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Multidecadal Change of the Mindanao Current: Is There a Robust Trend?
Author(s) -
Duan Jing,
Li Yuanlong,
Wang Fan,
Chen Zhaohui
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2019gl083090
Subject(s) - climatology , forcing (mathematics) , current (fluid) , geology , latitude , low latitude , atmospheric sciences , oceanography , environmental science , geodesy
Ten ocean state estimate products are analyzed to quantify the multidecadal change of the Mindanao Current (MC). These data sets suggest multidecadal trends of the MC transport since 1961, 1980, and 1993 are weak (‐0.3 Sv, +0.7 Sv, and +2.1 Sv, respectively; 1 Sv ≡ 10 6 m 3 /s) and not robust with respect to the large spread of different data sets. The primary cause is the discrepancies in different wind data sets, and change of the North Equatorial Current's bifurcation latitude also acts to attenuate the MC change. The bifurcation latitude shifts southward (northward) under enhanced (weakened) northeasterly trade winds and feeds less (more) water to the MC. Experimental simulations of a reduced‐gravity model forced by reanalysis and model‐projected wind trends suggest an asymmetry of the MC's response to wind forcing. Anomalous westerly winds in the western Pacific can dramatically enhance the MC through spinning up the cyclonic local recirculation.