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).

Variability of the circulation in the southern Huanghai Sea and East China Sea during the two investigative cruises in June 1999

On the basis of the hydrographic data obtained from June 17 to 25, 1999 on board R/V Eardo , Korea (hereafter'the second cruise'), the circulation in the southern Huanghai Sea and East China Sea is computed by using the modified inverse method. The comparison between the two computed results in the first cruise, which was carried out from June 4 to 19, 1999 on board R/V Xiangyanghong 14, China, and in the second cruise is made. The following results have been obtained. (1) Part of the Kuroshio flows northward through the eastern part of Section E, and its volume transport(VT) is about 6.2×106 m3/s,and its maximum velocity is about 93 cm/s.This shows that most of the Kuroshio flows northward through the region east of Section E.The VT of the offshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current west of the Kuroshio through Section E is about 0.4×106 m3/s. (2) There is the following variability between these two cruises, whose time difference is about two weeks:① The position of the Kuroshio in the second cruise is slightly more east than that in the first cruise; ②The high-density water (HDW) with a cold water occurs in the region south of Cheju Island between 125°30' and 127°E at Sections D and C. The circulation in the region of HDW is cyclonic. Comparing the position of HDW during the second cruise with that during the first cruise,it is found that its position in the second cruise moves slightly northward.(3) The cold and uniform mixing layer occurs in the layer from the 30 m level to the bottom of the middle part of Section A and in the layer from the 20 m level to the bottom of the middle part of Section B,respectively.They are both the southern part of the Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass (HSCWM). (4) There are higher temperature and lower density with a weaker anticyclonic circulation in the southwestern part of the computed region.Its center is located at the westernmost point of Section E.

Thermal fronts and cross-frontal heat flux in the southern Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea

Synoptic features in/around thermal fronts and cross-frontal heat fluxes in the southern Huanghai./Yellow Sea and East China Sea （HES） were examined using the data collected from four airborne expendable bathythermograph surveys with horizontal approxmately 35 km and vertical 1 m（from the surface to 400 m deep） spacings. Since the fronts are strongly affected by HES current system, the synoptic thermal features in/around them represent the interaction of currents with surrounding water masses. These features can not be obtained from climatological data. The identified thermal features are listed as follows ： （ 1 ） multiple boundaries of cold water, asymmetric thermocline intrusion, locally-split front by homogeneous water of approxmately 18 ℃, and mergence of the front by the Taiwan Warm Current in/around summertime southern Cheju - Changjiang/Yangtze front and Tsushima front; （2） springtime frontal eddy-like feature around Tsushima front; （3） year-round cyclonic meandering and summertime temperature-inversion at the bottom of the surface mixed layer in Cheju - Tsushima front; and （4） multistructure of Kuroshio front. In the Kuroshio front the mean variance of vertical temperature gradient is an order of degree smaller than that in other HES fronts. The southern Cheju- Changjiang front and Cheju -Tsushima front are connected with each other in the summer with comparable cross-frontal temperature gradient. However, cross-frontal heat flux and lateral eddy diffusivity are stronger in the southern Cheju - Changjiang front. The cross-frontal heat exchange is the largest in the mixing zone between the modified Huanghai Sea bottom cold water and the Tsushima Warm Current, which is attributable to enhanced thermocline intrusions.

Basic characteristics and forming mechanism of the sharp thermocline in the Bohai Sea, Huanghai Sea and northern East China Sea

On the basis of the fact that the sharp thermocHne in the Bohai Sea and the northern Huanghai Sea is often distributed in the deep valley areas, it has been long thought that the reason of the formation of the sharp thermocHne is that the cold water can be easily kept in valleys. But recent investigations carried out in the southern Huanghai Sea in summer show that all of the sharp thermocHne areas were distributed in the shallow sloping-bottom areas but not in the deep valley areas. Only in autumn would the sharp thermoclines translate to the deep valley areas. In summer, they are characterized by shallow upper mixing layer and thin thickness in the southern Huanghai Sea. In addition to entrainment coming from lower boundary of upper mixing layer the entrainment from upper border of bottom homogeneous layer induced by tidal mixing also plays an important role in the growth and decay of thermoclines in these seas.

