Impact of the South China Sea Throughflow on the Pacific Low-Latitude Western Boundary Current:A Numerical Study for Seasonal and Interannual Time Scales

Prior studies have revealed that,as a part of the Pacific tropical gyre,the South China Sea throughflow（SCSTF） is strongly influenced by the Pacific low-latitude western boundary current（LLWBC）.In this study,ocean general circulation model（OGCM） experiments with and without connection to the South China Sea（SCS） were performed to investigate the impact of the SCSTF on the Pacific LLWBC.These model experiments show that if the SCS is blocked,seasonal variability of the Kuroshio and Mindanao Current becomes stronger,and the meridional migration of the North Equatorial Current（NEC） bifurcation latitude is enhanced.Both in seasonal and interannual time scales,stronger Luzon Strait transport（LST） induces a stronger Kuroshio transport combined with a southward shift of the NEC bifurcation,which is unfavorable for a further increase of the LST;a weaker LST induces a weaker Kuroshio transport and a northward shifting NEC bifurcation,which is also unfavorable for the continuous decrease of the LST.

Net-phytoplankton communities in the Western Boundary Currents and their environmental correlations

This study investigated net-phytoplankton biomass, species composition, the phytoplankton abundance horizontal distribution, and the correlations between net-phytoplankton communities and mesoscale structure that were derived from the net samples taken from the Western Boundary Currents during summer, 2014. A total of 199 phytoplankton species belonging to 61 genera in four phyla were identified. The dominant species included C limacodium frauenfeldianum, Thalassiothrix longissima, Rhizosolenia styliformis var. styliformis, Pyrocystis noctiluca, Ceratium trichoceros, and Trichodesmium thiebautii. Four phytoplankton communities were divided by cluster analysis and the clusters were mainly associated with the North Equatorial Counter Current(NECC), the North Equatorial Current(NEC), the Subtropical Counter Current(STCC), and the Luzon Current(LC), respectively. The lowest phytoplankton cell abundance and the highest T richodesmium filament abundance were recorded in the STCC region. The principal component analysis showed that T. thiebautii preferred warm and nutrient poor water. There was also an increase in phytoplankton abundance and biomass near 5°N in the NECC region, where they benefit from upwellings and eddies.

A review on the South China Sea western boundary current

The advances in understanding the South China Sea （SCS） western boundary current （SCSwbc） have been reviewed since the works of Dale （1956） and Wyrtki （1961） in the middle of the 20th century. The features of the pattern of SCSwbc and the oceanic phenomena associated with it are focused on. The current is driven mainly by monsoon over the SCS and partially by winds over the tropical Pacific governed by the island rule. The SCSwbc exhibits strong seasonal variation in its direction and patterns. In winter, the current is strong and flows southwestward along the South China shelf and slope from the east of Dongsha Islands to the northern central Vietnamese coast, then turns to the south along the central and southern Vietnamese coast, and finally partially exits the SCS through the Karimata Strait. In summer and early fall, the SCSwbc can be divided into three segments based on their characteristics. The southern segment is stable, flowing northward from the Karimata Strait up to about 11 N, where it separates from the coast forming an eastward offshore current. The separation of the current from Vietnamese coast induces some striking features, such as upwelling and cold sea-surface temperature. The middle segment off the central Vietnamese coast may have a bimodal behavior： northward coastal current and meandering current in early summer （June–July）, and cyclonic gyre in later summer and early fall （August–September）. The northern segment is featured by the summer SCS Warm Current on the South China shelf and a southwestward subsurface current along the continental slope.

The winter western boundary current of the South China Sea:physical structure and volume transport in December 1998

The unique survey in December 1998 mapped the entire western boundary area of the South China Sea（SCS）,which reveals the three-dimensional structure and huge volume transport of the swift and narrow winter western boundary current of the SCS（SCSwwbc） in full scale. The current is found to flow all the way from the shelf edge off Hong Kong to the Sunda Shelf with a width around 100 km and a vertical scale of about 400 m. It appears to be the strongest off the Indo-China Peninsula, where its volume transport reached over 20×10~6 m^3/s. The current is weaker upstream in the northern SCS to the west of Hong Kong. A Kuroshio loop or detached eddy intruded through the Luzon Strait is observed farther east where the SCSwwbc no more exists. The results suggest that during the survey the SCSwwbc was fed primarily by the interior recirculation of the SCS rather than by the＂branching＂ of the Kuroshio from the Luzon Strait as indicated by surface drifters, which is likely a near-surface phenomenon and only contributes a minor part to the total transport of the SCSwwbc. Several topics related to the SCSwwbc are also discussed.

