Satellite monitoring of oceanic turbulence around Japan Islands

Abstract

Based on kinematic features of the coherent structure, daminant in the oceanic turbulence around Japan Islands, obtained from the NOAA/AVHRR monitoring, the Kuroshio behavior was discussed. Most eddies shed from cusped capes on the Pacific-Coast increase the turbulent boundary layer, and form an organized coherent structure of mesoscale eddies interlocked in the Shikoku-Basin. Some eddies shed from the Cape-Shionomisaki, however, trap part of the Kuroshio watermass and deviate it coastward, leading to a decay of the boundary layer. The formed coherent structure induces the basin-scale Kuroshio variability, which has usually been described through the meandering and nonmeandering phenomena of the Kuroshio path.