An approach to prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset

In the present paper, correlation between the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） onset and heat content in the upper layer of the warm pool in the western Pacific Ocean is examined using the Scripps Institution of Oceanography dataset for the period of 1955-1998 and an approach to prediction the SCSSM onset is proposed. Correlation showes that there exists interdecadal variability of the SCSSM onset demarcated by 1970 with the largest correlation coefficient in the area west of the center of the warm pool rather than near its centers, implying certain effect from other factors involved besides ENSO. As the correlation is poor for the period before 1970, the heat content anomaly of the warm pool after 1970 is used to indicate early or late onset of the SCSSM beforehand. An ideal representative area （1°×1°） for the warm pool heat content was determined with its center at 3°N/138°E. The nearest TAO （TAO-Tropical Atmosphere Ocean-array） mooring to the center is at 2°N/137°E, and chosen to calculate the heat content for prediction. It is suggested that the TAO mooring at 2°N/137°E could be used to predict the SCSSM onset with the heat content in the upper layer, if the correlation between the SCSSM onset and the heat content of the warm pool runs like that of after 1970. On the other hand, if the situation does like the one before 1970, the representative station is determined at 13°S/74°E with relatively poor correlation, meaning that the warm pool in the western Pacific Ocean plays more important role in the SCSSM onset than the Indian Ocean.     

Eddies in the northwest subtropical pacific and their possible effects on the South China Sea

Based on an analysis of drifter data from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment during 1979-1998, the sizes of the eddies in the North subtropical Pacific are determined from the radii of curvature of the drifter paths calculated by using a non-linear curve fitting method. To support the drifter data results, Sea Surface Height from the TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS2 satellite data are analyzed in connection with the drifter paths. It is found that the eddies in the North Pacific （18^＊- 23^＊N and 125^＊-150^＊E） move westward at an average speed of approximately 0.098 ms^-1 and their average radius is 176 km, with radii ranging from 98 km to 298 km. During the nineteen-year period, only 4 out of approximately 200 drifters （2%） actually entered the South China Sea from the area adjacent to the Luzon Strait （18^＊-22^＊N and 121^＊-125^＊E） in the winter. It is also found that eddies from the interior of the North Pacific are unlikely to enter the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait.     

Analysis of the anomalous strength and location of the ITCZ affecting the formation of northern Pacific typhoons

Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset from 1959-2004, the location and strength of the ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Con-vergence Zone), as well as their relations with typhoons in the northwestern Pacific were studied. It was found that the pentad loca-tion and strength of the ITCZ had close relations with the typhoon frequency. Higher latitude location or strengthened ITCZ were found to be favorable for the occurrence of typhoons over the Northwestern Pacific. An index was defined for ascertaining the loca-tion of the ITCZ. It was found that the index defined with the maximum value ofpentad and monthly meridional shear of zonal wind speed could better describe the location of ITCZ than another index defined with the maximum value of convergence. Correlation analysis between the index of ITCZ and the maximum cloud cover in the tropics showed that there were close relations between the ITCZ determined by the index and the maximum tropical cloud belt. The strength index of an ITCZ was defined as the zonal wind speed difference at latitudes south and north of the ITCZ. It was found that there are close relations between the ITCZ intensity and typhoon occurrence in the South China Sea [10°N-20°N, 100°E-120°E] and regions east of the Philippines and near the Mariana Islands [5°N-20°N, 127.5°E-150°E].     

