Pacific Ocean: surface circulation scheme. Major near-surface undercurrents at the equator and along the eastern boundary are also shown (dashed). The South China Sea circulation represents the winter monsoon. Acronyms: SACCF, Southern ACC Front; EAUC, East Auckland Current; NGCUC, New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent; EUC, Equatorial Undercurrent; CRD, Costa Rica Dome; ME, Mindanao Eddy; HE, Halmahera Eddy; TWC, Tsushima Warm Current; EKWC, East Korean Warm Current; WSAG, Western Subarctic Gyre; ESC, East Sakhalin Current; and BSC, Bering Slope Current.

Adjusted geostrophic streamfunction (steric height, 10 m²/sec²) at (a) 0 dbar Source: From Reid (1997).

Adjusted geostrophic streamfunction (steric height, 10 m2/sec2) at (b) 500 dbar. Source: From Reid (1997).

Kuroshio system in the western North Pacific. (a) Schematic of the large meander (LM), straight (near shore non-large meander) and offshore non-large meander paths (after Kawabe, 1995), and recirculation gyre schematics, with transports in Sv (after Hasunuma and Yoshida, 1978; Qiu and Chen, 2005). (b) Index of the Kuroshio meander state: distance offshore of the 16°C isotherm at 200 m averaged between 132° and 140°E. ©American Meteorological Society. Reprinted with permission. Source: From Qiu and Miao (2000).

(a) Kuroshio velocity structure. Vertical sections of (b) northward velocity of the Kuroshio where it is a western boundary current, at 24°N (Source: From Bingham & Talley, 1991), and (d) eastward velocity of the Kuroshio Extension at 152° 30'E [red (blue) indicates eastward (westward) flow]. Source: From Yoshikawa et al. (2004). Section positions are shown in (a) and (c). Mean temperature at 1000 m is contoured in (c). Figure 10.4d can also be found in the color insert.

(a) Kuroshio velocity structure. Vertical sections of (b) northward velocity of the Kuroshio where it is a western boundary current, at 24°N (Source: From Bingham & Talley, 1991), and (d) eastward velocity of the Kuroshio Extension at 152° 30'E [red (blue) indicates eastward (westward) flow]. Source: From Yoshikawa et al. (2004). Section positions are shown in (a) and (c). Mean temperature at 1000 m is contoured in (c). Figure 10.4d can also be found in the color insert.

(a) Schematic of the surface currents in the CCS in different seasons. Source: From Hickey (1998). (b) Mean seasonal cycle of satellite-derived surface temperature (color) and altimetric height, showing the geostrophic surface circulation. Source: From Strub and James (2000, 2009). This figure can also be found in the color insert.

(a) Satellite SST (July 16, 1988), with subjectively determined flow vectors based on successive images. (b) Surface pigment concentration from the CZCS satellite on June 15, 1981. Source: From Strub et al. (1991).

Sections of (top) velocity (m/sec), (middle) salinity, (bottom) potential temperature (°C) across the CCS at 41.5°N (left) and 40.0°N (right) in June, 1987. The coast is to the right. Source: From Kosro et al. (1991).

(a) Mean salinity at 10 m in July (contoured) with dynamic height standard deviations greater than 4 dyn cm in gray. Source: From Lynn and Simpson (1987). (b) Sea surface height standard deviation (cm) from satellite altimetry. ©American Meteorological Society. Reprinted with permission. Source: From Marchesiello et al. (2003).

(a) Offshore Ekman transport based on long-term mean wind stress. Source: From Huyer (1983). (b) Upwelling index based on atmospheric pressure distribution (from Bakun, 1973), averaged over 1946–1995. Lower shaded region (positive values or blues in the original figure) is upwelling; upper shaded region (negative values or reds in the original figure) is downwelling. Source: From Schwing, O'Farrell, Steger, and Baltz (1996).

Steric height (10 m²/sec²) at 1000 dbar based on hydrographic data and reference geostrophic velocities adjusted to provide absolute circulation at all depths. Source: From Reid (1997).

Oyashio, Kuroshio, and Mixed Water Region east of Japan. Sea surface temperature (NOAA AVHRR satellite infrared image) with temperature scale from 0 to 25°C; E1, E2, and E3 denote anticyclonic eddies. Source: From Yasuda et al. (2001).

(a) Schematic of circulation in the western South Pacific (SEC: South Equatorial Current; EAC: East Australian Current; TF: Tasman Front). Eddy shedding from the EAC is depicted in light gray. Source: From Mata et al. (2006).

(b) Mass transport streamfunction relative to 2000 dbar; contour interval is 25 m². Source: From Ridgway and Dunn (2003).

