Seasonal variation and formation mechanism of the South China Sea warm water

The South China Sea warm water (SCSWW) is identified as the warm water body withtemperature no less than 28*. There are three stages in the seasonal variation of the SCSWW. The SCSWW expands rapidly and deepens quickly in the developing stage. The warm water thickness decreases near the coast of Vietnam and increases near Palawan Island in the steady stage. The SCSWW flinches southward while its thickness off Palawan Island remains no less than 50 m in the flinching stage. The maximum thickness of the SCSWW is always located near the southeastern SCS. The seasonal variation of the SCSWW has a close relationship with seasonal variation of the thermocline. According to the analysis of the numerical experiment results from the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), the mechanism of the seasonal variation of the SCSWW can be interpreted as: (1) in the developing stage, the rapidly expanding and thickening feature of the SCSWW is mainly due to buoyancy flux effect (67% contribution). The weak wind and anticyclonic wind stress curl (22% contribution) present an environment which facilitates the accumulation of warm water; (2) in the steady stage, the decrease feature near the Vietnam coast and increase eature in southeast of the SCSWW thickness are mainly caused by wind stress (70% contribution); (3) in the flinching stage, the thickness reduction of the SCSWW is mainly due to upwelling and enhanced turbulent mixing caused by wind stress (accounts for 60%).

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM CURRENT I. BAROTROPIC CASE

In this work, Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was used to study the formation of the South China Sea Warm Current (SCSWC) in the barotropic case. Monthly averaged wind stress and the inflow/outflow transports in January were used in the numerical simulation which reproduced the SCSWC. The effects of wind stress and inflow/outflow were studied separately. Numerical experiments showed that the Kuroshio intrusion through the Luzon Strait and the slope shelf in the northern SCS are necessary conditions for the formation of the SCSWC. In a flat bottom topography experiment, the wind stress driven northeast current in the northern SCS is a compensatory current.

A numerical study of the South China Sea Warm Current during winter monsoon relaxation

Using a Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model, we investigated the dynamic mechanism of the South China Sea Warm Current(SCSWC) in the northern South China Sea(NSCS) during winter monsoon relaxation. The model reproduces the mean surface circulation of the NSCS during winter, while model-simulated subtidal currents generally capture its current pattern. The model shows that the current over the continental shelf is generally southwestward, under a strong winter monsoon condition, but a northeastward counter-wind current usually develops between 50-and 100-m isobaths, when the monsoon relaxes. Model experiments, focusing on the wind relaxation process, show that sea level is elevated in the northwestern South China Sea(SCS), related to the persistent northeasterly monsoon. Following wind relaxation, a high sea level band builds up along the mid-shelf, and a northeastward current develops, having an obvious vertical barotropic structure. Momentum balance analysis indicates that an along-shelf pressure gradient provides the initial driving force for the SCSWC during the first few days following wind relaxation. The SCSWC subsequently reaches a steady quasi-geostrophic balance in the cross-shelf direction, mainly linked to sea level adjustment over the shelf. Lagrangian particle tracking experiments show that both the southwestward coastal current and slope current contribute to the northeastward movement of the SCSWC during winter monsoon relaxation.

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM CURRENT II. BAROCLINIC CASE

In this part, Levitus’ climatological temperature and salinity are incorporated in the numerical model developed in Part I. Diagnostic and prognostic experiment on the thermohaline circulation were conducted. The smooth Levitus’ data do not include any information on the South China Sea Warm Current (SCSWC), so it is not in the model produced diagnostic thermohaline circulation. Although the SCSWC does not appear in the wind driven circulation in the barotropic case, it appears in the prognostic wind driven circulation in the baroclinic case. This implies that the differing circulation patterns between barotropic case and baroclinic case are due to the stratification. The prognostic thermohaline circulation with wind stress and inflow/outflow transports at open boundaries are also discussed. Coupling of density and dynamic forces makes the circulation pattern more complicated. Even though the stratification is not always a direct cause of the formation of the SCSWC, it is at least an indirect cause.

SEASONAL AND INTER-ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM POOL AND ITS RELATION TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA MONSOON ONSET

The South China Sea warm pool interacts vigorously with the summer monsoon which is active in the region. However, there has not been a definition concerning the former warm pool which is as specific as that for the latter. The seasonal and inter-annual variability of the South China Sea warm pool and its relations to the South China Sea monsoon onset were analyzed using Levitus and NCEP/NCAR OISST data. The results show that, the seasonal variability of the South China Sea warm pool is obvious, which is weak in winter, develops rapidly in spring, becomes strong and extensive in summer and early autumn, and quickly decays from mid-autumn. The South China Sea warm pool is 55 m in thickness in the strongest period and its axis is oriented from southwest to northeast with the main section locating along the western offshore steep slope of northern Kalimantan-Palawan Island. For the warm pools in the South China Sea, west Pacific and Indian Ocean, the oscillation, which is within the same large scale air-sea coupling system, is periodic around 5 years. There are additional oscillations of about 2.5 years and simultaneous inter-annual variations for the latter two warm pools. The intensity of the South China Sea warm pool varies by a lag of about 5 months as compared to the west Pacific one. The result also indicates that the inter-annual variation of the intensity index is closely related with the onset time of the South China Sea monsoon. When the former is persistently warmer (colder) in preceding winter and spring, the monsoon in the South China Sea usually sets in on a later (earlier) date in early summer. The relation is associated with the activity of the high pressure over the sea in early summer. An oceanic background is given for the prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon, though the mechanism through which the warm pool and eventually the monsoon are affected remains unclear.

Origin of the springtime South China Sea Warm Current in the southwestern Taiwan Strait: Evidence from seawater oxygen isotope

Oxygen isotope(δ^18O)of seawater is an excellent proxy for tracing the origins of water masses and their mixing processes.Combining with hydrographic observation,hybrid coordinate ocean model(HYCOM)analysis data,and seawater oxygen isotope,we investigated the source of the South China Sea Warm Current(SCSWC)in the southwestern Taiwan Strait and its underlying mechanism.Results show that the Kuroshio subsurface water(KSSW)can intrude the continental slope in the southwestern Taiwan Strait,and thereby climb up the continental slope coupled with upwelling.Theδ^18O-salinity relationship further indicates that in spring,the SCSWC in the southwestern Taiwan Strait originates from the upslope deflection of the slope current formed by the KSSW intrusion into the South China Sea,rather than from the west segment of the SCSWC formed to the east of Hainan Island.In addition,the southward flowing Zhe-Min Coastal Current(ZMCC)can reach as far as the Taiwan Bank(TB)and deflects offshore over the western TB at approximately 23.5°N,to some extent affecting the SCSWC.Moreover,this study reveals that seawaterδ^18O is exquisitely sensitive to the determination of the origin and transport of water masses as compared with traditional potential temperature-salinity plot(θ-S)and HYCOM analysis data.In addition,their coupling can more reliably interpret the mixing processes of shelf water masses.