Recent progress in studies of the South China Sea circulation

The South China Sea (SCS) is a semi-enclosed marginal sea with deep a basin. The SCS is located at low latitudes, where the ocean circulations are driven principally by the Asia-Australia monsoon. Ocean circulation in the SCS is very complex and plays an important role in both the marine environment and climate variability. Due to the monsoon-mountain interactions the seasonal spatial pattern of the sea surface wind stress curl is very specific. These distinct patterns induce different basin-scale circulation and gyre in summer and winter, respectively. The intensified western boundary currents associated with the cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres in the SCS play important roles in the sea surface temperature variability of the basin. The mesoscale eddies in the SCS are rather active and their formation mechanisms have been described in recent studies. The water exchange through the Luzon Strait and other straits could give rise to the relation between the Pacific and the SCS. This paper reviews the research results mentioned above.     

Numerical investigation of the South China Sea deep circulation

Based on a two-level nested model from the global ocean to the western Pacific and then to the South China Sea（SCS）, the high-resolution SCS deep circulation is numerically investigated. The SCS deep circulation shows a basin-scale cyclonic structure with a strong southward western boundary current in summer（July）, a northeastsouthwest through-flow pattern across the deep basin without a western boundary current in winter（January）,and a transitional pattern in spring and autumn. The sensitivity ...     

南海深水区季平均海流的诊断计算

根据南海温、盐度历史观测数据的季平均值和季平均风应力场,采用三维非线性海流诊断模式,对南海大陆架外深水海区四季平均流场进行了数值模拟计算。所得的南海四季环流总趋势以及一些中小尺度的涡旋现象,同已有的一些研究结果基本相符。此外,还较好地反映了南海海流的季节变化特征和流场在不同深度的分布特点。     

南海环流动力机制研究综述

南海的环流复杂,但通过近20 a来的研究工作,国内外学者对此已取得了不少的成果.本文就南海环流框架性的问题,综述了有关的文献,认为对南海上层海洋三方面的环流分量的驱动机制已有了初步的认识.这三方面分别是:(1)准季节性风场;(2)黑潮向南海的净输运;(3)黑潮向南海的涡度平流输送.但是对这些驱动的时空变化仍相当不清楚.三者皆增强了南海北部的海盆尺度气旋式环流,其强化的西南向西边界流靠近东沙群岛,建议称为“东沙海流”.没有水文证据显示黑潮水是以分支形式进入南海,其向南海的输运也不可能主要通过中尺度涡过程,具体机制有待研究.每年在南海生成的中尺度涡平均约有10个,风场与沿岸地形所生成的强风应力旋度可能是其主要的驱动机制.作为框架性的认识,也有三方面的工作进行得较少,即:(1)吕宋海峡的上层水交换;(2)南海的中尺度涡生成机制,虽然强风应力旋度及前述的第三种环流驱动机制也有中尺度涡伴生;(3)自吕宋海峡进入的深层水对南海上层海洋环流的影响.     

东北季风与南海海洋环流的相互作用

针对冬、春季南海区风场，表层海流、海温场的季节变化，选用了２＾１／３层海洋模式和简单一层大气边界层模式，研究了冬、春季我作用下南海上层海洋环流的基本形态及其对ＳＳＴ的影响，估算了这种影响对海南风场的反馈效应。研究结果表明，冬、春季东北 与南海五流的相互作用对吕宋岛西部海域的气旋式冷涡的形成和维持有利。冬季（１月）强东北风作用使南海上层为一气旋式环流，上层环流对季风的反馈作用可使南海西北部东北风减弱     

Effect of Langmuir circulation on upper ocean mixing in the South China Sea

Effect of Langmuir circulation (LC) on upper ocean mixing is investigated by a two-way wave-current coupled model. Themodel is coupled of the ocean circulationmodel ROMS (regional ocean modeling system) to the surface wave model SWAN (simulating waves nearshore) via the model-coupling toolkit. The LC already certified its importance by many one-dimensional (1D) research andmechanismanalysis work. This work focuses on inducing LC’s effect in a three-dimensional (3-D) model and applying it to real field modeling. In ROMS, theMellor-Yamada turbulence closuremixing scheme is modified by including LC’s effect. The SWAN imports bathymetry, free surface and current information fromthe ROMS while exports significant wave parameters to the ROMS for Stokes wave computing every 6 s. This coupled model is applied to the South China Sea (SCS) during September 2008 cruise. The results show that LC increasing turbulence and deepening mixed layer depth (MLD) at order of O (10 m) in most of the areas, especially in the north part of SCS where most of our measurements operated. The coupled model further includes wave breaking which will bringsmore energy into water. When LC works together with wave breaking,more energy is transferred into deep layer and accelerates the MLD deepening. In the north part of the SCS, their effects aremore obvious. This is consistent with big wind event in the area of the Zhujiang River Delta. The shallow water depth as another reasonmakes themeasy to influence the oceanmixing as well.     

