THE REGIONAL AIR-SEA COUPLED OSCILLATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

This study examined the regional air sea coupled interaction in the South China Sea (SCS), based on the 1979-1995 NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data of sea surface temperature (SST) and meridional wind (V component). Singular value decomposition (SVD) and single field principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to analyse the SST and V anomalies and compare the results with each other. It was found that the leading mode of SVD explained a predominant amount of squared covariance between the SST and meridional wind V, and that the time series expansion coefficients of the first mode between SST and V from PCA and SVD resembled very much each other. This infers that the meridional wind, as an indicator of Asian monsoon, is closely related with the SST through the air sea interaction in the SCS. The spatial patterns of the first mode of SST and V exhibit ellipse shaped variance in the SCS center and a NE SW oriented main axis, which are much similar to those in winter season. These results show that the most active center for both V and SST is in the SCS, which suggests that a regional air sea coupled oscillation possibly exists there for the whole year and is noticeable especially during the winter season. So the SCS is a very important region for the forming of the Asian Monsoon and the climate of the west Pacific.

Characteristics of Upper Mantle Activity in the South China Sea Region and the Indochina Mantle Plume

Abstract According to computed results of the mantle traction field beneath the lithosphere based on satellite-modelled gravity anomalies of different degrees, it has been revealed that the three types of mantle convection on different scales existing in the South China Sea region is the key factor controlling the geodynamics. The mantle convection models on large and middle scales have been proved by natural seismic S-wave tomographic data and interpreted by using the present mantle plume concept. In consideration of other relevant geological and geophysical data, the authors put emphasis on discussing the expression form, origin and age of the Indochina mantle plume and its important effect on the conversion of organic matter and hydrocarbon accumulation in Cenozoic basins.

Factors influencing the climatological mixed layer depth in the South China Sea:numerical simulations

The mixed layer depth （MLD） in the upper ocean is an important physical parameter for describing the upper ocean mixed layer. We analyzed several major factors influencing the climatological mixed layer depth （CMLD）, and established a numerical simulation in the South China Sea （SCS） using the Regional Ocean Model System （ROMS） with a high-resolution （1/12~x 1/12~） grid nesting method and 50 vertical layers. Several ideal numerical experiments were tested by modifying the existing sea surface boundary conditions. Especially, we analyzed the sensitivity of the results simulated for the CMLD with factors of sea surface wind stress （SSWS）, sea surface net heat flux （SSNHF）, and the difference between evaporation and precipitation （DEP）. The result shows that of the three factors that change the depth of the CMLD, SSWS is in the first place, when ignoring the impact of SSWS, CMLD will change by 26% on average, and its effect is always to deepen the CMLD; the next comes SSNHF （13%） for deepening the CMLD in October to January and shallowing the CMLD in February to September; and the DEP comes in the third （only 2%）. Moreover, we analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of CMLD and compared the simulation result with the ARGO observational data. The results indicate that ROMS is applicable for studying CMLD in the SCS area.

Characteristics of seismic reflections in central region of the South China Sea and their geological significance

More than 4 000 km 48-channel seismic reflection data from the central region of the South China Sea have been interpreted. Five seismic interfaces have been distinguished, named T1, T2, T4, T6 and Tg respectively Meanwhile, five seismic sequences numbered I - V have been divided with the ages of Quaternary and Pliocene, Later Mocene, Earlier and Middle Miocene, Oligocene and Pre- Oligocene separately. Sequences I-II overlie all parts of the area. In the continental slope and island slope, Sequences III-V are mainly found in the grabens. Sequence III is found at moot profiles of the deep-sea basin, and Sequnce IV is seen not only at the margins of the east subbasin but also at the margins of the southwest subbasin. Strong reflection from Moho is found at most profiles of the deep-sea basin. The depth of Moho varies between 10 and 12 km, with a thickness of 6- 8 km for the crust. Calculated by age-basement depth correlation formula, the age of basaltic basement in the southwest subbasin is 51-39 Ma. It is indicated that the evolution of the southwest subbasin is simultaneous with or earlier than that of the east subbasin.

