The Taiwan Current: its transport and water-mass structure

Dr. John Yuzhu You*University of Sydney Institute of Marine ScienceMadsen Building F09University of SydneyNSW 2006Australia

*Currently visiting Taiwan Ocean Research Institute

Seminar given at Institute of Marine Environmental Sciences and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University at 2:10 pm on Oct 20, 2009

Abstract

Ocean currents carry water from water-mass formation region to remote

area, distributing heat, salt and biochemical properties. Ocean circulation

plays a crucial role in climate change. The Taiwan Current (TC) is most

western limb of the North Pacific subtropical gyre and part of the Kuroshio

system. The TC affects Taiwanese weather, precipitation, fishery,

ecosystem, industry, agriculture and virtually every day life.

The TC transport varies with space and time. Its water-mass structure

differs vertically and spatially. The source waters to form the TC volume are

unknown. The present study uses a large set of hydrography and attempts to

resolve the transport variability and to identify and trace its source waters.