SST front is observed during the northwesterly monsoon characterized by a westward-extending low-SLP wedge (trough) slightly south of the peak in Q along the K-KE. Ageostrophic surface westerlies crossing SLP isobars toward a trough center are found north of the low-SLP wedge apparently because of the eastward acceleration by the vertical mixing effect. This feature of the ageostrophic winds is less pronounced south of it, a north-south asymmetry arising as vertical mixing accelerates (decelerates) eastward ageostrophic winds north (south) of it. While the SLP trough near the SST front is found nearly year-round except for summer, its meridional location seasonally migrates probably due to the change in the mean surface flow.Regional atmospheric model experiments are conducted to examine the effect of the SST front on the overlying atmosphere. The observed features in winter are adequately simulated when high-resolution SST is prescribed as the boundary condition. The strong Q along the K-KE and resultant SLP trough and ageostrophic surface winds are absent when the SST boundary condition is smoothed in space to weaken the SST front. These results illustrate that the cross-frontal change in Q is of great importance to leave the SST imprint on the overlying atmosphere via hydrostatic and vertical mixing adjustments.

show abstract

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Regional Atmospheric Model Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sea Level Pressure Minimum along the Kuroshio and Its Extension*

et al. 2011

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This inphase relationship between SST and surface wind speed indicates an oceanic-to-atmospheric influence. Based on observations of surface winds by the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) satellite, similar covariability of SST and surface wind speed is also observed in the eastern Pacific tropical instability waves (Liu et al 2000;Hashizume et al 2001), the winter Kuroshio in the East China Sea , the Kuroshio south of Japan (Xu et al 2010), the Gulf Stream (Chelton et al 2004;Xie 2004), the Agulhas Return Current (O'Neill et al 2003(O'Neill et al , 2005, and the Brazil-Malvinas Currents (Tokinaga et al 2005). Wallace et al (1989) proposed the following vertical mixing mechanism for such an in-phase SST-wind relationship: on the warmer flank of the front, the surface atmosphere is unstable and the intensified vertical mixing transfers large momentum from above to accelerate the surface wind.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Deep Atmospheric Response to the Spring Kuroshio over the East China Sea*

et al. 2011

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The atmospheric response to the spring Kuroshio Front over the East China Sea is investigated using a suite of high-resolution satellite data and a regional atmospheric model. The atmospheric response appears to extend beyond the marine atmospheric boundary layer, with frequent occurrence of cumulus convection.In spring, Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) wind speed shows a clear effect of sea surface temperature (SST), with high (low) wind speed observed over the warm (cold) tongue. This in-phase relationship between SST and surface wind speed is indicative of SST influence on the atmosphere. Wind convergence is found on the warmer flank of the Kuroshio Front, accompanied by a narrow rainband. The analysis of satellite-borne radar measurements indicates that deep convection appears over the Kuroshio warm tongue in the spring season, with enhanced convective precipitation, frequent occurrence of cumulus convection, and increased precipitation (cloud) tops in altitude. These deep convective activities along the Kuroshio warm tongue are further supported by enhanced lightning flash rate observed by satellite and atmospheric heating estimated by a Japanese reanalysis.The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to investigate the precipitation response to the spring Kuroshio SST front over the East China Sea. Forced by observed SST [control (CTL)], the model well simulates a narrow band of precipitation, high wind speed, and surface wind convergence that closely follows the Kuroshio warm current, consistent with satellite observations. This narrow rainband completely disappears in the model when the SST front is removed by horizontally smoothed SST (SmSST). The results show that it is convective precipitation that is sensitive to the Kuroshio SST front. A case study for an eastward-moving extratropical cyclone indicates that convective precipitation increases its intensity and duration in the CTL run compared to the SmSST run. Local enhancement of upward sensible and latent heat fluxes and convective instability in the lower atmosphere are the key to anchoring the narrow band of convective precipitation that closely follows the Kuroshio.

show abstract

“…Estimates of coastal SST are strongly dependent on the data products used (e.g., Xie et al, 2008) due to the differences in interpolation methods and resolution. Differences in coastal SST have a large influence on clouds and precipitation, and this effect has been thoroughly investigated for both cold air outbreaks and winter monsoons Hirose, 2008, 2009;Iizuka, 2010;Lee and Ryu, 2010;Xu et al, 2010;Cha et al, 2011;Yamamoto et al, 2011;Takahashi et al, 2013). However, the effects of differences in SST products on the humid summer airflows associated with tropical cyclones have yet to be fully investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meteorological impacts of sea-surface temperature associated with the humid airflow from Tropical Cyclone Talas (2011)

Yamamoto

2014

Ann. Geophys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. This paper examines meteorological impacts of sea-surface temperature (SST) in the presence of the humid airflow from Tropical Cyclone Talas (2011). To investigate the influence of the SST on the severe weather in and around Japan, sensitivity simulations were conducted using six SST data products covering a period of 7 days. The upward seasurface latent heat flux that accumulated over the 7-day period was high around the Kuroshio during the slow passage of the tropical cyclone. Large differences were found among the individual SST products around the southern coast of Japan. The coastal warm SST anomaly of ∼ 1.5 • C enhanced the surface upward latent heat fluxes (by 60 to 80 %), surface southeasterly winds (by 6 to 8 %), and surface water mixing ratios (by 4 %) over the coastal sea area. The enhanced latent heat flux resulting from the coastal SST anomaly contributed to the further enhancement of the latent heat flux itself via a positive feedback with the amplified surface horizontal wind. The SST anomalies produced an anomaly in 7-day precipitation (ca. 40 mm) along the mountainsides and over a coastal area where the surface wind anomaly was locally large. Thus, coastal SST error is important in the atmospheric simulation of accumulated evaporation and precipitation associated with tropical cyclones making landfall.

show abstract

Atmospheric Effects of the Kuroshio Large Meander during 2004–05*

Abstract: Analysis of the surface perturbation momentum budgets shows the importance of the pressure adjustment mechanism in surface wind response to the cold SST anomalies.3

Cited by 63 publications

References 46 publications

Sea Level Pressure Minimum along the Kuroshio and Its Extension*

Sea Level Pressure Minimum along the Kuroshio and Its Extension*

Deep Atmospheric Response to the Spring Kuroshio over the East China Sea*

Meteorological impacts of sea-surface temperature associated with the humid airflow from Tropical Cyclone Talas (2011)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About