A three-dimensional model is used to investigate the mechanism of the South China Sea (SCS) winter counter-current (also known as the SCS Warm Current, or the SCSWC), which flows against the wind. The model can re...A three-dimensional model is used to investigate the mechanism of the South China Sea (SCS) winter counter-current (also known as the SCS Warm Current, or the SCSWC), which flows against the wind. The model can reproduce the structure of the band-like currents over the northern shelf of the SCS, including the westward coastal current and slop current, and the SCSWC sandwiched in between. Sensitivity experiments are designed to understand the different roles of Ekman pumping of the SCSWC at different longitude. The results show that the Ekman pumping drives the SCSWC in the west segment. In the east, it is not the Ekman pumping but the intrusion of the Kuroshio that drives the SCSWC.展开更多
基金The Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under contract No.KZCX1-YW-12-01the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars under contract No.40625017+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Key Program)under contract No.40830851the National Program on Key Basic Research Project(973Program)under contract No.2007CB816004
文摘A three-dimensional model is used to investigate the mechanism of the South China Sea (SCS) winter counter-current (also known as the SCS Warm Current, or the SCSWC), which flows against the wind. The model can reproduce the structure of the band-like currents over the northern shelf of the SCS, including the westward coastal current and slop current, and the SCSWC sandwiched in between. Sensitivity experiments are designed to understand the different roles of Ekman pumping of the SCSWC at different longitude. The results show that the Ekman pumping drives the SCSWC in the west segment. In the east, it is not the Ekman pumping but the intrusion of the Kuroshio that drives the SCSWC.