Variability of Eddy Kinetic Energy in the Sea of Japan
from Satellite Altimetry Data¹

O. O. Trusenkova

Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences,
43 Baltiyskaya St., Vladivostok, 690041 Russia

e-mail: trolia@poi.dvo.ru

Received January 25, 2012; in final form, November 20, 2012

Abstract—The variability of the geostrophic eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the Sea of Japan derived from
weekly altimetric sea level anomalies spanning from 1992 through 2009 is studied. Nonorthogonal modes of
variability are revealed accounting for more than 60% of the total variance. They capture the seasonal variation
of the mesoscale energetics in the entire Sea of Japan with the EKE growing in the warm season up to the max-
imum in October through November and diminishing in the cold season down to the minimum in March
through April. In the northern Sea of Japan (northward of the Subarctic Front), where the mean EKE is several
times less than in the southern sea, areas of considerable variability are detected. Quasi-biennial EKE oscilla-
tions are revealed but not the trends covering the whole record.

DOI: 10.1134/S0001437014010111

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.