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Intermittence and modulation of mesoscale variability
Author(s) -
Wang L.,
Koblinsky C.,
Howden S.,
Beckley B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1998gl900164
Subject(s) - mesoscale meteorology , altimeter , geology , climatology , modulation (music) , boundary current , geodesy , ocean current , physics , acoustics
We studied both the fast and slow modulation of mesoscale variability in the western Kuroshio Extension region (along track 119) by analyzing 4‐year TOPEX/Poseidon altimetry data. Bulk of the mesoscale variability lies near the axis of the Kuroshio Extension and the western boundary current along the east coast of Japan. It is found that both the intensity and spreading of mesoscale variability in the frequency band has significant, both abrupt and slow, variations. The slow modulation may be mainly caused by low‐frequency variation in the background mean flow, while the abrupt change is primarily due to strong nonlinear processes.