Estimation of interannual and interdecadal variations of typhoon-induced primary production: A case study for the outer shelf of the East China Sea

Abstract

Using multiplatform satellite data and 13 typhoon passages from 1998 through 2004, an empirical relationship to assess typhoon-forced primary production (PP) enhancement in the outer shelf of the East China Sea is introduced. The constructed relationship requires variables of typhoon maximum sustained wind, typhoon transit speed and bottom depth of the location below the typhoon track. As this relationship does not require ocean color data, it enabled us to reconstruct the interannual and interdecadal variations of typhoon-forced PP enhancement from 2004 back to 1980. Typhoon-forced PP enhancements and typhoon contributions to summer-fall new production during El Niño years tended to be higher than those during La Niña years. Typhoon-enhanced PP also has shown a tendency to be higher during the 1991-2004 period than during the 1980-1990 one. The method we detail in this study is applicable for other tropical cyclone trajectory basins. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.