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The Pacific interior subtropical−tropical cells (STCs) and their relation to the two types of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are investigated by using GODAS reanalysis ocean data for the period of 1980–2017. The results show that the interior STC transport into the equatorial region across 9°S and 9°N has a close relationship with the eastern Pacific (EP) ENSO, while it is much weaker with the central Pacific (CP) ENSO. It is suggested that the effect of interior STCs on the tropical Pacific climate is reflected in its relation with the western Pacific thermocline depth or SSHA. During the EP El Nino, the anomalous interior STCs at 9°S and 9°N converge to the equatorial region from the lag months of − 25 to − 8, leading to an accumulation of heat content in the equatorial Pacific; from the lag months of − 8 to 10, they diverge poleward, inducing a discharge of equatorial heat content. The peak poleward interior STC anomaly first appears at 9°N at a zero-lag time, while that at 9°S is observed 4–5 months later. But there is also no appearance of a time lag between the interior STCs at 9°N and 9°S in recharging the period during the EP La Nina mature phase. However, during CP El Nino, only the conspicuous anomalous interior STC divergence appears during the mature and decay phases for the lag months of − 2 to 10, with being symmetric at 9°N and 9°S.

The spatiotemporal variability of equatorial Pacific upper ocean heat content (HC) and subsurface heat during two types of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), namely eastern and central Pacific (EP and CP) types, is investigated using subsurface ocean heat budget analysis. Results show that HC tendencies during both types of ENSO are mainly controlled by oceanic heat advection beneath the mixed layer to the thermocline, and the role of net surface heat flux can be neglected. The most important three terms are the zonal and vertical advections of anomalous heat by climatological currents (QU 0 T′, QW 0 T′) and zonal advection of climatological heat by anomalous current (QU′T 0). The large contribution of QU 0 T′ extends from west to east along the equatorial Pacific. The considerable contribution of QU′T 0 is confined to the east of 160°W, and that of the QW 0 T′ is observed in the central Pacific between 180°E and 120°W. In particular, a major contribution of QW 0 T′ is also observed in the far eastern Pacific east of 100°W during EP ENSO. There is also a small contribution from meridional advection of climatological heat by anomalous current (QV′T 0). In contrast, the meridional advection of anomalous heat by climatological currents (QV 0 T′) and vertical advection of climatological heat by anomalous current (QW′T 0) are two damping factors in the HC tendency, with the former dominating. Differences in spatial distribution of the heat advection associated with the two types of ENSO are also presented. We define a warm water heat index (WWH) as integrated heat content above 26 kg m−3 potential density (26σ ɵ ) isopycnal depth within 130°E–80°W and 5°S–5°N. Further examination suggests that the recharge–discharge of WWH is involved in both types of El Nino, though with some differences. First, it takes about 42 (55) months for the evolution of a recharge–discharge cycle during an EP (CP) ENSO. Second, the EP El Nino event peaks during the discharge phase, 7–8 months after the recharge time. The CP El Nino peaks during the recharge phase, 4–5 months before the recharge time. The locations of HC anomalies in the El Nino mature phase relative to those at recharged time explain why the EP and CP El Nino peak in different stages of the recharge–discharge process.

Decadal variations of the transport and bifurcation latitude of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) in the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean over 1959–2011 are investigated using outputs of the Ocean Analysis/Reanalysis System 3 prepared by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The results indicate that the NEC transports at different longitudes have different decadal fluctuations, which are strongest around 139°E. The NEC bifurcation latitude (NBL) has its largest decadal variations around 150 m. Extremes of the decadal NEC transport and NBL before 1975 correspond to different circulation anomalies from those after 1975. The regression map against decadal NBL exhibits negative sea surface height (SSH) anomalies and a cyclonic gyre anomaly over the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean, while that against the decadal NEC transport exhibits a dipole structure, with positive/negative SSH anomalies to the north/south of about 13°N. Furthermore, decadal variations of the NEC transport and NBL over the whole period have different correlations with Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability (TPDV). Generally, the decadal NEC transport shows higher correlations with PDO than with TPDV, while the NBL has higher correlations with TPDV than with PDO. The high correlation of decadal NEC transport with PDO mainly comes from that of its northern branch with PDO, while its southern branch shows higher correlation with TPDV.

