The Kuroshio and Oyashio are the major western boundary currents in the North Pacific Ocean. Multiscale physical processes in the Kuroshio, Oyashio and their extensions significantly impact the air-sea exchanges, seawater geochemistry and marine ecosystems, making these regions highly complex and dynamic among global oceans. For example, the Kuroshio Extension is a biological ‘hotspot’ for carbon cycling and acts as one of the major net sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide. While large-scale advection of Kuroshio and Oyashio laterally affects seawater chemistry and physical property, local mesoscale and submesoscale processes (e.g., eddies, fronts and filaments) exert important influences on the vertical transport of heat and nutrients. In addition to physical and geochemical controls, biological activity also plays a critical role in biogeochemical cycling such as carbon cycling in these regions.
This Research Topic aims to improve our current understanding of oceanographic processes and dynamics in the Kuroshio, Oyashio, their extensions and adjacent regions based on interdisciplinary research. Latest physical, chemical, biological, and/or ecological observations will provide new insights into the spatial and temporal variabilities of dominant processes in these areas. The integration of physics, chemistry and ecology can further help to constrain the coupling and controls of physical-biogeochemical processes in these dynamic systems.
This Research Topic welcomes all biogeochemical, ecological and biophysical research in the Kuroshio, Oyashio, their extensions or areas impacted by these currents. Interdisciplinary studies across borders are highly encouraged. The topics of this Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Air-sea interactions and gas exchange
• Spatial and temporal variabilities of organic matter and greenhouse gases
• Environmental control of biogeochemical processes
• Carbon, nitrogen, sulfur cycling and biogeochemical models
• Coupling of physical dynamics and biogeochemical cycles
• Microbes, phytoplankton, ecology and ecosystems
The Kuroshio and Oyashio are the major western boundary currents in the North Pacific Ocean. Multiscale physical processes in the Kuroshio, Oyashio and their extensions significantly impact the air-sea exchanges, seawater geochemistry and marine ecosystems, making these regions highly complex and dynamic among global oceans. For example, the Kuroshio Extension is a biological ‘hotspot’ for carbon cycling and acts as one of the major net sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide. While large-scale advection of Kuroshio and Oyashio laterally affects seawater chemistry and physical property, local mesoscale and submesoscale processes (e.g., eddies, fronts and filaments) exert important influences on the vertical transport of heat and nutrients. In addition to physical and geochemical controls, biological activity also plays a critical role in biogeochemical cycling such as carbon cycling in these regions.
This Research Topic aims to improve our current understanding of oceanographic processes and dynamics in the Kuroshio, Oyashio, their extensions and adjacent regions based on interdisciplinary research. Latest physical, chemical, biological, and/or ecological observations will provide new insights into the spatial and temporal variabilities of dominant processes in these areas. The integration of physics, chemistry and ecology can further help to constrain the coupling and controls of physical-biogeochemical processes in these dynamic systems.
This Research Topic welcomes all biogeochemical, ecological and biophysical research in the Kuroshio, Oyashio, their extensions or areas impacted by these currents. Interdisciplinary studies across borders are highly encouraged. The topics of this Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Air-sea interactions and gas exchange
• Spatial and temporal variabilities of organic matter and greenhouse gases
• Environmental control of biogeochemical processes
• Carbon, nitrogen, sulfur cycling and biogeochemical models
• Coupling of physical dynamics and biogeochemical cycles
• Microbes, phytoplankton, ecology and ecosystems