Spring hydrodynamic regime in the Kamchatka strait for the period of 1950–2017
Abstract
The Kamchatka Strait is the westernmost and deepest strait of the Aleutian archipelago. The harsh climate, the influence of permanent and seasonal atmospheric action centers, the passage of cyclones, seismic activity, tsunami hazard, and the complex bottom topography significantly complicates the investigation of water circulation in the Kamchatka Strait. Thus the goal of our research was to study the variability of water circulation in the strait during spring hydrological season (May, June) for the period of 1950‒2017 based on numerical modeling. The Ocean Data View software (ODV software) was used for statistical processing and graphical display of the data. The modeling results showed that the spring change of the winter atmospheric monsoon to the summer monsoon causes the transformation of current system. Against the background of cyclonic water movement prevailing during the whole year in the region of the Aleutian Island arc, the cyclonic activity in the Kamchatka Strait weakens in the spring, and anticyclonic gyres are formed, contributing to significant inflow of warm Pacific waters into the Bering Sea. Besides, during the above-mentioned season the Kamchatka current is not a single continuous flow of water masses. Instead, several hydrodynamic gyres of different signs are noted, indicating its vortex transitional structure. It is shown that the spring hydrological season is a kind of a threshold for the change from winter to summer water regimes, because in the spring synoptic season (March, April) the winter monsoon still prevails, and the average monthly air temperature is below zero. The differences in May and June show a gradual seasonal transformation of circulation schemes in the region, and, at the same time, a certain instability of hydrodynamic structures associated with uneven spring atmospheric processes.
Supporting agencies: The study was financially supported by the state budget theme of the V.I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, “Investigation of principal processes influencing the state and variability of oceanographic parameters of the peripheral seas of Asia and adjacent areas of Pacific and Indian oceans” (Reg no. 121021700341-2).
About the Authors
G. A. Vlasova
V.I. Il’ichev Pacifi c Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Informatics and Ocean Monitoring Laboratory, Leading Scientifi c Researcher, Ph.D. in Geography
S. S. Marchenko
V.I. Il’ichev Pacifi c Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Informatics and Ocean Monitoring Laboratory, Leading Engineer
N. I. Rudykh
V.I. Il’ichev Pacifi c Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Informatics and Ocean Monitoring Laboratory, Senior Scientifi c Researcher, Ph.D. in Geography
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Review
For citations:
Vlasova G.A., Marchenko S.S., Rudykh N.I. Spring hydrodynamic regime in the Kamchatka strait for the period of 1950–2017. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 5, Geografiya. 2022;(4):79-87. (In Russ.)
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