Peru-Chile Current System. (a) Maps in austral winter and summer. Acronyms: WWD, West Wind Drift; PC, Peru Current; PCCC, Peru-Chile Countercurrent; PUC, Poleward Undercurrent; PCC, Peru Coastal Current; CCC, Chile Coastal Current; and CHC, Cape Horn Current. Also, near the equator: CC, Colombia Current; AENC, Annual El Niño Current; NECC, North Equatorial Countercurrent; SEC, South Equatorial Current; EUC, Equatorial Undercurrent. Source: From Strub et al. (1998). (b, c) Eastern South Pacific zonal vertical sections at 33°S: temperature (°C) with meridional current directions and dissolved oxygen (ml/L); companion salinity and phosphate sections appear in Figure S10.11 on the textbook Web site.

Adjusted geostrophic streamfunction (steric height, 10 m²/sec²) at (a) 2000 dbar. Source: From Reid (1997).

Adjusted geostrophic streamfunction (steric height, 10 m²/sec²) at (b) 4000 dbar. Source: From Reid (1997).

South Pacific sections at 32°S and DWBC. (a) Potential temperature and (b) oxygen (μmol/kg). Neutral densities 28.00 and 28.10 kg/m³ are superimposed in (a). Source: From the WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007). The array location is within the white box in (a). Source: From Whitworth et al. (1999).

South Pacific sections at 32°S and DWBC. (c) Mean northward velocities (cm/sec) from current meters at 32° 30'S northeast of New Zealand in 1991–1992. The array location is within the white box in (a). Source: From Whitworth et al. (1999).

DWBC in the Samoan Passage. (a) Potential temperature (°C) on WOCE P31 across the passages. (b) Mean northward velocity (cm/sec) through the passage measured by current meters (1992–1994). Source: From Roemmich et al. (1996).

Abyssal circulation schematics. After: Owens and Warren (2001), Johnson and Toole (1993), Kato and Kawabe (2009), Komaki and Kawabe (2009), Yanigomoto, Kawabe, and Fujio (2010), Whitworth et al. (1999), and Roemmich, Hautala, and Rudnick (1996).

Salinity and meridional transport in isopycnal layers at 24°N (a, b) and at 28°S (c, d). Inset map shows section locations. The isopycnals (σ_θ, σ₂, σ₄) that define the layers are contoured on the salinity sections. After Talley (2008). Overturning transports from Ganachaud (2003) are shown in Figure S10.15 on the textbook Web site.

Mean distributions of surface dynamic height (ΔD dyn cm) relative to 1000 db (dyn cm) and vertical meridional sections of zonal geostrophic flow (U in cm/sec), temperature (T in °C), and salinity (S) between Hawaii and Tahiti, for 12 months from April 1979. ©American Meteorological Society. Reprinted with permission. Source: From Wyrtki and Kilonsky (1984).

(a) Schematic of mean areas occupied by zonal currents between Hawaii and Tahiti for 12 months from April 1979. Dark shading indicates westward flow, light shading indicates eastward flow, blank areas have zonal speeds less than 2 cm/sec. Acronyms: NEC, North Equatorial Current; NECC, North Equatorial Countercurrent; SEC, South Equatorial Current (three sections); SECC, South Equatorial Countercurrent; UC, Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC in our notation); EIC, Equatorial Intermediate Current; and NSCC/SSCC, Northern/Southern Subsurface Countercurrents (Tsuchiya jets).

(b) Schematic meridional section across the equator showing (top) the mean trade winds, (middle) surface circulation, and (bottom) schematic surface dynamic topography, temperature structure, and meridional circulation below the surface. (“Countercurrent” = “NECC” in our notation.) ©American Meteorological Society. Reprinted with permission. Source: From Wyrtki and Kilonsky (1984).

Zonal velocity (cm/sec) in the equatorial Pacific, averaged from 41 sections of direct current measurements collected in 1982–1983. White is eastward flow, gray is westward. Source: From Firing, Wijffels, and Hacker (1998).

(a) SST; (b) depth of the 20°C isotherm, which is an indicator of thermocline depth; and (c) dynamic height (dyn cm), with superimposed wind velocity vectors, during a period of a well-developed cold tongue (La Niña; August 2007). Source: From TAO Project Office (2009a). (d) Primary productivity (mg C m⁻² day⁻¹) based on ocean color, during a La Niña (July 1998). Source: From McClain et al. (2002).

Mean equatorial (a) potential temperature (°C), (b) salinity, and (c) zonal velocity (cm/sec). Eastward velocities are shaded. Source: From Johnson et al. (2002).

