Characteristics analysis for cold water patches off the Jiangsu coast in the last 35a

The daily and monthly-mean characteristics of cold water patches （CWPs） off the Jiangsu coast in 35 a of 1982-2016 are examined based on advanced very high resolution radiometer （AVHRR） data. Most of the CWPs are found to occur in the warm and hot months （May-September）, with some CWPs in the cool and cold months （October-April）. The average radius and intensity of the monthly-mean CWPs are about 81 km and 0.6℃, respectively. The average difference in the sea surface temperature （SST） between the centers of the CWPs and the nearshore is about 2.0℃. The correlation analysis between the CWPs, winds and tides indicates that most of the CWPs occurred during the southerly winds, with some CWPs occurring during the northerly winds. The average intensity of the CWPs during spring tides is slightly stronger than that during neap tides in the warm and hot months, and the difference is very small in the cool and cold months.

Evolution of Surface Cold Patches in the North Yellow Sea Based on Satellite SST Data

Ten years （from 2005 to 2014） of satellite sea surface temperature （SST） data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer （AVHRR） are analyzed to reveal the monthly changes in surface cold patches （SCPs） in the main areas of the Northern Yellow Sea （NYS）. The Canny edge detection algorithm is used to identify the edges of the patches. The monthly changes are de- scribed in terms of location, temperature and area. The inter-annual variations, including changes in the location and area of the SCPs from 2010 to 2014, are briefly discussed. The formation mechanisms of the SCPs in different periods are systematically analyzed using both in situ data and numerical simulation. The results show that from May to October, the location and area of the SCPs re- main stable, with a north-south orientation. The SCPs altogether cover about I° of longitude （124°E-125°E） in width and 2° of lati- tude （37.5°N-39.5°N） in length. In November, the SCP separates from the Jangsan Cape and forms a closed, isolated, and approxi- mately circular cold patch in the central NYS. From May to October, the upweUing that leads to the formation of the SCP is mainly triggered by the headland residual current, wind field, climbing movement of the current and secondary circulation at the tide front. In November, cyclonic circulation in the NYS is primarily responsible for generating the upwelling that leads to the formation of the closed and isolated SCE