The dependence of water exchanges between the Kuroshio water and its surroundings on the characteristics of the Kuroshio's meanders

Abstract

Observation of fluid parcel pathways in the Kuroshio Stream revealed a striking cross-stream pattern associated with the Kuroshio's meanders. In order to understand the observed pattern, a two-dimensional kinematic model of a meandering jet was developed which could be used to examine the relationship between streamfunction patterns and fluid parcel trajectories. The experiments designed to investigate the dependence of the water exchanges between the Kuroshio water and its surroundings on the characteristics of the Kuroshio's meanders involved the downstream speed, phase speed and the amplitude of other propagating waves.