Decadal variability Qiu and Chen, 2005 KE is characterized by the presence of two quasi-stationary meanders at 144° and 155°E Up and downstream jets

Decadal variability Qiu and Chen, 2005 Can the observed decadal variability be explained by the forcing of the large-scale wind stress field?

Decadal variability 1 ½ layer reduced gravity model for the ocean response to surface wind forcing

Data from OFES

SSH EOF’s 1 & 2 OFESOFES ROMSROMS

SSH PCs 1 & 2 from OFES

Regression maps SSH

Regression maps SST

Regression maps (lags) SSH – PC 1

Regression maps (lags) SST – PC 1

Regression maps (lags) SSH – PC 2 Propagation of SSH anomalies in the SW direction

Regression maps (lags) SST – PC 2

Zonal SSH EOFs SSH average zonally between 142°E-180° EOF 1: 52.98% EOF 2: 17.96% Taguchi et al, 2007 The second mode tracks very well with the strength of the KE jet The first mode represents a north- south shift of the KE jet

Lag correlation between NPGO index and Kuroshio zonal PC2 Strength of Kuroshio (Taguchi et al. 2007; Qiu et al., 2005) Isolated as the zonal PC 2 of SSHa field between E

NCEP wind stress curl vs NPGO

NCEP wind stress curl vs PDO

KOE SST index KOE SST index Qiu et al, 2007

GFDL SSHA EOFs

Regression maps (lags) SSH – PC 2

Zonal modes of KOE