Comparisons of surface Chl a and primary productivity along three transects of the southern South China Sea, northern Java Sea and eastern Indian Ocean in April 2011

Results are presented about the changes in chlorophyll a density, carbon fixation and nutrient levels in the surfacewaters of three transects of the southern South China Sea （SCS）, northern Java Sea （JS） and eastern Indian Ocean （IO） duringApril 5-16 of 2011. The in situ Chl a concentration and carbon fixation showed decreasing trends from high to low latitudealong the three transects, while the photosynthetic rate of phytoplankton estimated from 14C incorporation displayed no simplevariation with latitude. Chl a concentration and carbon fixation in the IO water was lower than that in the JS water. Highersalinity and lower contents of dissolved inorganic nitrogen （DIN） and silicate （SiO3^2-） characterized the IO water as comparedto the SCS or JS water, and the PO4^3- content was lower in the IO water than in the SCS or JS water in most cases. Our resultsalso indicate the importance of DIN and SiO3^2- concentrations for the geographical changes in phytoplankton biomass andprimary productivity among the three regions.

Study on interaction between the coastal water, shelf water and Kuroshio water in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea

The main processes of interaction between the coastal water, shelf water and Kuroshio water in the Huanghai Sea (HS) and East China Sea (ECS) are analyzed based on the observation and study results in recent years. These processes include the intrusion of the Kuroshio water into the shelf area of the ECS, the entrainment of the shelf water into the Kuroshio, the seasonal process in the southern shelf area of the ECS controlled alternatively by the Taiwan Strait water and the Kuroshio water intruding into the shelf area, the interaction between the Kuroshio branch water, shelf mixed water and modified coastal water in the northeastern ECS, the water-exchange between the HS and ECS and the spread of the Changjiang diluted water.

Spatial and temporal variations of macro-and mesozoo-plankton community in the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea) and East China Sea in summer and winter

The study was conducted during two cruises of June–August 2006 （summer）,and January–February 2007 （winter） in the Huanghai （Yellow） Sea and East China Sea.Spatial and temporal variations of zooplankton abundance,biomass and community structure and its relation to currents and water masses over the continental shelf were examined.A total of 584 zooplankton species/taxa and 28 planktonic larvae were identified during the two surveys.Copepods were the most abundant component among these identified groups.Zooplankton abundance and biomass fluctuated widely and showed distinct heterogeneity in the shelf waters.Five zooplankton assemblages were identified with hierarchical cluster analysis during this study,and they were Huanghai Sea Assemblage,Changjiang Estuary Assemblage,Coastal Assemblage,East China Sea Mixed-water Assemblage and East China Sea Offshore Assemblage.Seasonal changes of zooplankton community composition and its geographical distribution were detected,and the locations of the faunistic areas overlap quite well with water masses and current systems.So we suggest that the zooplankton community structure and its changes were determined by the water masses in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea.The results of this research can provide fundamental information for the long-term monitoring of zooplankton ecology in the shelf of Huanghai Sea and East China Sea.

Geochemical and isotopic characteristics of volcanic rocks from the northern East China Sea shelf margin and the Okinawa Trough

Volcanic rocks both from the northern East China Sea （NECS） shelf margin and the northern Okinawa Trough are subalkaline less aluminous,and lower in High Field Strength Elements （HFSE）.These rocks are higher in Large Ion Lithophile Elements （LILE）,thorium and uranium contents,positive lead anomalies,negative Nb-Ta anomalies,and enrichment in Light Rare Earth Elements （LREE）.Basalts from the NECS shelf margin are akin to Indian Ocean Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt （MORB）,and rhyolites from the northern Okinawa Trough have the highest 207 Pb/ 204 Pb and 208 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios.The NECS shelf margin basalts have lower 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios,ε N d and σ 18 O than the northern Okinawa Trough silicic rocks.According to 40 K– 40 Ar isotopic ages of basalts from the NECS shelf margin,rifting of the Okinawa Trough may have been active since at least 3.65–3.86 Ma.The origin of the NECS shelf margin basalt can be explained by the interaction of melt derived from Indian Ocean MORB-like mantle with enriched subcontinental lithosphere.The basalts from both sides of the Okinawa Trough may have a similar origin during the initial rifting of the Okinawa Trough,and the formation of basaltic magmas closely relates to the thinning of continental crust.The source of the formation of the northern Okinawa Trough silicic rocks was different from that of the middle Okinawa Trough,which could have been generated by the interaction of basaltic melt with an enriched crustal component.From the Ryukyu island arc to East China,the Cenozoic basalts have apparently increasing trends of MgO contents and ratios of LREE to Heavy Rare Earth Elements （HREE）,suggesting that the trace element variabilities of basalts may have been influenced by the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate,and that the effects of subduction of the Philippine Sea plate on the chemical composition of basaltic melts have had a decreasing effect from the Ryukyu island arc to East China.

