• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.265-278
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• 2015

We analyzed the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) that was simulated in 25 coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) using historical and Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) scenario experiments of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), focusing on the evaluation of the performance of HadGEM2-AO. A large inter-model diversity in salinity, density, and depth of the NPIW exists even though the multi-model ensemble mean (MME) is comparable to observations. It was found that the depth of the NPIW tends to be deeper in the models in which the NPIW is relatively saltier. HadGEM2-AO simulates the lightest NPIW having the lowest salinity at shallower depth, compared with other CGCMs. Future projections of the NPIW show that the temperature of the NPIW increases, but the density decreases in all CMIP5 models. It was shown that the salinity of the NPIW decreases in most models and the decrease tends to be larger in models simulating the lighter NPIW. The HadGEM2-AO projects moderate changes in the temperature and density of the NPIW out of the CMIP5 models.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.190-199
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• 2008

To investigate hydrographic structure and characteristics of the tropical ocean in the eastern and the western Pacific, CTD(Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) data along $131^{\circ}W$ and $137^{\circ}-142^{\circ}E$ in July-August 2005 were analyzed. Sea surface temperature along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in summer is highest in the Equatorial Counter Current(ECC) because of the high-temperature water greater than $28^{\circ}C$ moving through the ECC from the western Pacific to the eastern Pacific in spring and summer. Based on the evidence of the presence of low salinity and high dissolved oxygen water in the North Equatorial Current(NEC), we suggested that the low salinity water moved from the Gulf of Panama to the east of Philippine along the North Equatorial Current(NEC). The South Equatorial Current(SEC) had the most saline water from surface to deep layer because the saline water from the Subtropical South Pacific Ocean moved to the north. The salinity minimum layer was observed at 500-1500 m depth along $131.5^{\circ}W$. The water mass with the salinity minimum layer in the north of $5^{\circ}N$ came from the North Pacific Intermediate Water(NPIW) and that in the south of $5^{\circ}N$ came from the Antarctic Intermediate Water(AAIW), which was more saline than the NPIW. Cyclonic cold eddy with a diameter of about 200km was found in $4-6^{\circ}N$. Sea surface temperature along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in the eastern Pacific was lower than along $137^{\circ}-142^{\circ}E$ in the western Pacific; on the other hand, sea surface salinity in the eastern Pacific was higher than in the western Pacific. Subsurface saline water from the Subtropical South Pacific Ocean was less saline in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific. Salinity and density(${\sigma}_{\theta}$) of the salinity minimum layer south of $14^{\circ}N$ was higher in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.341-349
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• 2004

Hyrdography and deep currents were measured from 1997 to 1999 to investigate deep-sea environments in the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area of the northeastern tropical Pacific. KODOS area is located meridionally from the North Equatorial Current to the boundary between the North Equatorial Current and the Equatorial Counter Current. Strong thermocline exists between 10 m and 120 m depths at the study area. Since that strong thermocline does hardly allow vertical mixing between surface and lower layer waters, vertical distributions of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients drastically change near the thermocline. Salinity-minimum layer, which indicate the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) and the Antartic Intermediate Water (AAIW), vertically occupies vertically at the depths from 500 m down to 1400 m. The NPIW and the AAIW horizontally occur to the north and to the south of $7^{\circ}N$, respectively. The near-bottom water shows the physical characteristics of $1.05^{\circ}C$ and 34.70 psu at the depths of 10 m to 110 m above the bottom (approximately 4000-5000 m), which was originated from the Antarctic Circumpolar Water. It flows northeastwards for 2 to 4 months at the study area, and its mean velocity was 3.1-3.7 cm/s. Meanwhile, reverse (southwestward) currents appear for about 15 days with the average of 1.0-6.1 cm/s every 1 to 6 months. Dominant direction of the bottom currents obtained from the data for more than 6 months is northeastward with the average speeds of 1.7-2.1 cm/s. Therefore, it seems that deep waters from the Antarctica flow northwards passing through the KODOS area in the northeastern tropical Pacific.