Fig. 1

Temperature distribution and comparison between ROMS model data and MODIS satellite data in corresponding domain. a) Surface temperature field of model domain with horizontal resolution of 7.5 km (the black box area and the red box area respectively represent the nested areas with grid resolution of ?x≈1.5km and ?x≈500m); b) temperature (zonally averaged) distribution with latitude in the model data and MODIS satellite data; c) surface temperature field of model domain with horizontal resolution of 500 m (the three sub-domains shown in the white box are for the convenience of later analysis and comparison of the differences between the Kuroshio extensional flow axis domain and other domains); d) surface temperature field from MODIS satellite data. The temperature field in the model is averaged for eight days from April 21 to May 4, and satellite temperature field is averaged for eight days from April 21 to May 4, 2018."

Fig. 2

Horizontal velocity spectrum of model outputs and ADCP data. a) Average of 20~50m; b) average of 50~200m. The two dashed lines are the tidal frequencies of K1 and M2, respectively."

Fig. 3

Surface distribution of L(a) and surface distribution of K(b)"

Fig. 4

Surface distribution of anisotropy. a) Anisotropy with horizontal resolution of 0.5°; b) anisotropy represented by ellipse; c) latitudinally averaged anisotropy (the orange line is the anisotropy profile, and the blue line is the fitted profile)"

Tab. 1

Mean K, L and L/K in three regions"

Fig. 5

Vertical distributions of L (a), K (b) and L/K (longitudinal average) (c), and the change of the mean value of L/K with depth in three regions (d)"

Fig. 6

Distributions of Rossby number and Richardson number. a) Horizontal distribution of surface Rossby number; b) vertical distribution of Rossby number (absolute value); c) horizontal distribution of surface Richardson number; d) vertical distribution of Richardson number (absolute value). Time: 12:00 on April 28"

Fig. 7

Probability density function of Rossby number (time average) (a) and probability density function of Richardson number (time average) (b)"

Fig. 8

Correlation with Rossby number and Richardson number. a) Correlation between L and baroclinic Rossby number; b) correlation between K and baroclinic Rossby number; c) correlation between L/K and baroclinic Rossby number; d) correlation between L and Richardson number; e) correlation between K and Richardson number; f) correlation between L/K and Richardson number"