Migration of mesoscale eddies across a leaping or penetrating western boundary current in the vicinity of a gap

A 1.5-layer quasi-geostrophic reduced gravity ocean circulation model is used to study the propagation of mesoscale eddies across a western boundary current(WBC) either leaping across or penetrating in an anti-cyclonic path through the gap. The steady leaping WBC nearly blocks all eddies from propagating across it through the gap completely. However, both cyclonic and anti-cyclonic eddies can migrate across a penetrating WBC in the vicinity of a gap, while inducing an opposite type of eddies on the cyclonic side of the WBC by weakening or strengthening the intrusion of the WBC. Both type of eddies gained strength from the WBC in the course of the propagation across the WBC in the gap. Eddies approaching the gap from the upstream are found to migrate more easily into the western basin due to the advection of the WBC. The migration speeds of the eddies are almost unchanged by the presence of the WBC in all experiments.

The western South China Sea currents from measurements by Argo profiling floats during October to December 2007

The three dimensional structure of the western boundary current east of the Vietnam coast was determined from measurements by Argo profiling floats which deployed near the east of the Vietnam Coast in October 2007. The trajectories of the Argo floats provided robust evidence that there does exist southward flowing current along the Vietnam coast. The southward current begins at about 15°N, 111°E, flowing along the 1 000 m isobath and extending to 5°N south. The estimated surface and parking depth velocities obtained from the floats suggest that this southward current can extend to 1 000 m depth. The mean surface velocity of the western boundary current is about 49 cm/s, with the maximum speed exceeding 100 cm/s occurring at 11.6°N, 109.5°E in the direction of 245°. The mean parking depth （1 000 m） velocity is 12-16 cm/s with the maximum speed of 36 cm/s occurring at 12.1°N, 109.7°E in the direction of 239°. The water mass analysis suggests that the Kuroshio surface water and NPIW are not apparent in the western boundary current although this time was the favored season for the Kuroshio intrusion into Luzon Strait. The mean geostrophic currents suggest that the Kuroshio intrusion into Luzon Strait during October to December 2007 is very weak, as most of the intruding water was carried eastward at 14°N near the western boundary and little flowed southward along the western boundary, providing an explanation for the absence of Kuroshio surface water and NPIW in the water mass analysis. There is a strong cyclonic circulation in the SSCS during this time, which induces a strong mixing in the western boundary companied by a homogeneous salinity layer between 300 600 m in the salinity vertical distribution. No reversal undercurrent occurred at the intermediate depth along the western boundary east of the Vietnam coast during October to December 200%

Hysteresis of a periodic or leaking western boundary current flowing by a gap

A 1.5-layer quasi-geostrophic reduced gravity model is used to study the hysteresis of a periodic or leaking western boundary current(WBC) flowing by a gap. When the periods of the WBC variations are much longer than the Rossby adjustment time scales of the circulation in the vicinity of the gap, the Hopf bifurcations during the Reincrease and Re-decrease loops are delayed to produce a new domain of hysteresis of the Reynolds numbers, and the critical Reynolds numbers of the WBC regime transitions change significantly, with the domain of the hysteresis Reynolds number larger for shorter periodic forcing. When the periods of the WBC variations are comparable to those of the Rossby adjustment time scales of the circulation in the vicinity of the gap, the WBC path inside the gap becomes periodic without hysteresis. The intrusion of the WBC into the western basin generally gets smaller as the period decreases. In addition, the partial leakage of the WBC transport through the gap into the western basin is found to have significant impact on the hysteresis loop of the WBC path when the leaked transport is larger than 1/2 of the WBC. Both the intrusion extent and the critical Reynolds numbers of the WBC regime transition are changed, and the larger the throughflow transport, the larger the change.