Study on the currents in Lake Biwa (I)

Some numerical experiments by the barotropic nonlinear two dimensional models are performed to study the water circulations in Lake Biwa, especially to study the large anticlockwise gyre in the north basin. The wind fields used in the experiments have no rotational component. This gyre is induced by the southerly wind and is approximately on the geostrophic balance. The vorticity of this gyre is contributed from the vertical stretching of the vortex tube by the variable bottom topography and the inertia term. But the latter term does not become effective if the bottom profile of the basin is flat. Therefore the horizontal circulation in the barotropic closed basin is the “topographic gyres”. The bottom stress has a little contribution to the vorticity balance of the gyre.     

南海北部陆缘盆地与坎坡斯盆地

我国南海是西太平洋最大的边缘海,其北部陆缘盆地深水区位于琼东南与珠江口盆地南侧.通过对该地区烃源条件、储层条件、圈闭条件及成藏模式等的初步研究,认为其具有良好的石油地质条件,有效勘探面积和勘探潜力巨大,具有良好的勘探前景.坎坡斯盆地位于巴西大西洋大陆边缘,是一个中生代到古新近纪含油气盆地,其内部的Garoupa, Carapeba, Namorado, Roncador, Marlim等深水油田的地质储量十分丰富,随着各个油田开发的深入,对该地区的深水含油气系统有了更加清晰的了解.本文通过两个地区在构造演化,烃源条件,储层条件,圈闭条件以及成藏模式的对比研究,对南海北部陆缘盆地深水区有了进一步的认识.     

Distribution of deep near-inertial waves observed in the Kuroshio Extension

The distribution of deep near-inertial waves (NIWs) is investigated using data mainly from an array of 46 near-bottom acoustic current meter sensors spanning a 600 km × 600 km region as part of the Kuroshio Extension System Study during 2004–2006. The deep NIW distribution is interpreted in the context of both upper-layer and near-bottom mapped circulations. The wintertime-mean mixed-layer NIW energy input, modeled from observed wind stress, has the same range of values north and south of the Kuroshio Extension in this region. Yet, the wintertime-mean deep NIW energy distribution reveals a sharp factor-of-5 decrease from north to south of the Kuroshio jet. This direct observational evidence shows that the Kuroshio Extension blocks the equatorward propagation of NIWs. The NIW energy that does reach the sea floor within the subset of wintertime observations in the subtropical gyre arrives with patchy spatial and temporal distribution. Elevated NIW energy in deep water is associated with anticyclones in the deep barotropic flow and unassociated with upper layer eddies.     

渤海夏季潮致-风生-热盐环流的数值诊断计算

基于正交曲线坐标的ECOMSED三维水动力模式,并考虑了潮汐、风和实测温盐场,诊断计算了渤海夏季三维潮致-风生-热盐环流,分析了渤海夏季潮致余流、风生和热盐环流的分布结构。结果显示,在夏季,渤海中部海区明显存在一个顺时针向的涡旋,同时渤海还存在着多个逆时针向的涡旋。通过分析和比较各个分量在总环流中的作用,认为夏季潮致余流是相对弱的;热盐环流在夏季总环流中占主要成分。     

Evidence for water exchange between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait

An analysis of historical oxygen data provides evidence on the water exchange between theSouth China Sea (SCS) and the Pacific Ocean (PO). In the vicinity of the Luzon Strait (LS) , the dissolved oxygen concentration of sea water is found to be lower on the Pacific side than on the SCS side at depths between 700 and 1500 m (intermediate layer) , while the situation is reversed above 700 m (upper layer) and below 1 500 m (deep layer). The evidence suggests that water exits the SCS in the intermediate layer but enters it from the Pacific in both the upper and the deep layers, supporting the earlier speculation that the Luzon Strait transport has a sandwiched structure in the vertical. Within the SCS basin, the oxygen distribution indicates widespread vertical movement, including the upwelling in the intermediate layer and the downwelling in the deep layer.     

