Seasonal and interannual variations in the velocity field of the South China Sea

A three-dimensional numerical model is used to simulate sea level and velocity variations in the South China Sea for 1992–1995. The model is driven by daily wind and daily sea surface temperature fields derived from the NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. The four-year model outputs are analyzed using time-domain Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF). Spatial and temporal variations of the first two modes from the simulation compare favorably with those derived from satellite altimetry. Mode 1, which is associated with a southern gyre, shows symmetric seasonal reversal. Mode 2, which contributes to a northern gyre, is responsible for the asymmetric seasonal and interannual variations. In winter, the southern and northern cyclonic gyres combine into a strong basin-wide cyclonic gyre. In summer, a cyclonic northern gyre and an anticyclonic southern gyre form a dipole with a jet leaving the coast of Vietnam. Interannual variations are particularly noticeable during El Niño. The winter gyre is generally weakened and confined to the southern basin, and the summer dipole structure does not form. Vertical motions weaken accordingly with the basin-wide circulation. Variations of the wind stress curl in the first two EOF modes coincide with those of the model-derived sea level and horizontal velocities. The mode 1 wind stress curl, significant in the southern basin, coincides with the reversal of the southern gyre. The mode 2 curl, large in the central basin, is responsible for the asymmetry in the winter and summer gyres. Lack of the mode 2 contribution during El Niño events weakens the circulation. The agreement indicates that changes in the wind stress curl contribute to the seasonal and interannual variations in the South China Sea.     

Mechanism of currents through the straits of the Japan Sea: Mean state and seasonal variation

The mechanism governing the mean state and the seasonal variation of the transports through the straits of the Japan Sea is studied using a newly presented, simple analytical model and a basin scale general circulation model (GCM). The GCM reproduces the transports through the straits of the Japan Sea realistically owing to its fine horizontal resolution of about 20 km and realistic topography. A series of experiments conducted by changing surface forcing shows that the annual mean wind-driven circulation in the North Pacific Ocean is most responsible for the formation of the mean transports. It is also found that the seasonal variation of the alongshore component of monsoonal wind stress over the North Pacific basin, especially that over the Okhotsk Sea, is responsible for the seasonal variation of the transports. The simple analytical model can explain these simulated features very well. The physical concept of this model is based on the formation of the around-island circulation through the adjustment of coastally trapped waves and Rossby waves and geostrophic control at the narrow straits. It solves the sea surface heights (SSHs) at the edge of each strait and the transport through it. The value of the line integral of the SSH along the island is determined by the baroclinic Rossby waves approaching the island from the east and the alongshore wind stress around the island. The basin scale seasonal variation of SSH along the coast induced by the variation of the alongshore monsoonal wind stress can also be incorporated into this model by giving the SSH anomaly at the northeastern point of the Soya Strait. Thus, it is suggested that both the mean state and the seasonal variation are caused mainly by wind stress forcing. Minor modification by the seasonal heat flux forcing brings the amplitude and the phase of the seasonal variation closer to the observed values.     

Seasonal variability of water transport through the Straits of Gibraltar, Sicily and Corsica, derived from a high-resolution model of the Mediterranean circulation

The variability of the water transport through three major straits of the Mediterranean Sea (Gibraltar, Sicily and Corsica) was investigated using a high-resolution model. This model of the Mediterranean circulation was developed in the context of the Mercator project.The region of interest is the western Mediterranean between the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Sicily. The major water masses and the winter convection in the Gulf of Lions were simulated. The model reproduced the meso-scale and large-scale patterns of the circulation in very good agreement with recent observations. The western and the eastern gyres of the Alboran Sea were observed but high interannual variability was noticed. The Algerian Current splits into several branches at the longitude of the Strait of Sicily level, forming the Tyrrhenian branch, and, the Atlantic Ionian Stream and the Atlantic Tunisian Current in the eastern Mediterranean. The North Current retroflexed north of the Balearic Islands and a dome structure was observed in the Gulf of Lions. The cyclonic barotropic Algerian gyre, which was recently observed during the MATER and ELISA experiment, was evidenced in the simulation.From time-series of 10-day mean transport, the three straits presented a high variability at short time-scales. The transport was generally maximum, in April for the Strait of Gibraltar, in November for the Strait of Sicily, and in January for the Strait of Corsica. The amplitudes of the transport through the Straits of Gibraltar (0.11 Sv) and Sicily (0.30 Sv) presented a weaker seasonal variability than that of the Strait of Corsica (0.70 Sv).The study of the relation between transport and wind forcing showed that the transport through the Strait of Gibraltar is dependent on local zonal wind over short time-scales (70%), which was not the case for the other straits (less than 30%). The maximum (minimum) of the transport occurred for an eastward (westward) wind stress in the strait. An interannual event was noticed in November–December 2001, which corresponded to a very low transport (0.3 Sv), which was characterised by a cyclonic circulation in the western Alboran Sea. That circulation was also reproduced by the model for other periods than winter during the interannual simulation.The transport through the Strait of Sicily is not influenced by local wind.The wind stress curl of the northwestern Mediterranean influenced the transport through the Strait of Corsica.     

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。     

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.     

