Observation of Kuroshio in the southern East China Sea and its comparison with the HYCOM results

Abstract

Kuroshio plays an important role in heat, salt and material transport from the south to the north of the East China Sea (ECS). Time series of vertical velocity profiles were obtained for one year (June 2015&#8211 June 2016) at two sites in the southern ECS, one near the main axis of the Kuroshio (KCM-1) and the other southeast of the main axis (KCM-2). The observation is compared with the HYCOM (Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model) results, which shows the KCM-1 is located relatively close (about 30km apart) to the main axis of the Kuroshio derived from HYCOM surface velocity fields. The maximum velocity is found in the subsurface layer both from the KCM-1 and the HYCOM-derived main axis of Kuroshio. Similarities and discrepancies between the observation and HYCOM are presented and discussed.