Seasonal variations of wind and waves over Taiwan waters

Abstract

We here investigate the frequency and intensity of oscillations in oceanographic data within intraseasonal time scales using spectral analysis of surface wind and wave time-series data collected at off-island weather stations or moored buoys around Taiwan. Data from marine weather stations were used to trace atmospheric conditions, while we used buoy data to examine sea states. The spectra and wavelet scalogram of the wind fields revealed oscillations with a period of around 20–33 days, and the energy density of the wind field at the off-island stations was stronger than that at the data buoy stations. However, the wavelet scalogram of the wave height measured at the buoy stations was stronger than its associated wind field. This long-period oscillation is consistent with the wavelet scalogram of the wind field calculated from the off-island weather stations. About 20–33 day oscillations exist within intraseasonal variations, which are closely linked to the atmospheric environment and to wind and ocean wave fields. Oscillations with a period of 5–10 days are a pronounced feature over northeastern Taiwan waters during the winter season and can be interpreted as the wave pattern following synoptic weather systems.