Relationship between Sea Level at Yap Island and Sea-Water Temperature along 137°E in the Western Tropical Pacific

[摘要] The relationship between sea level at Yap Island (9°31'N, 138°08'E) and sea-water temperature along 137°E for July is investigated. Sea level at Yap Island is positively correlated with subsurface sea-water temperature in the domain of 5°N-13°N, depth 10-400 m around Yap Island. These results indicate that sea level at Yap Island is associated with the shift of the thermocline in the vertical direction. Since the shift of the thermocline is related to the accumulation of warm water in the upper layer, it follows that sea level at Yap Island can well indicate the accumulation of warm water around Yap Island. Sea level at Yap Island tends to fluctuate in phase with that in the western tropical Pacific but out of phase with that in the central equatorial Pacific. The sea level at Yap Island is a good indicator for monitoring the accumulation of warm water in the western tropical Pacific.

[学科分类] 大气科学