Abstract
Surface Velocity Program drifters drogued at 15 m depth were deployed in the Taiwan Strait (TS) and Luzon Strait in 2005 and 2006. Several drifters in the TS and the Pacific were fortuitously overrun by the typhoon Hai-Tang (July 2005) and Shan-Shan (September 2006), respectively. The drifter and QuikSCAT wind data clearly demonstrate that the surface current over the TS and the Pacific can change dramatically for a period of about two days due to the strong winds of a typhoon during its passage. Our results show that the area of storm-affected surface currents is considerably smaller for a weaker typhoon (category 2 Shan-Shan), about 300∼400 km in radius, than for a stronger typhoon (category 5 Hai-Tang), about 800 km in radius. The maximum observed current speed in the TS was 1.7 ms−1 (or 2.2 ms−1 in net speed change) under the influence of Hai-Tang, and 2 ms−1 in the Pacific under the influence of Shan-Shan. Drifter observations revealed the unusual phenomenon of flow reversal in the surface layer of TS and the Kuroshio induced by the typhoon passage. The effect of a typhoon on surface flows is amplified by the long, narrow geometry of the TS. Surface currents generated by wind forcing along the passage of a traveling typhoon can be explained by the Ekman drift.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beardsley, R. C., R. Limeburner and H. Yu (1985): Discharging of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) into the East China Sea. Cont. Shelf Res., 4, 57–76.
Chang, Y., H.-T. Liao, M.-A. Lee, J.-W. Chan, W.-J. Shieh, K.-T. Lee, G.-H. Wang and Y.-C. Lan (2008): Multisatellite observation on upwelling after the passage of Typhoon Hai-Tang in the southern East China Sea. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L03612, doi:10.1029/2007GL032858.
Chuang, W.-S. (1986): A note on the driving mechanism of current in the Taiwan Strait. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 42, 355–361.
Fang, G., B. Zhao and Y. Zhu (1991): Water volume transport through the Taiwan Strait and the continental shelf of the East China Sea measured with current meters. p. 345–358. In Oceanography of Asian Marginal Seas, ed. by K. Takano, Elsevier.
Jan, S., J. Wang, C.-S. Chern and S.-Y. Chao (2002): Seasonal variation of the circulation in the Taiwan Strait. J. Mar. Sys., 35. 249–268.
Ko, D. S., R. H. Preller, G. A. Jacobs, T. Y. Tang and S. F. Lin (2003): Transport reversals at Taiwan Strait during October and November 1999. J. Geophys. Res., 108(C11), 3370, doi:10.1029/2003JC001836.
Lin, S. F., T. Y. Tang, S. Jan and C.-J. Chen (2005): Taiwan strait current in winter. Cont. Shelf Res., 25, 1023–1042.
Niiler, P. P. (2001): The world ocean surface circulation. p. 193–204. In Ocean Circulation and Climate, ed. by G. Siedler et al., Academic Press.
Oey, L. Y., T. Ezer, D.-P. Wang, X.-Q. Yin and S.-J. Fan (2007): Hurricane-induced motions and interaction with ocean currents. Cont. Shelf Res., 27, 1249–1263.
Price, J. F., T. B. Sanford and G. Z. Forristall (1994): Forced stage response to a moving hurricane. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 24, 233–260.
Teague, W. J., E. Jarosz, D. W. Wang and D. A. Mitchell (2007): Observed oceanic response over the upper continental slope and outer shelf during hurricane Ivan. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 37, 2181–2206.
Tsai, Y., C.-S. Chern and J. Wang (2008): Typhoon induced upper ocean cooling off northeastern Taiwan. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L14605, doi:10.1029/2008GL034368.
Yang, J. (2007): An oceanic current against the wind: How does Taiwan Island steer warm water into the East China Sea? J. Phys. Oceanogr., 37, 2563–2569.
Zheng, Q., R. J. Lai, N. E. Huang, J. Pan and W. T. Liu (2006): Observation of ocean current response to 1998 Hurricane Georges in the Gulf of Mexico. Acta Oceanol. Sinica, 25, 1–15.
Zhu, J., C. Chen, P. Ding, C. Li and H. Lin (2004): Does the Taiwan warm current exist in winter? Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L12302, doi:10.1029/2004GL019997.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chang, YC., Tseng, RS. & Centurioni, L.R. Typhoon-induced strong surface flows in the Taiwan strait and pacific. J Oceanogr 66, 175–182 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-010-0015-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-010-0015-y