Physical characteristics of high concentrated gas hydrate reservoir in the Shenhu production test area,South China Sea

High concentrated and heterogeneous distribution of gas hydrates have been identified in the gas hydrate production test region in the Shenhu area,South China Sea.The gas hydrate-bearing sediments with high saturation locate at two ridges of submarine canyon with different thickness and saturations just above the bottom simulating reflection.The crossplots of gamma ray,acoustic impedance(P-impedance)and porosity at four sites show that the sediments can be divided into the upper and lower layers at different depths,indicating different geotechnical reservoir properties.Therefore,the depositional environments and physical properties at two ridges are analyzed and compared to show the different characteristics of hydrate reservoir.High porosity,high P-wave velocity,and coarse grain size indicate better reservoir quality and higher energy depositional environment for gas hydrate at Sites W18 and W19 than those at Sites W11 and W17.Our interpretation is that the base of canyon deposits at Sites W18 and W19 characterized by upward-coarsening units may be turbidity sand layers,thus significantly improving the reservoir quality with increasing gas hydrate saturation.The shelf and slope sliding deposits compose of the fine-grained sediments at Sites W11 and W17.The gas hydrate production test sites were conducted at the ridge of W11 and W17,mainly because of the thicker and larger area of gas hydrate-bearing reservoirs than those at Sites W18 and W19.All the results provide useful insights for assessing reservoir quality in the Shenhu area.

Evaluation of reanalysis surface wind products with quality-assured buoy wind measurements along the north coast of the South China Sea

Three archived reanalysis wind vectors at 10 m height in the wind speed range of 2-15 m/s,namely,the second version of the National Centres for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)Climate Forecast System Reanalysis(CFSv2),European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting Interim Reanalysis(ERA-I)and NCEPDepartment of Energy(DOE)Reanalysis 2(NCEP-2)products,are evaluated by a comparison with the winds measured by moored buoys in coastal regions of the South China Sea(SCS).The buoy data are first quality controlled by extensive techniques that help eliminate degraded measurements.The evaluation results reveal that the CFSv2 wind vectors are most consistent with the buoy winds(with average biases of 0.01 m/s and 1.76°).The ERA-I winds significantly underestimate the buoy wind speed(with an average bias of-1.57 m/s),while the statistical errors in the NCEP-2 wind direction have the largest magnitude.The diagnosis of the reanalysis wind errors shows the residuals of all three reanalysis wind speeds(reanalysis-buoy)decrease with increasing buoy wind speed,suggesting a narrower wind speed range than that of the observations.Moreover,wind direction errors are examined to depend on the magnitude of the wind speed and the wind speed biases.In general,the evaluation of three reanalysis wind products demonstrates that CFSv2 wind vectors are the closest to the winds along the north coast of the SCS and are sufficiently accurate to be used in numerical models.

Dynamic Controls on the Formation of Mantle Plume Beneath the South China Sea Region

The South China Sea(SCS)has attracted intensive structural and geophysical research over the past decades,with a focus on its extensional history and relevant dynamic tectonic models.Seismic tomographic images obtained

Economic stability analysis of blue carbon cooperation in the South China sea region using evolutionary game model with Weber's law

The political environment of the South China Sea Region(SCSR)has gradually stabilized,such that regional cooperation in the preservation of marine resources seems realistic.Blue carbon international cooperation is an important solution to the problem of global warming,which has a large number of economic and political attributes.As a region that has incredibly abundant blue carbon resources,further cooperation among SCSR governments would present the opportunity to establish meaningful economic and environmental protections that would promote peaceful blue carbon development of this region.To examine the feasibility of such an undertaking,we leverage the imitator's dynamic game as a research method and introduce Weber's law to examine the subjective psychological factors(i.e.,biases)of participants in qualifying the economic stability of blue carbon cooperation in the SCSR.The results suggest that the economic stability of blue carbon cooperation correlates to Weber's coefficient and the income produced by the different strategies.Based on these findings,we discussed policy recommendations to promote the sustainable economic development of SCSR.