Seasonal Variations of Several Main Water Masses in the Southern Yellow Sea and East China Sea in 2011

The seasonal variations of several main water masses in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) and East China Sea (ECS) in 2011 were analyzed using the in-situ data collected on four cruises.There was something special in the observations for the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) ,the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) and the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) during that year.The YSWC was confirmed to be a seasonal current and its source was closely associated with the Kuroshio onshore intrusion and the northerly wind.It was also found that the YSCWM in the summer of 2011 occupied a more extensive area in comparison with the climatologically-mean case due to the abnormally powerful wind prevailing in the winter of 2010 and decaying gradually thereafter.Resulting from the reduced Changjiang River discharge,the CDW spreading toward the Cheju Island in the summer of 2011 was weaker than the long-term mean and was confined to flow southward in the other seasons.The other water masses seemed normal without noticeable anomalies in 2011.The Yellow Sea Coastal Current (YSCC) water,driven by the northerly wind,flowed southeastward as a whole except for its northeastward surface layer in summer.The Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) was the strongest in summer and the weakest in winter in its northward movement.The Kuroshio water with an enhanced onshore intrusion in autumn was stable in hydrographic features apart from the seasonal variation of its surface layer.

Distributions and sea-to-air fluxes of volatile halocarbons in the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

Distributions and sea-to-air fluxes of five kinds of volatile halocarbons（VHCs） were studied in the southern Yellow Sea（SYS） and the East China Sea（ECS） in November 2007. The results showed that the concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane（C2H3Cl3）, 1,1-dichloroethene（C2H2Cl2）, 1,1,2-trichloroethene（C2HCl3）, trichloromethane（CHCl3） and tetrachloromethane（CCl4） in the surface water were 0.31–4.81, 2.75–21.3, 1.21–17.1, 5.02–233 and 0.045–4.47 pmol/L, respectively, with the average values of 1.89, 12.20, 6.93, 60.90 and 0.33 pmol/L. On the whole, the horizontal distributions of C2H3Cl3, C2H2Cl2 and CCl4 were affected mainly by anthropogenic activities, while C2HCl3 and CHCl3 were influenced by biological factors as well as anthropogenic activities. In the study area, the concentrations of VHCs（except C2HCl3） exhibited a decreasing trend from inshore to offshore sites, with the higher values occurring in the coastal waters. The sea-to-air fluxes of C2H3Cl3, C2HCl3, CHCl3 and CCl4 were calculated to be-56.00–（-5.68）,-7.31–123.42, 148.00–1 309.31 and-83.32–（-1.53） nmol/（m2·d）, respectively, with the average values of-6.77, 17.14, 183.38 and-21.27 nmol/（m2·d）. Our data showed that the SYS and ECS in autumn was a sink for C2H3Cl3 and CCl4, while it was a source for C2HCl3 and CHCl3 in the atmosphere.

Application of biologic silicon in modern sedimentary section to reconstruction of phytoplankton changes in the East China Sea and the Huanghai Sea during last 200 years

Biomarkers had been widely used to reconstruct phytoplankton productivity, and this method was applied in the East China Sea and the Huanghai Sea （Yellow Sea）. In this study, Biologic Silicon （BSi） was used as productivity proxy to reconstruct productivity change of phytoplankton during last 200 years. The results show that the BSi contents of surficial＇sediments were in the range of 0.018%-2.516%, averaging 0.726%, and had a similar variation trend with phytoplankton biomass. The vertical distribution profiles revealed that BSi contents were relatively stable, in accordance with the variations of the contemporary phytoplankton standing crop index. According to the stability analysis of BSi in sediments, BSi was not degradaded for the past two hundred years and remained in sediments steadily. Thus, BSi in sediments had the potential to invert paleoproductivity. To conduct further survey, the linear regression equation between BSi contents and phytoplankton biomass index could be used to calculate the phytoplankton productivity by BSi, so that paleoproduetivity may be reconstructed during last 200 years.

Linkages between the biomass of Scomber japonicus and net primary production in the southern East China Sea

Fish biomass is a critical component of fishery stock assessment and management and it is often estimated from ocean primary production（OPP）. However, the relationship between the biomass of a fish stock and OPP is always complicated due to a variety of trophic controls in the ecosystem. In this paper, we examine the quantitative relationship between the biomass of chub mackerel（Scomber japonicus） and net primary production（NPP） in the southern East China Sea（SECS）, using catch and effort data from the Chinese mainland large light-purse seine fishery logbook and NPP derived from remote sensing. We further discuss the mechanisms of trophic control in regulating this relationship. The results show a significant non-linear relationship exists between standardized CPUE（Catch-Per-Unit-Effort） and NPP（P〈0.05）. This relationship can be described by a convex parabolic curve, where the biomass of chub mackerel increases with NPP to a maximum and then decreases when the NPP exceeds this point. The results imply that the ecosystem in the SECS is subject to complex trophic controls. We speculate that the change in abundance of key species at intermediate trophic levels and/or interspecific competition might contribute to this complex relationship.

