副热带环流系统(或副热带流涡,Subtropical Gyre)是世界大洋总环流最显著的特征之一。长期以来,人们认为它是一个由单一的顺时针转动(北半球情况)的环流系统(即“单涡”)所组成,其西边界海流(如黑潮或湾流)强而窄,东边界海流(如加利福尼亚海流或Canary流)弱而宽,内区则为微弱的西向流且少变化。70年代发现大洋内区存在着强有力的中尺度涡这一现象剧烈地动摇了人们对大洋环流结构的传统认识。这确实是 The Subtropical Gyre (or Subtropical Gyre) is one of the most prominent features of the world’s ocean general circulation. For a long time, it was thought to consist of a single circling system (“single vortex”) with clockwise rotation (in the Northern Hemisphere). Its western boundary current (such as the Kuroshio or Gulf Stream) is strong and narrow, while the eastern boundary current Such as California currents or Canary currents) are weaker and wider, while the inner regions are weakly westward and less variable. In the 1970s, the discovery of a strong mesoscale vortex in the interior of the ocean drastically shattered the traditional understanding of the structure of the ocean circulation. This is indeed