Reversal process of the South China Sea western boundary current in autumn 2011

Using merged sea level anomaly and absolute geostrophic velocity products from satellite altimetry and Argos drifter data, we analyzed the reversal process of the South China Sea （SCS） westem boundary current （SCSwbc） from a summer to winter pattern in 2011 and important oceanic phenomena during this process. Results show that the outbreak time of the northeast monsoon over the southern SCS lagged that over the northern SCS by about 1 month. During the SCS monsoon reversal period, the SCSwbc reversed rapidly into the winter pattern at the Guangdong continental slope in late September. Subsequently, the southward Vietnam coastal boundary current strengthened. However, the northward Natuna Current maintained a summer state until mid-October. Thus, the balance between the southward and northward currents was lost when they met, their junction moved gradually southward. However, a loop current formed southeast of Vietnam because the main stream of the Vietnam Offshore Current （VOC） remained near its original latitude, Meanwhile, the VOC and associated dipole circulation system strengthened. After mid- October, the northward Natuna Current began to weaken, the loop current finally shed, becoming a cool ring. The VOC and its associated dipole sub-basin circulation system also weakened gradually until it disappeared.

Circulation and Heat Flux along the Western Boundary of the North Pacific

On the basis of the conductivity temperature depth(CTD)observation data off the coast of the Philippines(7.5°–18°N,130°E–the east coast of the Philippines)in the fall of 2005,the water mass distribution,geostrophic flow field,and heat budget are examined.Four water masses are present:the North Pacific Tropical Surface Water,the North Pacific Sub-surface Water,the North Pacific Intermediate Water,and the Antarctic Intermediate Water(AAIW).The previous three corresponded with the North Equatorial Current(NEC),the Kuroshio Current(KC),and the Mindanao Current(MC),respectively.AAIW is the source of the Mindanao Undercurrent.The mass transport of NEC,KC,and MC is 58.7,15,and 27.95Sv,respectively(relative to 1500db).NEC can be balanced by the transport across the whole transect 18°N(31.81 Sv)and 7.5°N(26.11 Sv)but not simply by KC and MC.Direct calculation is used to study the heat flux.In sum,1.45PW heat is transported outwards the observed region,which is much more than that released from the ocean to the air at the surface(0.05PW).The net heat lost decreased the water temperature by 0.75℃each month on average,and the trend agreed well with the SST change.Vertically,the heat transported by the currents is mainly completed in the upper 500 m.

Numerical Study on the Bifurcation of the North Equatorial Current

A 1.5-layer reduced-gravity model forced by wind stress is used to study the bifurcations of the North Equatorial Current(NEC).The authors found that after removing the Ekman drift,the modelled circulations can serve well as a proxy of the SODA circulations on the σθ=25.0 kg m～-3 potential density surface based on available long-term reanalysis wind stress data.The modelled results show that the location of the western boundary bifurcation of the NEC depends on both zonal averaged and local zero wind stress curl latitude.The effects of the anomalous wind stress curl added in different areas are also investigated and it is found that they can change the strength of the Mindanao Eddy(ME),and then influence the interior pathway.

NONLINEAR DYNAMICAL ANALYSIS OF BIFURCATION AND CONFLUENCE OF THE PACIFIC WESTERN BOUNDARY CURRENTS

In this paper, we analyze the bifurcation and the confluence of the Pacific western boundary currents by an analytical approach. Applying the conservation law, the geostrophic balance relation and the Bernoulli integral to a reduced gravity model, we get a quantitative relation for the outflow and the inflow, and establish the related formulae for the width and the veering angle of offshore currents under the inflow condition. Furthermore, a comparison between the volume transport based on the observation data and the analytical value for the Pacific western boundary currents is presented, which validates the theoretical analysis.