Three dimensional shear wave velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in South China Sea and its adjacent regions by surface waveform inversion

We assembled approximately 328 seismic records. The data set was from 4 digitally recording long-period and broadband stations of CDSN. We carried out the inversion based on the partitioned waveform inversion (PWI). It partitions the large-scale optimization problem into a number of independent small-scale problems. We adopted surface waveform inversion with an equal block (2((2() discretization in order to acquire the images of shear velocity structure at different depths (from surface to 430 km) in the crust and upper-mantle. The resolution of all these anomalies has been established with (check-board( resolution tests. These results show significant difference in velocity, lithosphere and asthenosphere structure between South China Sea and its adjacent regions.

Assimilating the along-track sea level anomaly into the regional ocean modeling system using the ensemble optimal interpolation

The ensemble optimal interpolation （EnOI） is applied to the regional ocean modeling system （ROMS） with the ability to assimilate the along-track sea level anomaly （TSLA）. This system is tested with an eddy-resolving system of the South China Sea （SCS）. Background errors are derived from a running seasonal ensemble to account for the seasonal variability within the SCS. A fifth-order localization function with a 250 km localization radius is chosen to reduce the negative effects of sampling errors. The data assimilation system is tested from January 2004 to December 2006. The results show that the root mean square deviation （RMSD） of the sea level anomaly decreased from 10.57 to 6.70 cm, which represents a 36.6% reduction of error. The data assimilation reduces error for temperature within the upper 800 m and for salinity within the upper 200 m, although error degrades slightly at deeper depths. Surface currents are in better agreement with trajectories of surface drifters after data assimilation. The variance of sea level improves significantly in terms of both the amplitude and position of the strong and weak variance regions after assimilating TSLA. Results with AGE error （AGE） perform better than no AGE error （NoAGE） when considering the improvements of the temperature and the salinity. Furthermore, reasons for the extremely strong variability in the northern SCS in high resolution models are investigated. The results demonstrate that the strong variability of sea level in the high resolution model is caused by an extremely strong Kuroshio intrusion. Therefore, it is demonstrated that it is necessary to assimilate the TSLA in order to better simulate the SCS with high resolution models.

Intraseasonal Oscillation of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon and Its Influence on Regionally Persistent Heavy Rain over Southern China

The intraseasonal oscillation（ISO） in the South China Sea summer monsoon（SCSSM） and its influence on regionally persistent heavy rain（RPHR） over southern China are examined by using satelhte outgoing long wave radiation,NCEP/NCAR reanalysis,and gridded rainfall station data in China from 1981 to 2010.The most important feature of the ISO in SCSSM,contributing to the modulation of RPHR,is found to be the fluctuation in the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH）,along with a close link to the Madden-Julian oscillation（MJO）.Southern China is divided into three regions by using rotated empirical orthogonal functions（REOFs）for intraseasonal rainfall,where the incidence rate of RPHR is closely linked to the intraseasonal variation in rainfall.It is found that SCSSM ISOs are the key systems controlling the intraseasonal variability in rainfall and can be described by the leading pair of empirical orthogonal functions（EOFs） for the 850-hPa zonal wind over the SCS and southern China.Composite analyses based on the principal components（PCs） of the EOFs indicate that the ISO process in SCSSM exhibits as the east-west oscillation of the WPSH,which is coupled with the northward-propagating MJO,creating alternating dry and wet phases over southern China with a period of 40 days.The wet phases provide stable and lasting circulation conditions that promote RPHR.However,differences in the ISO structures can be found when RPHR occurs in regions where the WPSH assumes different meridional positions.Further examination of the meridional-phase structure suggests an important role of northward-propagating ISO and regional air-sea interaction in the ISO process in SCSSM.

Why the South China Sea Arbitration Case Undermines the World Marine Order

There are various indications that the so-called Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea disputes arbitration has become a tool for a few Western countries such as the United States,Japan and some others outside the region to play political games with China and challenge China’s inherent rights and legitimate claims in the

Sea surface temperature and terrestrial biomarker records of the last 260 ka of core MD05-2904 from the northern South China Sea

