Analysis of the high and low temperature centers and their relation with circulations in the East China Sea

Three warm currents, the Kuroshio, its shelf intrusion branch in the northeast of Taiwan and the Taiwan Warm Current （hereafter TWC）, dominate the circulation pattern in the East China Sea （hereafter ECS）. Their origination, routes and variation in winter and summer are studied. Their relationship with four major high and low temperature centers is analyzed. Differing from the previous opinion, we suggest that the four major centers are generated to a great extent by the interaction of the currents in the ECS. In summer, a cold water belt in the northeast of Taiwan is preserved from winter between the Kuroshio and the TWC. The shelf intrusion branch of the Kuroshio separates the water belt, and two low temperature centers generate in the northeast of Taiwan. In the southern ECS, the TWC transports more heat flux northward to form a warm pool. But it is separated in the lower layer by the cold water driven by the intrusion branch of the Kuroshio. So the TWC and the intrusion branch of the Kuroshio play a dominating role to generate the high temperature center. The interaction among the eastward TWC, the northward Tsushima Warm Current （hereafter TSWC） and the southward Su Bei Coastal Flow （hereafter SBCF） generates the low temperature center in the northern ECS. In winter, the strengthening of the shelf intrusion branch of the Kuroshio obscures the two low temperature centers in the northeast of Taiwan. For the weakening of the TWC, the high temperature center in the southern ECS vanishes, and the low temperature center in the northern ECS shifts to south.

The circulation in the southern Huanghai Sea and northern East China Sea in June 1999

On the basis of hydrographic data and current measurement (the mooring system, vessel-mounted ADCP and toward ADCP) data obtained in June 1999, the circulations in the southern Huanghai Sea (HS) and northern East China Sea (ECS) are computed by using the modified inverse method. The Kuroshio flows northeastward through eastern part of the investigated region and has the main core at Section PN, a northward flow at the easternmost part of Section PN, a weaker anti-cyclonic eddy between these two northward flows, and a weak cyclonic eddy at the western part of Section PN. The above current structure is one type of the current structures at Section PN in ECS. The net northward volume transport (VT) of the Kuroshio and the offshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current (TWCOB) through Section PN is about 26.2 x 10(6) m(3)/s in June 1999. The VT of the inshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current (TWCIB) through the investigated region is about 0.4 x 10(6) m(3)/s. The Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) has much effect on the currents over the continental shelf. The Huanghai Sea Coastal Current (HSCC) flows southeastward and enters into the northwestern part of investigated region, and flows to turn cyclonically, and then it flows northeastward, due to the influences of the Taiwan Warm Current and topography. There is a cyclonic eddy south of Cheju Island where the Huanghai Sea Coastal Current flows to turn cyclonically. It has the feature of high dense and cold water. The uniform and cold water is occurred in the layer from about 30 m level to the bottom between Stations C306 and C311 at the northernmost Section C3. It is a southern part of the Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass (HSCWM).

Seasonal variation of the Taiwan Warm Current Water and its underlying mechanism

Based on the historical observed data and the modeling results,this paper investigated the seasonal variations in the Taiwan Warm Current Water(TWCW)using a cluster analysis method and examined the contributions of the Kuroshio onshore intrusion and the Taiwan Strait Warm Current(TSWC)to the TWCW on seasonal time scales.The TWCW has obviously seasonal variation in its horizontal distribution,T-S characteristics and volume.The volume of TWCW is maximum(13746 km^3)in winter and minimum(11397 km^3)in autumn.As to the contributions to the TWCW,the TSWC is greatest in summer and smallest in winter,while the Kuroshio onshore intrusion northeast of Taiwan Island is strongest in winter and weakest in summer.By comparison,the Kuroshio onshore intrusion make greater contributions to the Taiwan Warm Current Surface Water(TWCSW)than the TSWC for most of the year,except for in the summertime(from June to August),while the Kuroshio Subsurface Water(KSSW)dominate the Taiwan Warm Current Deep Water(TWCDW).The analysis results demonstrate that the local monsoon winds is the dominant factor controlling the seasonal variation in the TWCW volume via Ekman dynamics,while the surface heat fl ux can play a secondary role via the joint ef fect of baroclinicity and relief.