Multi-decadal trends in the tropical Pacific western boundary currents retrieved from historical hydrological observations

As large-scale ocean circulation is a key regulator in the redistribution of oceanic energy, evaluating the multi-decadal trends in the western Pacific Ocean circulation under global warming is essential for not only understanding the basic physical processes but also predicting future climate change in the western Pacific. Employing the hydrological observations of World Ocean Atlas 2018(WOA18) from 1955 to 2017, this study calculated the geostrophic currents, volume transport and multidecadal trends for the North Equatorial Current(NEC), the North Equatorial Countercurrent(NECC), the Mindanao Current(MC), the Kuroshio Current(KC) in the origin and the New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent(NGCUC) within tropical western Pacific Ocean over multi-decades. Furthermore, this study examined the contributions of temperature and salinity variations. The results showed significant strengthening trends in NEC, MC and NGCUC over the past six decades, which is mainly contributed by temperature variations and consistent with the tendency in the dynamic height pattern. Zonal wind stress averaged over the western Pacific Ocean in the same latitude of each current represents the decadal variation and multi-decadal trends in corresponding ocean currents, indicating that the trade wind forcing plays an important role in the decadal trend in the tropical western Pacific circulation. Uncertainties in the observed hydrological data and trends in the currents over the tropical western Pacific are also discussed. Given that the WOA18 dataset covers most of the historical hydrological sampling data for the tropical western Pacific, this paper provides important observational information on the multi-decadal trend of the large-scale ocean circulation in the western Pacific.

Circulation in the South China Sea is in a state of forced oscillation:Results from a simple reduced gravity model with a closed boundary

The South China Sea(SCS)is a narrow semi-enclosed basin,ranging from 4°–6°N to 21°–22°N meridionally.It is forced by a strong annual cycle of monsoon-related wind stress.The Coriolis parameter f increases at least three times from the southern basin to the northern basin.As a result,the basin-cross time for the first baroclinic Rossby wave in the southern part of the basin is about 10-times faster than that in the northern part,which plays the most vitally important role in setting the circulation.At the northernmost edge of SCS,the first baroclinic Rossby wave takes slightly less than 1 year to move across the basin,however,it takes only 1–2 months in the southernmost part.Therefore,circulation properties for a station in the model ocean are not solely determined by the forcing at that time instance only;instead,they depend on the information over the past months.The combination of a strong annual cycle of wind forcing and large difference of basin-cross time for the first baroclinic Rossby wave leads to a strong seasonal cycle of the circulation in the SCS,hence,the circulation is dominated by the forced oscillations,rather than the quasi-steady state discussed in many textbooks.The circulation in the SCS is explored in detail by using a simple reduced gravity model forced by seasonally varying zonal wind stress.In particular,for a given time snap the western boundary current in the SCS cannot play the role of balancing mass transport across each latitude nor balancing mechanical energy and vorticity in the whole basin.In a departure from the steady wind-driven circulation discussed in many existing textbooks,the circulation in the SCS is characterized by the imbalance of mechanical energy and vorticity for the whole basin at any part of the seasonal cycle.In particular,the western boundary current in the SCS cannot balance the mass,mechanical energy,and vorticity in the seasonal cycle of the basin.Consequently,the circulation near the western boundary cannot be interpreted in terms of the wind stress and thermohaline forcing at the same time.Instead,circulation properties near the western boundary should be interpreted in terms of the contributions due to the delayed wind stress and the eastern boundary layer thickness.In fact,there is a clear annual cycle of net imbalance of mechanical energy and vorticity source/sink.Results from such a simple model may have important implications for our understanding of the complicated phenomena in the SCS,either from in-situ observations or numerical simulations.

