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| Pacific Gyre | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pacific Gyre |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Type | Gyre |
| Basin countries | United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Russia, Chile, Peru |
| Area | Approximate central basin area |
Pacific Gyre
The Pacific Gyre is a large, subtropical oceanic circulation feature in the Pacific Ocean that influences climate, ecology, and human activity across the North American and Asian rim. It links oceanographic processes observed by institutions such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to environmental issues studied by organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Wildlife Fund. Historically and contemporarily it has been a focus for expeditions by vessels such as NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, R/V Ka'imikai-o-Kanaloa, and research programs including the Global Ocean Observing System and the Argo program.
The Pacific Gyre occupies subtropical latitudes and is bounded by major currents including the Kuroshio Current, North Pacific Current, California Current, and North Equatorial Current. Its existence has been documented in classic studies by researchers affiliated with Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the University of Washington. The gyre interacts with climatic modes such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and teleconnections studied in relation to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments. Exploration and mapping efforts have involved projects like Ocean Exploration Trust, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and international collaborations under International Ocean Discovery Program frameworks.
The gyre is characterized by a broad anticyclonic circulation, a central zone of convergent surface waters, and a subsurface structure influenced by the North Pacific subtropical front. Measurements from satellites operated by NASA, European Space Agency, and arrays maintained by NOAA and JAMSTEC reveal sea surface height anomalies, wind stress curl, and mesoscale eddies generated in association with features identified by Jason (satellite), TOPEX/Poseidon, and Sentinel-3. Hydrographic sections collected by International Arctic Research Center collaborators show thermocline depths and salinity gradients consistent with datasets from the World Ocean Atlas and the Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Programme.
Wind forcing from the North Pacific High and interactions with boundary currents such as the Alaskan Current and the Oyashio Current drive the gyre's circulation. Eddy-resolving models developed at Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton University, and MIT reproduce features observed by moored arrays like TAO/TRITON and by drifters deployed in programs led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and University of Hawaii at Manoa. Seasonal variability ties to atmospheric patterns tracked by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the Japan Meteorological Agency, while long-term variability appears in reconstructions using data assimilated by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
The gyre modulates heat and carbon uptake documented in assessments coordinated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and studies published via National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It affects regional fisheries associated with California Current System species exploited by fleets from United States, Japan, Mexico, and Chile. Biogeochemical cycles within the gyre are linked to processes investigated by International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme and Joint Global Ocean Flux Study, influencing primary productivity relevant to research by PICES and programs such as CALCOFI.
Convergence zones within the gyre concentrate debris leading to accumulation areas widely known through campaigns by Ocean Cleanup, 5 Gyres Institute, and advocacy from Greenpeace. Scientific sampling by teams from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, CSIRO, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has quantified microplastic concentrations paralleling reports promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme and regulatory interest from bodies such as the International Maritime Organization. Studies published in journals and supported by grants from National Science Foundation and European Research Council document transport pathways influenced by the gyre and interactions with biota investigated by institutions including Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
The oligotrophic central gyre supports specialized communities including surface-associated organisms studied by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Migratory species such as Loggerhead sea turtle, Leatherback sea turtle, albatrosses, and pelagic fish like Bluefin tuna traverse gyre boundaries monitored by tagging programs run by Tagging of Pacific Predators and fisheries science by International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. Deep and mesopelagic fauna discovered in expeditions led by NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute expand knowledge of biodiversity patterns first cataloged during voyages like Voyage of the HMS Challenger.
Coastal and maritime stakeholders from United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Chile engage in resource management influenced by gyre-driven changes, using frameworks such as those from the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and regional initiatives by North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES). Policy responses involve agencies including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Japan Ministry of the Environment, and international agreements like discussions within the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Clean-up efforts and governance proposals have been advanced by non-governmental organizations such as Ocean Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and community groups in port cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Honolulu, and Tokyo.
Long-term monitoring of the gyre combines satellite altimetry from NASA and European Space Agency missions, autonomous profiling floats from the Argo network, and ship-based programs coordinated by International Ocean Discovery Program and national bodies like NOAA and JAMSTEC. Collaborative research projects involve universities including University of California, San Diego, Stanford University, University of Washington, University of Tokyo, and research institutes such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Scientific synthesis appears in forums like AGU Fall Meeting, Ocean Sciences Meeting, and publications supported by National Science Foundation and European Research Council grants.