Using hydrographic data sampled during four successive late summer-early autumn cruises in 2004-2007, vertical stratification along transects in the lee of Taiwan Island was analyzed to investigate upper ocean responses to orographically induced dipole wind stress curl (WSC). Results indicate that mixed-layer depth (MLD) and its relationship with thermocline depth varied under different local wind forcings. Average MLD along the transects from the 2004 to 2007 cruises were 18.5,30.7,39.2 and 24.5m, respectively. The MLD along the transects deepened remarkably and resulted in thermocline ventilation in 2005 and 2006, whereas ventilation did not occur in 2004 and 2007. Estimates indicate that frictional wind speed was the major factor in MLD variations. To a large degree, the combined effects of frictional wind speed and Ekman pumping are responsible for the spatial pattern of MLD during the cruises.
