Ht. Chen et al., A NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF WIND STRESS AND TOPOGRAPHIC EFFECTS ON THE KUROSHIO CURRENT PATH NEAR TAIWAN, Journal of physical oceanography, 26(9), 1996, pp. 1769-1802
A semispectral primitive equation model is used to study the effects o
f wind stress and bottom topography on the meandering of a jet over th
e continental margin. The jet is specified initially as a geostrophic
current (similar to the Kuroshio Current) supported by the temperature
field. The intrusion of water from the meandering jet over the contin
ental margin is not only dominated by topographic effects but also enh
anced by northerly winds. The latter induces an onshore Ekman transpor
t, which causes surface water in the meandering jet to intrude onto th
e continental margin. Lighter water is then carried downward to the de
eper ocean through the hydrostatic and topographic boundary layers. So
me subsurface water in the meandering jet also intrudes onto the conti
nental slope and shelf and then rejoins the main stream. Under the inf
luence of southerly wind, surface water in the meandering jet migrates
offshore toward the deeper ocean in the Ekman layer, while subsurface
water in the meandering jet intrudes onto the continental slope and s
helf in the topographic boundary layers. In this case, heavier water i
s lifted to the sea surface through the topographic boundary and hydro
static layers. The result suggests that the path of the Kuroshio north
of Taiwan is strongly influenced by both the topographic effects and
Ekman drift. The intrusions of the meandering Kuroshio surface and sub
surface waters are steered and determined by wind directions.