Influence of the Eastern Indian Ocean Warm Pool Variability on the Spring Precipitation in China

The relationship between the variability of the Eastern India Ocean Warm Pool （EIWP） and the spring precipitation in China is studied in the paper based on an analysis of the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation （SODA） Sea Surface Temperature （SST） data, the reanalysis data of monthly grid wind field at 925 hPa with a resolution of 2.5^＊ latitude and longitude from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR）, and the monthly mean rainfall data from 160 observational stations in China. The results show that there is a strong correlation between the EIWP variability and the spring precipitation in China. The area, volume and intensity indices of the EIWP are negatively correlated with the spring precipitation in southwestern China, while they are positively correlated with the spring precipitation in the rest of China, especially in the northeast. For this correlation between the EIWP variability and the spring precipitation in China, it is found that the correlative relationship is mainly connected with the variations of the moisture transport by the warm air flow, which is under the influence of the EIWP variability, into the inland of China in spring. Two causative factors may influence this transport. One is the variation of the moisture transport carried by the warm air flow from the Arabian Sea influenced by the EIWP variability. The other is the variation of the equator-crossing flow （70^＊-90^＊E） influenced by the EIWP anomaly in the previous winter which exerts its effect on the moist warm air transported from the Southern Hemisphere. The position and intensity of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High （WNPSH） variability caused by EIWP variation also influence the spring precipitation in China.     

Influence of the Convection over the South China Sea on the Summer Precipitation of Shandong Province

1　Introduction　ShandongProvince ,whichislocatedintheeastofChina ,consistspartlyofpeninsulaandpartlyofinlandwithatotalareaofabout 1 5 0 0 0 0km2 .Lyingfrom34°2 0′Nto 38°2 0′Nandfrom 1 1 4°4 0′Eto 1 2 2°4 0′E ,alltheareabelongstothemoderateregionandtothetypicalAsianmonsoonclimate .SoShandong’ssum merprecipitationaccountsforover 6 0 %oftheannualrainfall,andaccordinglyflood droughtdisastersmain lyoccurinsummer.Moreover,becauseitisgeographi callylocatedinthetransitionalareabetweenthe…     

An Alternative Index for the Onset of the Summer Monsoon over the South China Sea

1　Introduction　TheindicesfortheAsianmonsoonhavebeenstud iedinmanyworks .Recently ,thechoiceofpropermonsoonindiceshasreceivedexceptionalattentionandraisedcontroversy (WebsterandYang ,1 992 ;Goswa mietal.,1 999;Goswami,2 0 0 0 ;Wang ,2 0 0 0 ) .Us ingzona…     

Surface circulation patterns observed by drifters in the Yellow Sea in summer of 2001, 2002 and 2003

In summer of 2001, 2002 and 2003, ten, six and seventeen satellite-tracked surface drifters with drogues centered at 15 and 4 m were deployed, respectively, in the southern Yellow Sea (YS). 23 drifters of them transmitted useful data of at least 30 days. The wind-driven component of the drift was removed from the original drift velocity of drifters. The wind data used are from NCEP (National Center for Environmental Prediction), USA.Trajectories and drift velocities of the 23 drifters depicted the upper circulation structure in the southern YS. There exists an anti-cyclonic eddy with a mean speed and radius of 0.063 m/s and 50km in the central southern YS, whose center lingered within 35.3-36.0°N / 123.5-124.0°E. Showed by 6 drifters, a basin-scale elliptic cyclonic gyre with a mean speed of 0.114 m/s, long and short radius of 250 and 200 km surrounds the anti-cyclonic eddy. In the southwestern part of the southern YS has obvious frontal eddy activities within about 100 km with a mean speed about 0.076     

Numerical simulation and preliminary analysis on ocean waves during Typhoon Nesat in South China Sea and adjacent areas