Preliminary analysis of distribution and variation of perennialmonthly mean water masses in the Bohai Sea,the Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea

On the basis of perennial monthly mean temperature and salinity data, the classification of monthly water masses at the surface and the bottom in the Bohai Sea, the Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea, has been made by using the method of fuzzy cluster from the modified characteristic of water masses in the shallow water area. In this paper, the basic features, growth and decline patterns of water masses in relation to fishing grounds in the whole shelves of the Bohai Sea, the Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea are discussed with emphasis.

Distribution of phytoplankton in the East China Sea and the southern Yellow Sea in spring in relation to environmental variables and dimethylsulfide compounds

The coastal ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate change and are usually influenced by variations in phytoplankton communities and water physiochemical factors.In the present study,the phytoplankton community,chlorophyll a(Chl a)and their relationships with environmental variables and dimethylsulfide(DMS)and dimethylsulfoniopropionate(DMSP)were investigated in spring 2017(March 24 to April 16)in the East China Sea(26.0°-33.0°N,120.0°-128.0°E)and southern Yellow Sea(31.0°-36.0°N,120.0°-125.0°E).The spatial distributions of phytoplankton species composition and cell density were investigated by qualitative and quantitative methods and were compared with historical data to study phytoplankton species succession in the survey area.The results showed that there were 275 phytoplankton species belonging to 90 genera and 6 phyla in the survey area,of which 208 species belonged to 62 genera of Bacillariophyta and 56 species belonged to 20 genera of Pyrrophyta.The dominant phytoplankton species were Skeletonema dohrnii,Chaetoceros vanheurckii and Prorocentrum donghaiense.The phytoplankton cell densities ranged from 0.06×10^(4)cells/L to 418.73×10^(4)cells/L,with an average value of 21.46×10^(4)cells/L.In spring,the average ratio of Bacillariophyta/Pyrrophyta was41.13 for the entire study area.The areas with high phytoplankton cell density were mainly distributed in the northern South Yellow Sea and offshore waters of the East China Sea.According to a canonical correspondence analysis among phytoplankton and environmental parameters,the water Chl a concentrations were notably consistent with phytoplankton cell density(P<0.001),and both showed significant negative correlations with salinity and nitrite(P<0.05)and significant positive correlations with dissolved oxygen and pH(P<0.001).There was a significant positive correlation between diatom(both in cell density and in dominant species)and DMS(P<0.05),which indicated that diatoms play a greater role in DMS production in this investigated area.

On the Tectonic Problems of the Southern East China Sea and Adjacent Regions:Evidence from Gravity and Magnetic Data

In this paper, two sets of gravity and magnetic data were used to study the tectonics of the southern East China Sea and Ryukyu trench-arc system： one data set was from the ＇Geological-geophysical map series of China Seas and adjacent areas＇ database and the other was newly collected by R/VKexue Ⅲ in 2011. Magnetic and gravity data were reorganized and processed using the software MMDP, MGDP and RGIS. In addition to the description of the anomaly patterns in different areas, deep and shallow structure studies were performed by using several kinds of calculation, including a spectrum analysis, upward-continuation of the Bouguer anomaly and horizontal derivatives of the total-field magnetic anomaly. The depth of the Moho and magnetic basement were calculated. Based on the above work, several controversial tectonic problems were discussed. Compared to the shelf area and Ryukyu Arc, the Okinawa Trough has an obviously thinned crust, with the thinnest area having thickness less than 14km in the southern part. The Taiwan-Sinzi belt, which terminates to the south by the NW-SE trending Miyako fault belt, contains the relic volcanic arc formed by the splitting of the paleo Ryukyu volcanic arc as a result of the opening of the Okinawa Trough. As an important tectonic boundary, the strike-slip type Miyako fault belt extends northwestward into the shelf area and consists of several discontinuous segments. A forearc terrace composed of an exotic terrane collided with the Ryukyu Arc following the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate. Mesozoic strata of varying thicknesses exist beneath the Cenozoic strata in the shelf basin and significantly influence the magnetic pattern of this area. The gravity and magnetic data support the existence of a Great East China Sea, which suggests that the entire southern East China Sea shelf area was a basin in the Mesozoic without alternatively arranged uplifts and depressions, and might have extended southwestward and connected with the northern South China Sea shelf basin.