北太平洋低纬度西边界流系湍流混合的微观结构测量和参数化方法评估

湍流混合在调控海洋垂向物质、能量交换以及气候变化中都起着重要作用,尤其是在北太平洋低纬度西边界流系,湍流混合通过调节温跃层及海气相互作用,在西太平洋暖池结构及演化和厄尔尼诺与南方涛动的发生、发展中都起着关键作用。然而,由于湍流观测的高风险性和高费船时特征,直接的湍流观测资料非常稀缺,因此,对该海域的湍流混合认知大多数来自细尺度参数化估计。鉴于湍流的高时变特征及该海域海洋环流结构的复杂性及西边界流区动力环境的特殊性,验证不同细尺度参数化方法对该海域湍流估算的适用性对于我们准确了解该海域的垂向混合特征、提升其在数值模拟的精度具有重要作用。本研究利用2020年9月在北太平洋低纬度西边界流系沿130°E,10°~18°N进行的直接的微结构观测剖面仪和同期获取的细尺度温盐流测量,研究该海域湍流混合的特征及两种常用的参数化方法--GHP(Gregg-Henyey-Polzin)参数化方法、MG(MacKinnon-Gregg)参数化方法在该海域的适用性。观测结果表明,该海域上200 m湍流混合总体较强,直接观测得到的平均湍动能耗散率约为10^(-8)W/kg。在温跃层中,某些站点观测的湍动能耗散率可达10^(-7)W/kg,特别是在14°N附近,24.5σθ与25.5σθ之间发现一块强湍动能耗散区,初步分析表明其机制与全日内潮的参数化次谐波不稳定有关。参数化评估结果显示,MG方法与观测值相差0.5个数量级的比例为95%,而基于应变的GHP方法和基于剪切的GHP方法与观测值相差0.5个数量级的比例分别为55%和58%,表明MG方法能较好地估算低纬度西边界流系的湍流混合特征并在水平分布和垂直分布表现出一致的分布特征。该评价结果可为研究人员选择细尺度参数化来探讨北太平洋低纬度西边界流系湍流混合的强度和空间分布提供有益参考。

基于再分析产品的西边界流趋势分析及其与北极海冰的联系

黑潮和湾流是北半球重要的西边界流,其趋势演变对海气相互作用有关键性影响。由于观测时空覆盖不足和数值模式精度有限,当前准确表征黑潮和湾流的趋势变化面临较大挑战。利用两套海洋再分析产品(CORAv2.0和GREP数据集),从路径和强度两方面进行了1993-2016年黑潮和湾流变化的趋势分析,并结合北极海冰观测数据及地球系统模式研究了北极海冰对黑潮和湾流趋势演变的影响。结果显示两套海洋再分析产品均反映出70°W以东区域湾流存在减弱趋势,且在56°W以东湾流路径随时间向赤道方向移动。CORAv2.0数据显示黑潮出现明显增强趋势;而GREP数据中黑潮强度只在日本以东区域增强,140°E以东黑潮路径向极地方向移动。两套海洋再分析产品中黑潮(湾流)流速与观测的秋季北极海冰面积存在显著负(正)相关关系。通过地球系统模式设计北极海冰扰动试验,发现北极海冰消融导致的黑潮增强模态与CORAv2.0数据显示的黑潮速度趋势十分吻合,并且模拟得到的湾流响应也与两套海洋再分析产品的趋势分析相一致,即北极海冰消融使黑潮增强,湾流减弱,并且湾流的路径向赤道方向移动。研究结果为厘清西边界流长期变化趋势与作用机制提供参考依据,同时也反映出海洋再分析产品在西边界流趋势分析中较高的应用价值。

Progress of regional oceanography study associated with western boundary current in the South China Sea

Recent progress of physical oceanography in the South China Sea (SCS) associated with the western boundary current (WBC) and eddies is reviewed in this paper. It includes Argo observations of the WBC, eddy detection in the WBC based on satellite images, cross-continental shelf exchange in the WBC, eddy-current interaction, interannual variability of the WBC, air-sea interaction, the SCS throughflow (SCSTF), among others. The WBC in the SCS is strong, and its structure, variability and dynamic processes on seasonal and interannual time scales are yet to be fully understood. In this paper, we summarize progresses on the variability of the WBC, eddy-current interaction, air-sea interaction, and the SCSTF achieved in the past few years. Firstly, using the drifting buoy observations, we point out that the WBC becomes stronger and narrower after it reaches the central Vietnam coast. The possible mechanisms influencing the ocean circulation in the northern SCS are discussed, and the dynamic mechanisms that induce the countercurrent in the region of northern branch of WBC in winter are also studied quantitatively using momentum balance. The geostropic component of the WBC was diagnosed using the ship observation along 18°N, and we found that the WBC changed significantly on interannual time scale. Secondly, using the ship observations, two anti-cyclonic eddies in the winter of 2003/2004 in the northern SCS, and three anti-cyclonic eddies in the summer of 2007 along 18°N were studied. The results show that the two anti-cyclonic eddies can propagate southwestward along the continental shelf at the speed of first Rossby wave (～0.1 ms-1 ) in winter, and the interaction between the three anti-cyclonic eddies in summer and the WBC in the SCS is preliminarily revealed. Eddies on the continental shelf of northern SCS propagated southeastward with a maximum speed of 0.09 ms-1 , and those to the east of Vietnam coast had the largest kinetic energy, both of which imply strong interaction between eddy activity and WBC in the SCS. Thirdly, strong intraseasonal variability (ISV) of sea surface temperature (SST) near the WBC regions was found, and the ISV signal of SST in winter weakens the ISV signal of latent heat flux by 20%. Fourthly, the long-term change of SCSTF volume transport and its connection with the ocean circulation in the Pacific were discussed.