This paper reports high-resolution biomarker records of the last 260 ka for core MD05-2904 from the northern South China Sea (SCS). The sea surface temperature (SST) record using the U k3’7 index re-veals a minimum of 21.5℃ (MIS 2) and a maximum of 28.3℃ (MIS 5.5), for a temperature difference of almost 7℃, and provides the longest high-resolution U k3’7 SST record in northern SCS. The content of odd-number long chain n-alkanes and several n-alkanes indexes such as the CPI, ACL and the C31/C27 ratio, all reveal generally higher values during the glacials and lower values during the interglacials. Terrestrial input as indicated by n-alkane content was mostly controlled by sea-level changes: During the glacials, lower sea-level exposed the continental shelf to enable rivers to transport more terrestrial materials to the slope; and the situation reverses during the interglacials. The n-alkane indexes changes reveal more n-alkanes from contemporary vegetation during glacials as a result of the prox-imity of the core site to the source region, while the increases in ACL and C31/C27 ratio during glacials indicate a change to more grassy vegetation. However, the highest values for CPI, ACL and the C31/C27 ratio all occurred during late MIS 3, and it was suggested that this period was characterized by a strong summer monsoon-dominated humid climate which resulted in a denser vegetation for the exposed continental shelf region.

Development characteristics and construction prospects for a multi-integrated economic zone in the South China Sea Region

The Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)instigated by China is catalyzing the evolution of a new global economic landscape.To cope with the great changes in the economic landscape,China needs to view the South China Sea Region(SCSR)as a strategic focus and study carefully the characteristics of regional development and explore the possibility for construction of a strategic multi-integrated economic zone which includes China and ASEAN countries.Based on key indicators,this paper outlines the overall development characteristics of the SCSR and analyzes the regional structural characteristics of industry and global trade based on the indexes of industrial structure similarity and trade commodity structure coincidence;the paper also depicts the spatial characteristics of the nine core growth areas(CGAs)in the region and discusses the construction prospects for a multi-integrated economic zone in the SCSR.The results show that,first,from 2000 to 2017,the main economic indicators of the SCSR grew quite well,and the development trend was much better than the global average for the same period.Second,driven by the global industrial transfer stages and spatial paths,the level of comprehensive development in the SCSR has evolved into four categories.Third,the index values for industrial structure similarity and trade commodity structure coincidence for the 11 countries in the SCSR have remained at a high level,and reveal an integration trend not only from the horizontal and vertical perspective,but also from an upgrading and downgrading standpoint.Fourth,nine CGAs have been established in the SCSR and the advantaged industries and the export commodity types between different countries exhibited the characteristics of convergence and complementarity due to the polarization and diffusion effects of the CGAs.Finally,from a long-term perspective,the SCSR has already acquired the internal and external conditions such as the 5 th global industrial transfer initiative,the reconstruction of the global value chain,regional production-consumption networks and spatial entities for building a multi-integrated economic zone in the SCSR.

Effects of the Indo-China Peninsula Heat Fluxes on the 1998 South China Sea Summer Monsoon

Sensitivity experiments to investigate the role and importance of theIndo-China Peninsula (ICP) heat fluxes (sensible and latent heat fluxes) on the South China Seasummer monsoon (SCSSM) onset and its subsequent evolution have been carried out using a regionalclimate model. Two sensitivity experiments have been conducted: cutting off the sensible heat flux(noted as IChfx) and latent heat flux (noted as ICqfx). Results show that by cutting off theunderlying heat flux of the ICP, the precipitation decreases and low-level geopotential heightincreases over the local regions as well as the remote regions of the East China Sea, southernJapan, and western North Pacific. The westerly (easterly) zonal winds at 850 hPa (200 hPa) aregenerally weakened in May and June, especially before and during the onset of the SCSSM towards theend of May. It is worth noting that although the observed sensible heat flux is only about 1/3 ofthe latent heat flux, the differences between the control run and each of the two sensitivityexperiments are comparable.