Diagnostic analysis of water circulations in Lake Biwa

A diagnostic model is developed for the study of steady water-circulations during summer in Lake Biwa. The most characteristic feature of the present model is to include the vertical friction terms in the basic equations, so that it is not necessary to assume a level of no-motion. Under no-wind condition, the velocity field is calculated from the density field obtained by successive observations of water temperature using a bathythermograph.The comparisons of the present calculation with a dynamical calculation and direct current measurements indicate that the present model surpasses a dynamical calculation in the respects that 1) vertical circulations can be estimated and 2) the flow pattern in the deep layers can be obtained more reliably. One of important results of the present calculation is that a large vertical circulation has been found accompanied by the large counterclockwise gyre in the north basin. Preliminary results of direct current measurements by cross-boad drogues also seem to suggest the existence of the circulation.     

El Ni?o 事件期间南海环流的异常特征

基于CORA再分析资料对南海环流的季节特征和其受ElNio事件的响应进行了分析。结果表明,冬季整个南海海区表现为一个大的气旋式环流,夏季南海北部是气旋式环流,南部是一个反气旋式环流。通过对南海海区异常流场进行MV-EOF分解,分析其前两个模态,其空间型主要体现了南海环流冬季和夏季的特征,对应的时间系数与Nio3.4_NDJ指数有很好的相关性。通过分析南海环流在1986—2008年间ElNio年份的异常流场和异常流函数场,证明了MV-EOF分解后得到的联合时间系数所反映各阶段南海环流的季节特征与ElNio事件有相关性,即在8月[0],南海南部异常流函数场表现为反气旋式环流,北部为气旋式环流,南海夏季环流被增强,且ElNio事件时间尺度越长,北部的气旋式异常流场的影响范围就越大;在12月[0],南海除了东南部外,其余整个海区异常流函数场主要表现为反气旋式环流,冬季环流被减弱;在8月[+1],南海夏季流场强度都被削弱了。     

Microstructure observations in the upper layer of the South China Sea

A general pattern for turbulent mixing in the upper layer of the South China Sea (SCS) is presented based on TurboMAP measurements in April and May 2010. The turbulence level decreased significantly overall from north to south, and weakened from east to west in the northern SCS. The average dissipation rate north of 18°N reaches 1.69 × 10^?8 W/kg, approximately six times larger than that south of 18°N. The mean mixing efficiency in the SCS is 0.2, with a maximum of 0.31 near the Luzon Strait. At one repeatedly occupied station located in the central deep basin, the dissipation rate varies diurnally in the mixed layer and pycnocline due to diurnal heating and cooling by solar radiation and local barotropic tide, respectively.     

1998年夏季季风爆发前后南海上层环流的诊断分析

基于1998年南海季风试验（SCSMEX，South China Sea Monsoon Experiment)期间2个强化观测航次（4－5月及6－7）所获温盐深（CTD）资料，利用一个改进逆模式研究了夏季季风爆发前后南海环流的演变特征。诊断计算表明，在此期间南海环流主要表现为两脊两槽型，即越南以东和菲律宾以西呈反气旋式环流，南海北部和南海中部呈气旋式环流。但对局部区域而言，可以发现在季风爆发前后其环流结构有明显的差异。上述计算结果亦与等压面上海水密度分布的定性分析结果及同期观测的ADCP资料进行了比较，结果表明模式计算所得到的南海上层环流主要特征与定性分析结果及实测资料大体一致，诊断结果可作为南海上层季风环流演变机制研究的依据。     

Circulation in the South China Sea is in a state of forced oscillation: Results from a simple reduced gravity model with a closed boundary