Using the wave model WAVEWATCH III(WW3), we simulated the generation and propagation of typhoon waves in the South China Sea and adjacent areas during the passage of typhoon Nesat(2011). In the domain 100°–145°E and 0°–35°N, the model was forced by the cross-calibrated multi-platform(CCMP) wind fi elds of September 15 to October 5, 2011. We then validated the simulation results against wave radar data observed from an oil platform and altimeter data from the Jason-2 satellite. The simulated waves were characterized by fi ve points along track using the Spectrum Integration Method(SIM) and the Spectrum Partitioning Method(SPM), by which wind sea and swell components of the 1D and 2D wave spectra are separated. There was reasonable agreement between the model results and observations, although the WW3 wave model may underestimate swell wave height. Signifi cant wave heights are large along the typhoon track and are noticeably greater on the right of the track than on the left. Swells from the east are largely unable to enter the South China Sea because of the obstruction due to the Philippine Islands. During the initial stage and later period of the typhoon, swells at the fi ve points were generated by the propagation of waves that were created by typhoons Haitang and Nalgae. Of the two methods, the 2D SPM method is more accurate than the 1D SIM which overestimates the separation frequency under low winds, but the SIM method is more convenient because it does not require wind speed and wave direction. When the typhoon left the area, the wind sea fractions decreased rapidly. Under similar wind conditions, the points located in the South China Sea are affected less than those points situated in the open sea because of the infl uence of the complex internal topography of the South China Sea. The results reveal the characteristic wind sea and swell features of the South China Sea and adjacent areas in response to typhoon Nesat, and provide a reference for swell forecasting and offshore structural designs.     

Interpretation of sea surface wind interannual vector EOFs over the China seas

Using interpolation and averaging methods, we analyzed the sea surface wind data obtained from December 1992 to November 2008 by the scatterometers ERS-1, ERS-2, and QuikSCAT in the area of 2°N–39 °N, 105°E–130°E, and we reported the monthly mean distributions of the sea surface wind field. A vector empirical orthogonal function (VEOF) method was employed to study the data and three temporal and spatial patterns were obtained. The first interannual VEOF accounts for 26% of the interannual variance and displays the interannual variability of the East Asian monsoon. The second interannual VEOF accounts for 21% of the variance and reflects the response of China sea winds to El Niño events. The temporal mode of VEOF-2 is in good agreement with the curve of the Niño 3.4 index with a four-month lag. The spatial mode of VEOF-2 indicates that four months after an El Niño event, the southwesterly anomalous winds over the northern South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the Bohai Sea can weaken the prevailing winds in winter, and can strengthen the prevailing winds in summer. The third interannual VEOF accounts for 10% of the variance and also reflects the influence of the ENSO events to China Sea winds. The temporal mode of VEOF-3 is similar to the curve of the Southern Oscillation Index. The spatial mode of VEOF-3 shows that the northeasterly anomalous winds over the South China Sea and the southern part of the East China Sea can weaken the prevailing winds, and southwesterly anomalous winds over the northern part of the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the Bohai Sea can strengthen the prevailing winds when El Niño occurs in winter. If El Niño happens in summer, the reverse is true.     

A STUDY ON THE FLORISTIC PLANT GEOGRAPHY OF XISHA ISLANDS, SOUTH CHINA

邢福武，李泽贤，叶华谷，陈炳辉，吴德邻ＡＳＴＵＤＹＯＮＴＨＥＦＬＯＲＩＳＴＩＣＰＬＡＮＴＧＥＯＧＲＡＰＨＹＯＦＸＩＳＨＡＩＳＬＡＮＤＳ，ＳＯＵＴＨＣＨＩＮＡ￥ＸｉｎｇＦｕｗｕ；ＬｉＺｅｘｉａｎ；ＹｅＨｕａｇｕ；ＣｈｅｎＢｉｎｇｈｕｉ；ＷｕＤｅｌｉｎ（...     

Mesoscale structure of the central South China Sea detected by SCSMEX Buoy and Argo float

We addressed the mesoscale structure variation of the central South China Sea (SCS) with the measurements by a long-lived Argo float and a high-resolution ATLAS buoy during 1998–2002. T-S diagram indicates cooling and freshening events in 2000 and 2001 with lower salinity (0.5–0.8) and lower temperature (1–1.7°C). Significant decrease in the net heat flux and increase in the precipitation suggest that the cooling and freshening is due to extra forcing by the atmosphere. Additional to large year-to-year changes, intraseasonal variability is moderate in the research area. The axis of the maximum intraseasonal temperature and salinity signals are mainly located on the thermocline. Typically, amplitude and period of intraseasonal temperature is about 2°C and 40–60 days, and that of salinity is 0.3–0.5 and 35–60 days. Rapidly-changing winds, heat flux, and precipitation are critical in controlling the intraseasonal fluctuations of the mixed layer of the area. Studies on heat and freshwater balance in the mixed-layer further suggest that horizontal advection plays an important role in intraseasonal fluctuation in the upper ocean. In addition, the energetic mesoscale propagation radiated from the east boundary is linked to the intraseasonal variability in winter.     

Interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon and its relationship with latent heat flux in the Pacific Ocean

We analyzed interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon and its relationship with latent heat flux in the Pacific Ocean, using NCEP wind field and OAFlux heat flux datasets. Results indicate that South China Sea monsoon intensity had an obvious interdecadal variation with a decreasing trend. Variability of the monsoon was significantly correlated with latent heat flux in the Kuroshio area and tropical Pacific Ocean. Variability of latent heat flux in the Kuroshio area had an interdecadal increasing trend, while that in the tropical Pacific Ocean had an interdecadal decreasing trend. Latent heat flux variability in these two sea areas was used to establish a latent heat flux index, which had positive correlation with variability of the South China Sea monsoon. When the latent heat flux was 18 months ahead of the South China Sea monsoon, the correlation coefficient maximized at 0.58 (N=612), with a 99.9% significance level of 0.15. Thus, it is suggested that latent heat flux variability in the two areas contributes greatly to interdecadal variability of the South China Sea monsoon.     

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Current observations in the southern Yellow Sea in summer

Current data from three moored Acoustic Doppler Profilers (ADPs) deployed in the southern Yellow Sea at sites A (1-24.17°E, 34.82°N), B (122.82°E, 35.65°N) in summer 2001 and site C (120.85°E, 34.99°N) in summer 2003 were analyzed in this paper. Features of the tidal and residual currents were studied with rotary spectral and cross-spectral methods. Main achievements were as follows: 1) Tides dominated the currents. At sites A and B, the semidiurnal tidal current was basically homogeneous in the whole depth, taking a clockwise rotation at site A, and near-rectilinear counterclockwise rotation at site B; while the diurnal tidal current was strong and clockwise near the surface, but decreased and turned counterclockwise with depth; at site C, semidiurnal tidal current dominated and diurnal current took the second, both of which were counterclockwise and vertically homogeneous. Inertial motion contributed to the clockwise component of diurnal fluctuations; 2) The 3-5d fluctuation of residual current w     

Meridional distribution of 226Ra in the west pacific and the southern ocean surface waters

During the 13^th (1996–1997) and the 19^th (2002–2003) Chinese National Antarctica Research Expeditions, we collected 60 discrete surface seawater samples along the cruise from the Chanjiang River (Yangtze) estuary (30°59′S, 122°26′E) through Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the Eastern Indian Ocean to Prydz Bay, Antarctica (69°10′S, 74°30′E), and analyzed them for the ²²⁶Ra specific activity. The ²²⁶Ra specific activity of the Chanjiang River estuary surface water (3.15 Bq/m³) was found to be the highest among all the surface samples because of the desorption of ²²⁶Ra from riverine particles. Between Chanjiang River estuary and 40°S, ²²⁶Ra specific activity was found to be relatively uniform with a mean value of 1.07 Bq/m³ (n = 19, SD = 0.14), similar to that of the open ocean. From 40°S to 65°S, ²²⁶Ra specific activity increased intensively, then decreased moderately further southwards. Near the Antarctic shore, it increased again, to 2.31 Bq/m³. This distribution was controlled by a combination of deep water upwelling, Southern Ocean fronts, water mixing and the continental ²²⁶Ra import. In Prydz Bay and the adjacent sea area, the mean ²²⁶Ra activity value was 2.26 Bq/m³ (n = 31, SD = 0.28), with a relatively higher value outside of the bay and low ²²⁶Ra activity value in the center of the bay. This was consistent with the topography and hydrological setting of the bay. In addition, we extended the study area northward to the Arctic, by combining the published ²²⁶Ra dataset for surface water from the Bering Sea to the Japan Sea. We also discuss the ²²⁶Ra distribution of high latitude oceanic surface water and its mechanisms.     

