Intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in COMRA’s contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Fangfang Kuang; Jing Cha; Junpeng Zhang; Aijun Pan; Hangyu Chen; Xiwu Zhou; Chunsheng Jing; Xiaogang Guo

doi:10.1007/s13131-021-1945-5

Volume 41 Issue 11

Nov. 2022

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Fangfang Kuang, Jing Cha, Junpeng Zhang, Aijun Pan, Hangyu Chen, Xiwu Zhou, Chunsheng Jing, Xiaogang Guo. Intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in COMRA’s contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2022, 41(11): 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s13131-021-1945-5

Citation:

Fangfang Kuang, Jing Cha, Junpeng Zhang, Aijun Pan, Hangyu Chen, Xiwu Zhou, Chunsheng Jing, Xiaogang Guo. Intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in COMRA’s contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2022, 41(11): 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s13131-021-1945-5

Citation:

Fangfang Kuang, Jing Cha, Junpeng Zhang, Aijun Pan, Hangyu Chen, Xiwu Zhou, Chunsheng Jing, Xiaogang Guo. Intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in COMRA’s contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2022, 41(11): 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s13131-021-1945-5

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Intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in COMRA’s contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

doi: 10.1007/s13131-021-1945-5

Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China

Funds: The Fund of China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association under contract No. DY135-E2-5-01; the National Program on Global Change and Air-Sea Interaction Ⅱ under contract No. GASI-04-WLHY-01.

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: zhangjunpeng@tio.org.cn
Received Date: 2021-05-03
Accepted Date: 2021-07-12

Available Online: 2022-09-13

Publish Date: 2022-11-01

Abstract

Abstract

In this paper, the intra-seasonal variability of the abyssal currents in the China Ocean Mineral Resources Association (COMRA) polymetallic nodule contact area, located in the western part of the Clarion and Clipperton Fraction Zone in the tropical East Pacific, is investigated using direct observations from subsurface mooring instruments as well as sea-surface height data and reanalysis products. Mooring observations were conducted from September 13, 2017 to August 15, 2018 in the COMRA contact area (10°N, 154°W). The results were as follows: (1) At depths below 200 m, the kinetic energy of intra-seasonal variability (20−100 d) accounts for more than 40% of the overall low-frequency variability, while the ratio reaches more than 50% below 2 000 m. (2) At depths below 200 m, currents show a synchronous oscillation with a characteristic time scale of 30 d, lasting from October to the following January; the energy of the 30-d oscillation increases with depth until the layer of approximately 4 616 m, and the maximum velocity is approximately 10 cm/s. (3) The 30-d oscillation of deep currents is correlated with the tropical instability waves in the upper ocean.
- intra-seasonal variability,
- abyssal currents,
- Clarion-Clipperton Zone,
- tropical instability waves

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