An Objective Analysis Method for Surface Residual Current Field in the East China Seas

Since the volume transport across the pycnocline is much smaller than that in the mixed layer, the current in the mixed layer can be regarded as non-divergent. An objective analysis method is deduced based on this hypothesis. The linear combination method is used to solve the non-divergent component of the current field of an ocean basin containing islands,which is equivalent to a mathematical problem of solving a Poisson equation in a multi-connected domain. The method is applied to the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea (ECS). The modeled result is consistent with the current maps constructed by other oceanographers.

东海南部陆架水体2011年夏季温盐结构及其对台湾暖流和黑潮入侵的指示

利用2011年7月5个断面共30个站位的温盐深(CTD)测量资料,分析东海南部陆架水体的温盐结构和温跃层特征,探讨黑潮和台湾暖流对东海陆架水文状况的影响。结果显示,本区广泛存在着浅部温跃层和深部温跃层。浅部温跃层分布于20 m水深以内,跃层强度普遍较弱,具有明显的日内生消变化。深部温跃层分布于中、外陆架和台湾海峡。在中、外陆架的深水区,跃层底界深度约80 m,跃层厚度约10 m;跃层强度大,约为0.8℃/m,且较为稳定。在台湾海峡北部,温跃层分布于水深14~30 m,跃层厚度6~10 m,跃层强度偏弱,为0.2~0.5℃/m。在温跃层附近,由于上、下层水团温度、盐度的差异,其混合过程常出现盐指现象。在东海陆架90~110 m等深线之间,深部温跃层之下盘踞着一个深层冷水团,水温为16.8~17.6℃。黑潮水的入侵,使得外陆架温跃层强度减弱至0.2~0.5℃/m;同时,跃层层位上升,厚度加大。温跃层强度可以作为指示黑潮入侵的灵敏指标。当夏季深部温跃层强度低于0.6℃/m,同时伴随跃层厚度加大时,可判别为黑潮入侵。本区夏季黑潮锋可以到达110 m等深线附近。在中陆架50~80 m等深线之间,深部温跃层的消失,说明台湾暖流的强烈影响遍及整个水柱;而从南向北,台湾暖流的影响逐渐减弱。台湾海峡北部深层水温度较低,平均值为22.52℃,要比东海南部中陆架深层水低3℃,这可能意味着台湾暖流深层水主要源于黑潮分支的加入。

南海东北部及台湾海峡环流机制的数值研究

利用1个正压的数值模式研究风应力、黑潮对南海东北部及台湾海峡环流的影响，结果为：（1）以风应力为驱动机制时其流态特别是在台湾海峡的流动具有季节性，但未反映南海黑潮分支的存在；在冬季也未见有南海暖流出现，但在东沙群岛附近海域终年存在着1个气旋涡；（2）以黑潮为驱动机制时，黑潮通过巴士海峡侵入南海海域，并导致东沙群岛附近气旋性涡旋的形成。另外，模式体现黑潮南海分支、南海暖流及台湾暖流的存在，并表明广东沿岸大陆架坡折区底形效应的重要性；（3）以风应力及黑潮入流作为联合驱动机制时，模式的结果似为第1，2种情形结果的叠加。

长江口外近岸环流对厄尔尼诺事件的响应

建立了东中国海环流大模型,在此基础上建立包含长江口、杭州湾及邻近海域在内的区域环流模型,较准确地刻画东中国海外海流系和沿岸流系,以及长江口外精细的流系结构。选择典型厄尔尼诺年,模拟长江口外近岸环流的异常变化,探讨长江口外近岸环流与厄尔尼诺事件的响应关系。研究表明:长江口外近岸环流与厄尔尼诺事件存在强烈的响应关系,冬季厄尔尼诺现象发生时长江口及邻近海域的环流明显减弱;台湾暖流受厄尔尼诺事件影响程度显著,流速减小、流幅变窄,台湾暖流对长江口外近岸环流的影响也因此减弱。