An improved algorithm of simulation on air-sea turbulent heat fluxes in China seas

With a global GSSTF2 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis database and observation data at the Yong Xing station of Xisha Island in the South China Sea, we simulated the turbulent sensible and latent heat flux at sea surface in Chinese and neighboring seas (hereafter termed as China seas) using a common bulk method with some improved parameters. Comparing the simulated results with the observed and reanalyzed data, the improvement yielded higher accuracy, a smaller mean square deviation within 10 W/m2, and a smaller average relative error at about 25%. In addition, spatial resolution was improved to 0.1°×0.1°. The simulation is able to replay the main features of regional and seasonal variation in turbulent heat fluxes, and also the general pattern of heat flux changes during the summer monsoon outbreak in the South China Sea.     

The Upper Ocean Thermal Structure and the Genesis Locations of Tropical Cyclones in the South China Sea

The relationship between the upper ocean thermal structure and the genesis locations of tropical cyclones （TCs） in the South China Sea （SCS） is investigated by using the Joint Typhoon Warning Center （JTWC） best-track archives and high resolution （1/4 degree） temperature analyses of the world＇s oceans in this paper In the monthly mean genesis positions of TCs from 1945 to 2005 in the SCS, the mean sea surface temperature （SST） was 28.8℃ and the mean depth of 26℃ water was 53.1 m. From the monthly distribution maps of genesis positions of TCs, SST and the depth of 26℃ water in the SCS, we discovered that there existed regions with SST exceeding 26℃ and 26℃ water depth exceeding 50m where no tropical cyclones formed from 1945 to 2005 in the SCS, which suggests that there were other factors unfavorable for TC formation in these regions.     

The resuspension rate of sediments in 32°N section on the East China sea

This research on the influence of sediment resuspension on the flux of materials in the margin of the East China Sea showed that the sediment resuspension rates, was 47.40%–79.18% in the surface layers, and 72.75%–96.96% in the bottom layers. The research confirmed that the Changjiang River runoff and the eddy area upwelling flow near 125°E were two important factors affecting the sediment resuspension in summer; the transformation of DOC to POC through the flocculation in the transitional region (123°–124°E) was also confirmed by comparison of the resuspension rate. The sediment resuspension was shown to be influenced by the seasonal factor, especially in the surface layer. Contribution No. 4017 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 49636210 supported by NSFC.     

Comparison among sea surface roughness schemes

1 INTRODUCTIONIt is well known that wind-generated wavestorm surge and atmospheric circulation as impor-tant ocean weather events are closely related tomomentum exchange between sea and atmosphere(Oncley and Dudhia, 1995). For this reason, in thepast 20 years, attention has been directed towardshow to better describe momentum exchange throughsea surface. In general, to precisely determine theexchange, improvement should be made in the as-pects of reasonably depicting the roughness de-pend…     

Characteristics of nonlinear internal waves observed in the northern South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the most active areas of internal waves. We undertook a program of physical oceanography in the northern South China Sea from June to July of 2009, and conducted a 1-day observation from 15:40 of June 24 to 16:40 of June 25 using a chain of instruments, including temperature sensors, pressure sensors and temperature-pressure meters at a site (117.5°E, 21°N) northeast of the Dongsha Islands. We measured fluctuating tidal and subtidal properties with the thermistor-chain and a ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and observed a large-amplitude nonlinear internal wave passing the site followed by a number of small ones. To further investigate this phenomenon, we collected the tidal constituents from the TPXO7.1 dataset to evaluate the tidal characteristics at and around the recording site, from which we knew that the amplitude of the nonlinear internal wave was about 120 m and the period about 20 min. The horizontal and vertical velocities induced by the soliton were approximately 2 m/s and 0.5 m/s, respectively. This soliton occurred 2–3 days after a spring tide.