On the Instabilities and Transitions of the Western Boundary Current

We study the stability and dynamic transitions of the western boundary currents in a rectangular closed basin.By reducing the infinite dynamical system to a finite dimensional one via center manifold reduction,we derive a non-dimensional transition number that determines the types of dynamical transition.We show by careful numerical evaluation of the transition number that both continuous transitions(supercritical Hopf bifurcation)and catastrophic transitions(subcritical Hopf bifurcation)can happen at the critical Reynolds number,depending on the aspect ratio and stratification.The regions separating the continuous and catastrophic transitions are delineated on the parameter plane.

南海西边界ADCP观测海流的垂直结构

采用多种数据处理方法,分析了南海西南陆架西边界处定点连续观测站上的海流记录。正压潮流的调和分析结果表明该海域以日周期潮流为主,潮流椭圆随深度旋转。去潮后流速垂直结构的奇异值分解(SVD)证实观测点的流速结构存在不同的垂向模态,第一模态对应平均流的变化部分,第二模态含有倾向性变化部分,双日周期变化在各个模态中均较明显。对各观测层流速进行小波分析,进一步发现观测流的频率构成具有垂向变频和同一层次频率漂移的特征。

北太平洋西边界流研究综述

综述了近20年来国内外学者在研究北太平洋西边界流的平均结构及NEC分叉动力机制、NM K流系平均输运的分配及变化、NM K流系季节及年际变化规律及其与EN SO之间的关系、NM K流系在热带和亚热带水交换中的作用以及水团的平均分布特征等方面所取得的主要成果。通过分析,发现东亚季风、R ossby波和K e lv in波等是影响北太平洋西边界流的主要因素;而缺乏长期直接的海流观测资料是深入研究北太平洋西边界流遇到的最大障碍。

ENSO循环相联系的北太平洋低纬度异常西边界流

用SODA海洋同化和NCEP大气再分析资料,分析了热带太平洋次表层海温异常主要模态与北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域上层海洋环流和亚洲-北太平洋地区大气垂直和水平流场变化之间的关系,得到以下结果:(1)在热带太平洋海洋次表层ENSO事件具有两种模态,二者组合构成ENSO循环。第一模态为ENSO成熟期,主要出现在冬季,第二模态为ENSO过渡期,主要出现夏季。(2)ENSO循环对北太平洋低纬度西边界流区上层海洋环流有重要影响。在El Nio发展期或La Nia衰退期,该区出现气旋性异常环流,北赤道流(NEC)加强,NEC分叉位置北移,棉兰老海流(MC)加大,菲律宾以东黑潮(KC)减小,北赤道逆流(NECC)最强。在El Nio(La Nia)成熟期,该区气旋性(反气旋性)异常环流达最强,NEC最强(最弱),NEC分叉位置最北(最南),MC最大(最小),KC最小(最大),NECC减弱(加强)。在El Nio衰退期或La Nia发展期与El Nio发展期相反,该区出现反气旋性异常环流,由此导致相应流系异常发生反位相变化。(3)ENSO循环对北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域上层海洋环流的影响是通过ENSO事件期间热带太平洋热力状况异常改变上空大气环流来实现的。ENSO事件首先造成热带太平洋海洋热力状况异常,导致其上空对流活动异常,后者直接或间接通过"大气桥"能量传输引起相关地区大气环流场的变化,致使海面风应力场异常,进而强迫上层海洋环流场的相应变化。文章最后还分析了ENSO事件期间菲律宾附近异常反气旋或异常气旋性风场的产生和持续原因,讨论了北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域海气相互作用在ENSO循环中的贡献。