SIMULATION OF ACTIVITY OF THE ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON AND HEAVY RAINFALLS IN CHINA IN 1998 WITH REGIONAL CLIMATE MODEL

The activity of the Asian summer monsoon and heavy rainfalls in China in 1998 has been simulated by the RegCM-NCC (Regional Climate Model in NCC).The RegCM-NCC can simulate the position of the West Pacific subtropic high very well,especially its maintenance,the first and second northward jumps and retreat.It was successful for RegCM-NCC to capture the whole process of the monsoon onset,active-break cycle and large scale northward advance.The monsoon outbroke in the northern part of the South China Sea on May 17 and then the rainstorm in South China entered a concentrating period.The monsoon completely outbroke over the whole South China Sea (SCS) during May 22 to 25,with the rain season in South China entering peak period. With the onset of Indian monsoon,the monsoon flow over the SCS advanced to the region to the south of the Yangtze River and the Yangtze River Basin and the early summer rainy season in South China came to end.It was successful for RegCM-NCC to reproduce the position and movement of the seasonal rain belt and the moisture transport in 1998 summer in China.The rainy season in China in 1998 summer can be divided into 7 episodes,including the pre-summer rainy season in South China and two episodes of the Meiyu season (the normal and the second Meiyu). The shortcoming of the RegCM-NCC is overestimation of precipitation amounts and moisture transport.

“印太战略”框架下澳越关系的发展及影响

在“印太战略”框架下,近年来澳越两国关系不断升级,双方合作全面推进,两国尤其强化了在防务安全领域的合作和南海问题上的战略协调。澳大利亚希望借助与越南关系的升级提升地区影响力和彰显中等强国地位;越南则希望在南海问题上获得澳大利亚的支持。澳越关系的深化对南海局势及亚太地区秩序的稳定都将产生一定的影响。在推进两国合作制衡中国的战略盘算和应对所谓“中国威胁”的共识下,澳越两国关系将会继续深化,尤其是海洋安全领域的合作将会是两国关系的主要内容。为了维护南海局势和地区秩序的稳定,中国和东盟国家要相向而行,尽力排除域外国家介入南海争端,构建中国和东盟国家共同主导的南海地区秩序。

中美博弈:近昔和当今及对中国战略的意涵

过去15年里,中美关系的首要特征是博弈而非协调。两国博弈先在战略阵线开启,继而在战略、经贸、高技术和意识形态四条主要阵线展开。就中美博弈总体而言,美国处于“防守型”战略态势,美国认为它长时期拥有的重大优势地位一个又一个地丧失或被侵蚀,首要动能在中国一边。中共十八大以来,中国逐渐成为一个急剧腾升的强国。大为增强的国力,使中国更加坚定了自信和抱负。中国内外发力,争取在世界政治经济和全球治理的某些问题领域参与引领甚或单独引领,实现在亚洲大陆以及发展中世界的经济和外交优势,大致取得在西太平洋的对美战略和军事优势,进一步地,对第一至第二岛链之间的战略空间的控扼能力愈益被视为必要。回顾奥巴马、特朗普和拜登三届美国政府的对华态势和政策,对未来中美关系应做好准备应对可能的疾风暴雨。

南海渔业资源可持续发展的中国方案建构

有效治理南海渔业资源问题,应以现实需求为导向探寻南海渔业资源可持续发展的总基调,这是建构中国特色治理方案的根本前提。同时,要不失时机地从立法、执法、司法角度深刻反思现有治理措施的缺陷,紧追全球海洋治理大势,借鉴地中海渔业合作治理经验,形成符合南海海洋治理需求的体系化方案。该方案需具有吸引力、感召力与引导力且全面展示中国在南海问题上的基本立场。中国可通过加强科学管理与法规建设、注重生态修复与增殖养护、推动国际合作与区域治理等可行途径实现南海渔业资源的可持续发展。

南海海洋环境保护的法治保障研究

南海作为中国三大边缘海之一,以其特殊的地理位置和战略意义备受国际关注,随着蓝色海洋和经济转型的不断发展,南海海洋环境保护问题频发。文章在阐释南海海洋环境保护的重要性基础上,分析南海的国际国内地位以及相应的法律规定,通过海洋污染、海洋保护区的国内外法律规制方面展开讨论南海现存的海洋环境保护的法治现状,从国际、国内双视角分析现存南海海洋环境保护的法治问题,主张在国际上实现区域协同合作、制定环境保护法规,在国内建立环境保护专门性机构、加强具体法律规制以及协调划分职权范围等方面探讨南海海洋环境保护的法治保障路径,促进南海海洋环境良性发展,实现海洋蓝色经济高质量转型。