NUMERICAL EXPERIMENTS ON THE WIND-DRIVEN CIRCULATION IN THE BOHAI, HUANGHAI AND EAST CHINA SEAS IN WINTER

A new semi implicit numerical model developed to investigate the wind driven circulation (with inflow and outflow) in the Bohai, Huanghai and East China Sea in winter showed that the open boundary conditions and wind forcing are important in controlling general circulation in wintertime; that open boundary conditions (such as Kuroshio, Changjiang River runoff) are primary factors controlling the East China Sea circulation; and that wind driven current is more important in the upper layer in shallow sea area (such as Bohai Sea, North Huanghai Sea, as well as coastal area) in winter. Two numerical experiments are discussed to demonstrate the circulation responding to the changes of the open boundary conditions.

Four new recorded species of marine nanoplanktonic diatoms found in the East China Sea and Huanghai Sea

In a study of species composition of marine nanoplanktonic diatoms ( < 20 &mu;m) in water samples from the East China Sea and Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea), four diatom species were identified by TEM as new records for China. They were Thalassiosira oceanica Hasle, Navicula britannica Hustedt et Aleem, Nitzschia leehyi Fryxell and Synedra indica Taylor. Detailed description of the taxonomic characteristics with TEM photographs of the four species and their ecological behavior and distribution is given in this paper.

Impact of the exceptionally high flood from the Changjiang River on the aquatic chemical distributions on the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea shelves in the summer of 1998

On the basis of the field observation in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea in the summer of 1998, a rare event of exceptionally high discharge from the Changjiang River was described and how this high discharge altered water masses as well as chemical distributions on the shelves of the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea. The maximal extending ranges of the Changjiang diluted water and the nutrients in the freshwater from the Changjiang River were recorded for the first time. It was also found that there was a closed area with high oxygen and pH values in the offshore area of the southern Huanghai Sea and the northern East China Sea, indicating that the extensive spreading of nutrients due to the high discharge led to photosynthesis of phytoplankton mostly taking place in the offshore area far from the river mouth. The presence of ＂excess nitrogen＂ in almost all the northern East China Sea and the south of the Huanghai Sea suggests that these areas are potentially phosphorus-limited rather than nitrogen-limited, manifesting more like an estuarine ecosystem rather than a common marine ecosystem.

Reanalysis of the Atmospheric Flux of Nutrient Elements to the Southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

Based on the recent research results on dry and wet deposition of nutrient elements and sulphate, we estimate the atmospheric flux of nutrient elements and sulphate to the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea in each season. The results suggest that the concentrations of nutrient elements and sulphate in aerosol and precipitation show an apparent seasonal cycle with the maximum values in winter and the minimum values in summer. Depositions of nitrate and sulphate are dominated by wet deposition, while the deposition for phosphate is mainly dry deposition. Moreover, compared with the riverine inputs, the atmospheric deposition may be the main source of dissolved inorganic nutrients in the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea.

Pore-water distribution and quantification of diffusive benthic fluxes of nutrients in the Huanghai and East China Seas sediments

The distribution of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate and silicate in pore-water and their exchange between sediments and overlying waters （benthic flux） were determined at nine locations on the shelve of Huanghai and East China Seas. On the basis of the redox potential of sediments and nutrients distributions in the pore-waters, it is found that the benthic sediments are being in a suboxic to anoxic environment in the Huanghai and East China Seas. The nutrients distribution in the pore-waters is mainly controlled by the sediment environment, and ammonia is the major inorganic nitrogen in the pore-waters. On the basis of benthic fluxes of nutrients calculated us- ing Fick＇s first law, there is remarkable efflux of ammonia, dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN）, phosphate and silicate from the sediments to the overlying waters in the study area, and their benthic fluxes are 299.3-2 214.8, 404.4-2 159.5 , 5.5-18.8 and 541.3-1 781.6 μmol/（m^2·d） respectively, and perhaps they are the major source of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate and silicate for the overlying water. At most stations, the nitrate flux was from the overlying waters to the sediments, which suggests that suboxic organic matter decomposition via denitrification is dominated in the most area of Huanghai and East China Seas. High benthic fluxes appearing in the coastal area and relatively low benthic fluxes occurring in the shelf area are found and are consistent with pri- mary productivity zoning in the study area. On the other hand, the ammonia flux displays an exponential decrease with water depth increase and an exponential increase with the bottom water temperature. However, others do not display this trend.