Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise

Abstract East Asian marginal seas (EAMS) circulation is closely configurated by sea level rise during the last deglaciation. Here, we perform simulations to reconstruct the EAMS circulation on the basis of sea levels from −90 to 0 m of the present, using a high-resolution regional ocean circulation...

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Main Authors: Xun Gong, Yang Yu, Xuefa Shi, Xiaopei Lin, Guangliang Liu, Zhi Dong, Xuesong Wang, Jiong Zheng, Lester Lembke-Jene, Gerrit Lohmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00927-y
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author Xun Gong
Yang Yu
Xuefa Shi
Xiaopei Lin
Guangliang Liu
Zhi Dong
Xuesong Wang
Jiong Zheng
Lester Lembke-Jene
Gerrit Lohmann
author_facet Xun Gong
Yang Yu
Xuefa Shi
Xiaopei Lin
Guangliang Liu
Zhi Dong
Xuesong Wang
Jiong Zheng
Lester Lembke-Jene
Gerrit Lohmann
author_sort Xun Gong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract East Asian marginal seas (EAMS) circulation is closely configurated by sea level rise during the last deglaciation. Here, we perform simulations to reconstruct the EAMS circulation on the basis of sea levels from −90 to 0 m of the present, using a high-resolution regional ocean circulation model under present-day fixed surface and lateral boundary conditions. Our results show that the EAMS circulation underwent twice abrupt changes: a rapid initiation of its modern structure when sea level rise exceeded −40 m, followed by a temporary overshoot of the Japan-Sea throughflows at −5 m. These nonlinear processes are caused by the opening of the Soya Strait and thus formation of the modern EAMS-circulation structure, and a transient absence of the circulation resembling a Kuroshio Large Meander following around-island integral constraint, respectively. Conceptually, our findings introduce the around-island integral constraint on abrupt shift in the global marginal-sea circulation during the last deglaciation.
format Article
id doaj-art-737a09d0e2db4af5b85bb9e153293e4e
institution DOAJ
issn 2397-3722
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
spelling doaj-art-737a09d0e2db4af5b85bb9e153293e4e2025-08-20T03:04:18ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-03-01811710.1038/s41612-025-00927-yThresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level riseXun Gong0Yang Yu1Xuefa Shi2Xiaopei Lin3Guangliang Liu4Zhi Dong5Xuesong Wang6Jiong Zheng7Lester Lembke-Jene8Gerrit Lohmann9Key Laboratory of Computing Power Network and Information Security, Ministry of Education, Shandong Computer Science Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences)CAS Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, and Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory for Marine Geology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center Frontier Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System (FDOMES) and Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of ChinaKey Laboratory of Computing Power Network and Information Security, Ministry of Education, Shandong Computer Science Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences)Laboratory for Marine Geology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology CenterInstitute for Advanced Marine Research, China University of GeosciencesInstitute for Advanced Marine Research, China University of GeosciencesAlfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und MeeresforschungAlfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und MeeresforschungAbstract East Asian marginal seas (EAMS) circulation is closely configurated by sea level rise during the last deglaciation. Here, we perform simulations to reconstruct the EAMS circulation on the basis of sea levels from −90 to 0 m of the present, using a high-resolution regional ocean circulation model under present-day fixed surface and lateral boundary conditions. Our results show that the EAMS circulation underwent twice abrupt changes: a rapid initiation of its modern structure when sea level rise exceeded −40 m, followed by a temporary overshoot of the Japan-Sea throughflows at −5 m. These nonlinear processes are caused by the opening of the Soya Strait and thus formation of the modern EAMS-circulation structure, and a transient absence of the circulation resembling a Kuroshio Large Meander following around-island integral constraint, respectively. Conceptually, our findings introduce the around-island integral constraint on abrupt shift in the global marginal-sea circulation during the last deglaciation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00927-y
spellingShingle Xun Gong
Yang Yu
Xuefa Shi
Xiaopei Lin
Guangliang Liu
Zhi Dong
Xuesong Wang
Jiong Zheng
Lester Lembke-Jene
Gerrit Lohmann
Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
title_full Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
title_fullStr Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
title_full_unstemmed Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
title_short Thresholds in East Asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
title_sort thresholds in east asian marginal seas circulation due to deglacial sea level rise
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00927-y
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