Introduction

During October 1993 to November 1995, we carried out direct current measurements of the Kuroshio along a line extending over 800 km from Cape Ashizuri of Shikoku, Japan to the south-southeast down to 25 °N. These observations were part of the Affiliated Surveys of the Kuroshio off Cape Ashizuri (ASUKA), designed to estimate the Kuroshio volume transport and to be combined with trans-Pacific hydrographic survey to estimate the net meridional heat transport of the North Pacific subtropical gyre.

ASUKA Array

    The ASUKA-line coincides with a track of the altimeter satellite Topex/Poseidon, which measures the sea surface height every 10 days along this track. During the observational period, repeated hydrographic surveys were carried out 42 times along the line. The results from these surveys are combined with those from current meters (CM) measurements.



    Nine moorings with 33 Aanderaa CMs, concentrated near the coast, were deployed on the line. The CMs were equipped at nominal depths of 700, 1500, and 3000 m, and just above the continental slope. The mooring stations are named as CM02 to CM10, from the coast to the offshore. We deployed those moorings in October 1993 to start the intensive survey, recovered them in September 1994, and deployed similar moorings, which were recovered in November 1995.

INTRODUCTION VARIABILITY
GEOSTROPHY TRANSPORT
SUMMARY
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