In this work, the vertical structure and variability along the western boundary of the Philippines are investigated using direct observations from acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), Doppler volume sampler (DVS) and Aanderaa Seaguard instruments, which are mounted on a subsurface mooring deployed at 8°N, 127°3′E. In climatology, the southward Mindanao Current (MC) and northward Mindanao Undercurrent (MUC) play a dominant role in the upper layer. The mean currents at 1200 and 3500 m flow northward, whereas those at 2500 and 5600 m flow equatorward. The power spectral density (PSD) shows that an intraseasonal signal of 60–80 days is common from the sea surface to the bottom. The semiannual signals are strongest in the MUC layer, and the amplitude then decreases with depth to 3500 m. The seasonal variability at 2500 and 5600 m is similar between the two depths, suggesting a southward current in winter and northward flow in autumn. The current at 3500 m exhibits a northward direction in spring and southward flow in winter. In addition, the linear correlations between mooring data and altimetry products indicate that the variations in surface meridional currents along the western boundary of the Pacific Ocean can reach the bottom via low-frequency processes. The vertical-mode decomposition for observations indicates that the first four modes can effectively capture the original data. The relative contributions of different modes exhibit seasonal variability. The first baroclinic mode plays a dominant role in spring and autumn. In winter and summer, its contribution decreases and becomes comparable to that of the other modes.

A mooring was deployed east of Mindanao Island at 8°N, 127°3′E from December 2010 to August 2014 to collect direct measurements of the Mindanao Current (MC). The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) fixed on the main float shows that the MC is a strong and stable southward flow with a standard deviation less than 21 cm/s in the upper 500 m. The core flows between depths of 50 and 100 m with a maximum mean speed of 78 cm/s at 100 m. The seasonal variability of MC varies interannually and is depth-dependent. Although it takes a double-peak structure in the upper 200 m with two maxima in April and June and one minimum in October, the MC velocity has its maximum during boreal summer (June) and a minimum in autumn (September) when a 100-day low-pass filter is applied to remove intraseasonal signals. The semiannual signals are mainly limited between 200 and 350 m. The Asian monsoon intensifies the wind-driven sea-surface height anomaly (SSHA) east of Mindanao Island, and the resulting sharp slope induces meridional flow with large variability. Rossby waves and the boundary effect weaken the contribution of wind, stabilizing the flow of MC. The MC is determined by the zonal gradient of the SSHA rather than the SSHA itself, suggesting a possible inconsistency in seasonality between the Mindanao Eddy (ME) and MC. The semiannual ME signal plays an important role in the seasonal variability of MC.

Interannual variability and 16-year trend of the Pacific North Equatorial Current (NEC) are examined using repeated shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (SAD-CP) measurements in the upper 200-mlayer along 137 degrees E from 1993 until 2008 and compared with previous results inferred from hydrological and satellite data. Interannual variability of the NEC is prominent and tied to the Nino 3.4 index but lags the latter by 6 months. We find that the average NEC transport under El Nino conditions is 68 Sv and greater than that under La Nina conditions (59 Sv). Their relationship, however, involves decadal difference: the correlation coefficient is statistically significant between 2000 and 2008, but non-significant during 1993-1999. Composite analysis suggests that the change of wind response to El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) from the 1990s to 2000s might account for the difference in NEC-ENSO relationships between the past two decades. We also find that the NEC transport has intensified in the past 16 years and present the vertical structure of the NEC trend. But it is shown that the NEC enhancement is slightly canceled by the anomalous eastward Ekman current in the Ekman layer due to the strengthened northward wind stress above the NEC. Possible uncertainties related to the resolution of the data are discussed.