The South China Sea (SCS) is a narrow semi-enclosed basin, ranging from 4°–6°N to 21°–22°N meridionally. It is forced by a strong annual cycle of monsoon-related wind stress. The Coriolis parameter f increases at least three times from the southern basin to the northern basin. As a result, the basin-cross time for the first baroclinic Rossby wave in the southern part of the basin is about 10-times faster than that in the northern part, which plays the most vitally important role in setting the circulation. At the northernmost edge of SCS, the first baroclinic Rossby wave takes slightly less than 1 year to move across the basin, however, it takes only 1–2 months in the southernmost part. Therefore, circulation properties for a station in the model ocean are not solely determined by the forcing at that time instance only; instead, they depend on the information over the past months. The combination of a strong annual cycle of wind forcing and large difference of basin-cross time for the first baroclinic Rossby wave leads to a strong seasonal cycle of the circulation in the SCS, hence, the circulation is dominated by the forced oscillations, rather than the quasi-steady state discussed in many textbooks.The circulation in the SCS is explored in detail by using a simple reduced gravity model forced by seasonally varying zonal wind stress. In particular, for a given time snap the western boundary current in the SCS cannot play the role of balancing mass transport across each latitude nor balancing mechanical energy and vorticity in the whole basin. In a departure from the steady wind-driven circulation discussed in many existing textbooks, the circulation in the SCS is characterized by the imbalance of mechanical energy and vorticity for the whole basin at any part of the seasonal cycle. In particular, the western boundary current in the SCS cannot balance the mass, mechanical energy, and vorticity in the seasonal cycle of the basin. Consequently, the circulation near the western boundary cannot be interpreted in terms of the wind stress and thermohaline forcing at the same time. Instead, circulation properties near the western boundary should be interpreted in terms of the contributions due to the delayed wind stress and the eastern boundary layer thickness. In fact, there is a clear annual cycle of net imbalance of mechanical energy and vorticity source/sink. Results from such a simple model may have important implications for our understanding of the complicated phenomena in the SCS, either from in-situ observations or numerical simulations.     

南海上层环流观测研究进展

回顾了近50a来南海环流研究的进展，重点介绍了近期有关南海上层总环流的观测研究成果，并就南海季风急流、南海暖流、南海南部的次海盆尺度环流，以及南海东北部环流的几个问题进行了专门讨论。     

黑潮和中国近海环流

本文根据历史资料总结和讨论了黑潮对中国近海环流影响的基本结果,指出经巴士海峡进入南海和沿台湾海峡向北运动的黑潮分支,其年际变化明显,并认为该黑潮分支的运动状况对中国近海特别是南海和东海南部的中、下层环流影响显著,需要作进一步的调查研究。     

南海等密度面环流季节变化的数值模拟研究

In this study, we develop a variable-grid global ocean general circulation model(OGCM) with a fine grid(1/6)°covering the area from 20°S–50°N and from 99°–150°E, and use the model to investigate the isopycnal surface circulation in the South China Sea(SCS). The simulated results show four layer structures in vertical: the surface and subsurface circulation of the SCS are characterized by the monsoon driven circulation, with basin-scaled cyclonic gyre in winter and anti-cyclonic gyre in summer. The intermediate layer circulation is opposite to the upper layer, showing anti-cyclonic gyre in winter but cyclonic gyre in summer. The circulation in the deep layer is much weaker in spring and summer, with the maximum velocity speed below 0.6 cm/s. In fall and winter, the SCS deep layer circulation shows strong east boundary current along the west coast of Philippine with the velocity speed at 1.5 m/s, which flows southward in fall and northward in winter. The results have also revealed a fourlayer vertical structure of water exchange through the Luzon Strait. The dynamics of the intermediate and deep circulation are attributed to the monsoon driving and the Luzon Strait transport forcing.     

南海的季节环流─TOPEX/POSEIDON卫星测高应用研究

应用1992～1996年的TOPEX/POSEIDON卫星高度计遥感资料,研究了冬、夏季风强盛期多年平均的南海上层环流结构。研究结果表明,南海上层流结构呈明显的季节变化,在很大程度上受该海区冬、夏交替的季风支配。冬季总环流呈气旋型,并发育有两个次海盆尺度气旋型环流;夏季总环流大致呈反气旋型、但在南海东部18°N以南海域未见明显流系发育。研究还表明,南海环流的西向强化趋势明显,无论冬、夏在中南半岛沿岸和巽他陆架外缘均存在急流,其流向冬、夏相反,是南海上层环流中最强劲的一支。鉴于该海流的动力特征与海洋动力学中定义的漂流不同,有相当大的地转成分,建议称为“南海季风急流(South China Sea MonsoonJet)”.冬季南下的季风急流在南海南部受巽他陆架阻挡折向东北,沿加里曼丹岛和巴拉望岛外海有较强东北向流发育。夏季北上的季风急流在海南岛东南分为两支:北支沿陆架北上,似为传统意义上的南海暖流;南支沿18°N向东横穿南海后折向东北;二者之间(陆架坡折附近)为弱流区。两分支在汕头外海汇合后,南海暖流流速增强。就多年平均而言,黑潮只在冬季侵入南海东北部,并在南海北部诱生一个次海盆尺度的气旋型环流,这时南海暖流只出现在汕头以东海域.夏季南海北部完全受东北向流控制,未见黑潮入侵迹象.用卫星跟踪海面漂流浮标观测进行的对比验证表明,以上遥感分析结果与海上观测一致。