Tropical instability waves. SST from the Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) for two successive 10-day periods in August 1998, after establishment of the cold tongue during a La Niña. A more complete time series (June 1–August 30, 1998) is reproduced in Figure S10.20 on the textbook Web site. This figure can also be seen in the color insert. TMI data are produced by Remote Sensing Systems and sponsored by the NASA Earth Science MEASURES DISCOVER Project. Data are available at www.remss.com. Source: From Remote Sensing Systems (2004).

Zonal wind speed and SST in the equatorial Pacific to illustrate the annual cycle. Positive wind speed is toward the east. Climatological means in February and August and an expanded time series for 2000–2007 are shown in Figure S10.21 on the textbook Web site, to emphasize the seasonal cycle. This figure can also be found in the color insert. Source: From TAO Project Office (2009a).

Tehuantepec eddies evident in sea surface height anomalies from satellite altimetry in February, 1994. Source: From Palacios and Bograd (2005).

(a) La Niña, (b) normal, and (c) El Niño conditions. This figure can also be found in the color insert. Source: From NOAA PMEL (2009b).

(a) Correlation of monthly SST anomalies with the ENSO Nino3.4 index, averaged from 1948 to 2007. The index is positive during the El Niño phase, so the signs shown are representative of this phase. (Data and graphical interface from NOAA ESRL, 2009b.) This figure can be found in the color insert. (b) “Oceanic Nino Index” based on SST in the region 5°N to 5°S and 170°W to 120°W. (Data from Climate Prediction Center Internet Team, 2009). Gray and black correspond to El Niño and La Niña, respectively. Additional indices representing ENSO and the correlation of monthly sea level pressure anomalies with the ENSO Nino3.4 index are shown in Figure S10.23 on the textbook Web site.

Potential T-S curves for selected stations (inset map). Acronyms: NPCW, North Pacific Central Water; SPCW, South Pacific Central Water; NPSTUW, North Pacific Subtropical Underwater; SPSTUW, South Pacific Subtropical Underwater; NPSTMW, North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water; SPSTMW, South Pacific Subtropical Mode Water; NPIW, North Pacific Intermediate Water; AAIW, Antarctic Intermediate Water; DtW, Dichothermal Water; MtW, Mesothermal Water; CCS, California Current System waters; and PCCS, Peru-Chile Current System Waters. This figure can also be found in the color insert.

Salinity: (a) along 165°W (WOCE P15); (b) at neutral density 24.0 kg/m³, characteristic of STUW; and (c) at neutral density 26.00 kg/m³, characteristic of SPSTMW. The isopycnals intersect the surface along the dashed contours Gray contours in (c) indicate winter outcrops. Source: From WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007).

(a) Potential temperature (°C) along 149°E in the North Pacific. (b) Potential temperature along 170°E in the South Pacific. Source: From WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007). (c) Station locations superimposed on surface streamfunction. (Data from Niiler, Maximenko, & McWilliams, 2003.)

Tropical oxygen minima and denitrification regions. Eastern Pacific vertical sections of (a) oxygen (μmol/kg) and (b) nitrite (μmol/kg) at 88°W (WOCE P19). (c) Oxygen (μmol/kg) at 300 m depth. (d) P19 station locations. Source: From WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007).

(a, c) Salinity and (b, d) oxygen (μmol/kg) at neutral densities 26.75 kg/m³ and 27.3 kg/m³, characteristic of NPIW and AAIW, respectively. In the Southern Ocean, white at 26.75 kg/m³ shows the isopycnal outcrops; the gray curve in (c) and (d) is the winter outcrop. Depth of the surfaces is shown in the WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas. This figure can also be seen in the color insert. Source: From WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007).

Dense water formation in the Okhotsk Sea. (a) Bottom potential temperature in September, 1999, and mean velocity vectors at the two moorings. (b) Ice distribution on February 1, 2000, from the SSM/I microwave imager. “NWP” is the northwest polynya where the densest water is formed. Figure 10.34a can also be found in the color insert. Source: From Shcherbina, Talley, and Rudnick (2003, 2004).

(a, c) Salinity and (b, d) silicate for PDW/UCDW (γ^N = 28.01 kg/m³; σ₂ ~ 36.96 kg/m³) and LCDW (γ^N = 28.10 kg/m³; σ₄ ~ 45.88 kg/m³). Depths of the two surfaces are approximately 2600–2800 m and 3500–5200 m, respectively, north of the ACC. Maps of Δ¹⁴C (/mille) and δ³He (%) at γ^N = 28.01 kg/m³ and depth and potential temperature at γ^N = 28.10 are found in Figures S10.31 and S10.32 on the textbook Web site. Source: From WOCE Pacific Ocean Atlas, Talley (2007).