HR: 0800h
AN: OS21C-1247    [Abstracts]
TI: Salinity Variation in the Pacific Warm Pool Observed with TRITON Buoys
AU: * Ueki, I
EM: uekii@jamstec.go.jp
AF: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061 Japan
AU: Ando, K
EM: andouk@jamstec.go.jp
AF: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061 Japan
AU: Kuroda, Y
EM: kuroday@jamstec.go.jp
AF: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061 Japan
AB: Seasonal salinity variation along 156E in the Pacific warm pool, which is climatologically characterized by high-temperature and low-salinity at the ocean surface, was demonstrated by TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network (TRITON) data. TRITON buoys captured the dominance of low-salinity surface water between 8N and 5N and that of sub-surface high-salinity core, which is more prominent at southern hemisphere than northern hemisphere. On seasonal time-scale, the low-salinity water becomes dominant during boreal fall-winter. Concerning the sub-surface layer, difference of salinity property between northern and southern hemisphere is remarkable, i.e. the southern high-salinity core is deeper and has a higher salinity value compared with northern one. These northern and southern high-salinity core correspond North Pacific Tropical Water (NPTW) and South Pacific Tropical Water (SPTW), respectively. To analyze these water masses, we attempt to represent vertically continuous temperature and salinity profile from discrete profile observed with TRITON buoys. By supposing that T-S relation did not change, we can consider that a sensor observed wider range during tidal motion in the short term. In other words, we can represent T-S relation during tidal motion in the short term by added data. Finally, temperature and salinity profile on density coordinate are reproduced by this T-S relation. By the resultant data set that seasonal appearance of NPTW and SPTW on the equator became clear. Results indicated that a possibility of trace of both water masses by vertically discrete sensor arrangement. In addition, it was proposed that rearrangement of sensor position was necessary to get more effective result.
DE: 4227 Diurnal, seasonal, and annual cycles
DE: 4231 Equatorial oceanography
DE: 4283 Water masses
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting