Detection of cyclonic eddy generated by looping tropical cyclone in the northern South China Sea: a case study

A case study on the cyclonic eddy generated by the tropical cyclone looping over the northern South China Sea (NSCS) is presented, using TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data and AVHRR sea surface temperature (SST) data. Three cases relating to the tropical cyclone events (Typhoon Kai-Tak in July 2000, Tropical Storm Russ in June 1994 and Tropical Storm Maria in August-September 2000) over the NSCS have been analyzed. For each looping tropical cyclone case, the cyclonic eddy with an obvious sea level depression appears in the sea area where the tropical cyclone takes a loop form, and lasts for about 2 weeks with a slight variation in location. The cold core with the SST difference greater than 2℃against its surrounding areas is also observed by the satellite-derived SST data.

Three-dimensional properties of mesoscale cyclonic warm-core and anticyclonic cold-core eddies in the South China Sea

In general,a mesoscale cyclonic(anticyclonic)eddy has a colder(warmer)core,and it is considered as a cold(warm)eddy.However,recently research found that there are a number of"abnormal"mesoscale cyclonic(anticyclonic)eddies associated with warm(cold)cores in the South China Sea(SCS).These"abnormal"eddies pose a challenge to previous works on eddy detection,characteristic analysis,eddy-induced heat and salt transports,and even on mesoscale eddy dynamics.Based on a 9-year(2000–2008)numerical modelling data,the cyclonic warm-core eddies(CWEs)and anticyclonic cold-core eddies(ACEs)in the SCS are analyzed.This study found that the highest incidence area of the"abnormal"eddies is the northwest of Luzon Strait.In terms of the eddy snapshot counting method,8620 CWEs and 9879 ACEs are detected,accounting for 14.6%and 15.8%of the total eddy number,respectively.The size of the"abnormal"eddies is usually smaller than that of the"normal"eddies,with the radius only around 50 km.In the generation time aspect,they usually appear within the 0.1–0.3 interval in the normalized eddy lifespan.The survival time of CWEs(ACEs)occupies 16.3%(17.1%)of the total eddy lifespan.Based on two case studies,the intrusion of Kuroshio warm water is considered as a key mechanism for the generation of these"abnormal"eddies near the northeastern SCS.

Effects of multiple dynamic processes on chlorophyll variation in the Luzon Strait in summer 2019 based on glider observation

Luzon Strait is the main channel connecting the South China Sea(SCS)and the western Pacific,with complex atmospheric and oceanic dynamic processes.Based on 44 days of glider measurements and satellite observations,we investigated the temporal and vertical variations of chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the Luzon Strait from July 25 to September 6,2019.The Chl a was mainly distributed above 200 m and concentrated in the subsurface chlorophyll maximum(SCM)layer.The depth of SCM ranged between 50 m and 110 m,and the magnitude of SCM varied from 0.42 mg/m3 to 1.12 mg/m3.The variation of Chl a was identified with three stages responding to different dynamic processes.Under the influence of Kuroshio intrusion,the SCM depth sharply deepened,and its magnitude decreased in Stage 1.Afterward,a prominent Chl-a bloom was observed in the SCM layer from August 6 to August 16.The Chl-a bloom in Stage 2 was related to the influence of a cyclonic eddy,which uplifted of the thermocline and thus the deep nutrients.During Stage 3,prolonged heavy rainfall in the northeastern SCS resulted in a significant salinity decrease in the upper ocean.The convergence of upper water deepened the thermocline and the mixed layer.Thus,the Chl a decreased in the SCM layer but increased in the surface layer.In particular,a typhoon passed through the Luzon Strait on August 24,which induced the Chl a increase in the upper 50 m.However,there was little change in the depth-integrated Chl a(0-200 m),indicating that the Chl a increase in the surface layer was likely associated with physical entrainment of SCM caused by strong mixing,rather than the phytoplankton bloom in the upper water column.Underwater gliders provide frequent autonomous observations that help us understand the regional ocean’s complex dynamic processes and biological responses.

Hydrographic characteristics and its variation of the South China Sea before and after monsoon burst in 1998

The differences of temperature, salinity distribution characteristics and structure of circulation in the upper layer of the South China Sea (SCS) are analyzed, based on the CTD and ADCP data from the two intensive surveyed cruises (IOP1: April 10 - May 5; IOP2: June 12 - July 6) and carried out before and after the Asian monsoon burst (May 25) during the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX) in 1998. The results showed that field of temperature in the upper layer of the SCS distinctly changed before and after the monsoon burst, the average surface temperature increased by 0.75℃ , with its influence down to the depth of 500 m. The interaction of the local circulation in some areas resulted in the complexity and variability of the temperature and salinity structure in the upper layer, and the alternating distribution of cold and warm water regions (blocks). The high salinity subsurface water obviously intruded into the SCS from the Northwest Pacific, but only limited to the area of southwest of Taiwan Island, and the low salinity intermediate water flowed from the SCS to the Northwest Pacific. The circulation field of the SCS in the summer mainly consisted of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies (rings). With the burst of the monsoon, the intensity and amount of the anticyclonic or the cyclonic eddies (rings) would vary, showing the complex distribution patterns and variations. The result analyzed by the isopycnic surface method coincided extremely with those by in situ survey (ADCP), which showed that the formation of circulation in the SCS was mainly controlled by the internal mass field, that is, dominated by the geostrophic component.

Barotropic Processes Associated with the Development of the Mei-yu Precipitation System

The barotropic processes associated with the development of a precipitation system are investigated through analysis of cloud-resolving model simulations of Mei-yu torrential rainfall events over eastern China in mid-June 2011. During the model integration period, there were three major heavy rainfall events： 9–12, 13–16 and 16–20 June. The kinetic energy is converted from perturbation to mean circulations in the first and second period, whereas it is converted from mean to perturbation circulations in the third period. Further analysis shows that kinetic energy conversion is determined by vertical transport of zonal momentum. Thus, the prognostic equation of vertical transport of zonal momentum is derived, in which its tendency is associated with dynamic, pressure gradient and buoyancy processes. The kinetic energy conversion from perturbation to mean circulations in the first period is mainly associated with the dynamic processes. The kinetic energy conversion from mean to perturbation circulations in the third period is generally related to the pressure gradient processes.

Upper-Tropospheric Environment–Tropical Cyclone Interactions over the Western North Pacific:A Statistical Study

Based on 25-year（1987–2011） tropical cyclone（TC） best track data, a statistical study was carried out to investigate the basic features of upper-tropospheric TC–environment interactions over the western North Pacific. Interaction was defined as the absolute value of eddy momentum flux convergence（EFC） exceeding 10 m s^（-1）d^（-1）. Based on this definition, it was found that 18% of all six-hourly TC samples experienced interaction. Extreme interaction cases showed that EFC can reach^120 m s^（-1）d^（-1） during the extratropical-cyclone（EC） stage, an order of magnitude larger than reported in previous studies.Composite analysis showed that positive interactions are characterized by a double-jet flow pattern, rather than the traditional trough pattern, because it is the jets that bring in large EFC from the upper-level environment to the TC center. The role of the outflow jet is also enhanced by relatively low inertial stability, as compared to the inflow jet. Among several environmental factors, it was found that extremely large EFC is usually accompanied by high inertial stability, low SST and strong vertical wind shear（VWS）. Thus, the positive effect of EFC is cancelled by their negative effects. Only those samples during the EC stage, whose intensities were less dependent on VWS and the underlying SST, could survive in extremely large EFC environments, or even re-intensify. For classical TCs（not in the EC stage）, it was found that environments with a moderate EFC value generally below ~25 m s^（-1）d^（-1） are more favorable for a TC＇s intensification than those with extremely large EFC.

Short-term offshore extension of Brahmaputra-Ganges and Irrawaddy freshwater plumes to the central northern Bay of Bengal based on in situ and satellite observations

In this study, the short-term offshore extension of Brahmaputra-Ganges(BG) and Irrawaddy freshwater plumes to the central northern Bay of Bengal(BoB) was investigated based on in situ and satellite observations. In the summer and winter of 2015, two significant freshening events with periods of weeks were observed from a moored buoy at 15°N, 90°E in the BoB. Soil Moisture Active Passive(SMAP) satellite sea surface salinity compares well with the in situ data and shows that these freshening events are directly related to the short-term offshore extension of the BG and Irrawaddy freshwater, respectively. These data combined with the altimeter sea level anomaly data show that the offshore extending plumes result from freshwater modulated by eddies. During summer, the BG freshwater is modulated by a combination of three closely located eddies: a large anticyclonic eddy(ACE) off the northwestern BoB coast and two cyclonic eddies in the northern BoB. Consequently, the freshwater extends offshore from the river mouth and forms a long and narrow tongue-shaped plume extending southwestward to the central BoB. During winter, the Irrawaddy freshwater is modulated by two continuous ACEs evolved from Rossby wave propagating westward from the Irrawaddy Delta off Myanmar, forming a tongueshaped plume extending to the central BoB. Strong salinity fronts are formed along the boundaries of these tongue-shaped plumes. These findings confirm good capability of the SMAP data to investigate the short-term offshore extension of the BG and Irrawaddy freshwater. This study provides direct evidences of the pathways of the offshore extension of the BG and Irrawaddy freshwater and highlights the role of eddies in the northern BoB freshwater plume variability.

On Radar Signatures of Upwelling

In studies of upwelling,usually data from infrared and optical sensors is used which provides information on the sea surface temperature(SST)and the chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration.In this paper,we show that also synthetic aperture radars(SAR)images can give valuable contribution to such studies.Upwelling regions become detectable by SAR because they are associated with a reduction of the radar backscatter due to(1)the change of the stability of the air-sea interface or/and(2)the presence of biogenic slicks.Furthermore,the boundary of upwelling regions consists of a line of increased radar backscatter due to the presence of convergent surface flow.