Posted by Hiroshi Ichikawa on November 08, 2000 at 02:58:44:
Dear Dr. Zhang and other co-authors,
I have estimated the annual and seasonal means of total transport of volume, heat and fresh water through a fixed section across the Kuroshio in the central East China Sea using the quarterly hydrographic and sea surface current data in 1981-1992. Therefore, I have enjoyed very much to look your good poster.
Comparing your results with mine, I have following comments.
1) In the estimation of Q_k, what values of flow mean temperature in the Kuroshio region you have used? I got annual
mean of flow mean (volume-transport-averaged) temp of 18.60 C with maximum of 19.47 C in winter and miminum of 17.64 C. Winter value has been affected largely by the return flow in the section.
2) In my estimation, temp transport in the ECS ranges from 1.13 PW to 2.23 PW about annual mean of 1.76 PW. This variation range seems much larger than your estimates even if I take into account the air-sea heat exchange process in the ECS.
3) I have used a constant value of 15.11 C as mean temp of southward return flow region in the estimation of Q_k. Would you show me its seasonal variation. It may very important value for estimating the seasonal variation of Q_net only from the volume transport of the Kuroshio in the ECS and west of Taiwan.
4) You have disccused the global meridional heat transport along 24 N using Q_Ek estimated by various wind data. In my opinion, the estmation error has mainly come from Q_Ek and we need to make further efforts for getting good Q_Ek value before disccsing Q_net.
Regards, Hiroshi
Reference
H. Ichikawa and M. Chaen, J. Marine System, 24, 119-129, 2000.