Sea surface height variations in the South China Sea from satellite altimetry

Sea surface elevation in the South China Sea is examined in the Topex/Poseidon altimeter data from 1992 to 1995. Sea level anomalies are smoothed along satellite tracks and in time with tidal errors reduced by harmonic analysis. The smoothed data are sampled every ten days with an along-track separation of about 40 km. The data reveal significant annual variations in sea level. In winter, low sea level is over the entire deep basin with two local lows centred off Luzon and the Sunda Shelf. In summer, sea level is high off Luzon and off the Sunda Shelf, and a low off Vietnam separates the two highs. The boundary between the Vietnam low and Sunda high coincides with the location of a jet leaving the coast of Vietnam described in earlier studies. Principal component analysis shows that the sea level variation consists mainly of two modes, corresponding well to the first two modes of the wind stress curl. Mode 1 represents the oscillation in the southern basin and shows little inter-annual variation. The mode 2 oscillation is weak in the southern basin and is strongest off central Vietnam. During the winters of 1992–1993 and 1994–1995 and the following summers, the wind stress curl is weak, and the mode 2 sea level variation in the northern basin is reduced, resulting in weaker winter and summer gyres. Weakening of the Vietnam low in summer implies diminishing of the eastward jet leaving the coast of Vietnam. The results are consistent with model simulations.     

Surface circulation of the Levantine Basin: Comparison of model results with observations

The eastern Mediterranean (Levantine Basin) hydrography and circulation are investigated by comparing the results of a high-resolution primitive equation model with observations. After a 10-year integration, the model is able to reproduce the major water masses and the circulation patterns of the eastern Mediterranean. Comparisons with the POEM hydrographical observations show good agreement. The vertical distribution of the water masses matches that of the observations quite well in terms of monthly mean. The model surface circulation is in agreement with circulation schemes derived from recent observations. Some well-known mesoscale features of the upper thermocline circulation are also realistically reproduced. In agreement with satellite observations, the model shows that high-energy mesoscale eddies dominate the upper thermocline circulation in the southern and the central parts of the Levantine Basin. Most of the Atlantic Water follows the north African coast and forms a strong coastal jet near the Libyan coast rather than forming the Mid-Mediterranean Jet described by several authors. The sub-basin circulation shows a strong seasonal signal. A strong and stable current flows along the isobaths in winter, becoming weaker and with more meanders in summer. The mesoscale eddies throughout the whole basin are more energetic in summer than in winter.     

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.     

渤、黄海冬、夏季节风生流场年际变化时空模态与环流变异

根据1975—2017年冬、夏季节渤、黄海沿岸25个气象站风观测资料,采用二维非线性垂直平均风生流模式、旋转经验正交函数(REOF)等方法,研究了渤、黄海冬、夏季节平均风生流速度势与流函数场年际变化时空模态与环流变异.由于冬、夏季节渤、黄海风应力场强度年际变化显著线性减弱趋势,冬季渤、黄海平均速度势与流函数强度年际变化线性减弱速率大于夏季,黄海冬、夏季平均速度势与流函数强度年际变化线性减弱速率大于渤海.渤、黄海冬、夏季节平均风生流速度势与流函数场年际变化主要有两种时空模态,冬季渤海垂直环流显著线性减弱以及水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量,冬季黄海垂直与水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量.夏季渤海垂直环流显著线性减弱以及水平环流准平衡态年际变化是主要分量,夏季黄海大部分海域垂直环流显著线性减弱与局部垂直环流显著线性增强年际变化是主要分量,夏季黄海水平环流形态此消彼长显著线性增强及减弱年际变化是主要分量.冬季黄海暖流暖水向南黄海西侧以及向渤海中部输送过程是在3～4个环流之间传递形成,并非由单一环流输送形成.冬季渤海中部辐散下沉反气旋环流与黄海中部至渤海海峡的气旋环流、黄海东部辐散下沉反气旋环流是冬季黄海暖流强度与范围的控制环流,夏季渤海中部辐散下沉反气旋环流与黄海中部辐合上升气旋型环流是夏季渤、黄海冷水团强度与范围的控制环流,冬、夏季节渤、黄海控制环流年际变化形态的变换形成冬季黄海暖流与夏季渤、黄海冷水团暖年或冷年的年际变化.     

缓变风场驱动下正压环流中的多涡结构

利用正压涡度方程，研究了缓变风场驱动下水平尺度1000km平底方形海盆中海洋环流的响应。结果表明，缓变风场驱动下海洋环流的响应是多涡型的，线性情形下多涡结构表现为共振受迫Rossby波；非线性情形下受迫Rossby波被扭曲，多涡结构是由受迫Rossby波和次海盆尺度的惯性再循环共同构成。无论是稳定风场还是缓变风场，非线性作用越强，环流越趋于不稳定；非线性作用强且水平耗散作用弱时，非线性不稳定过程可能完全掩盖了变化的风旋度向海盆涡度输人的影响，此时风的变化对环流型式不再重要。     

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。     

Seasonal characteristics of the near-surface circulation in the northern South China Sea obtained from satellite-tracked drifters

The surface circulation of northern South China Sea (hereafter SCS) for the period 1987–2005 was studied using the data of more than 500 satellite-tracked drifters and wind data from QuikSCAT. The mean flow directions in the northern SCS except the Luzon Strait (hereafter LS) during the periods October~March was southwestward, and April~September northeastward. A strong northwestward intrusion of the Kuroshio through the LS appears during the October~March period of northeasterly wind, but the intrusion became weak between April and September. When the strong intrusion occurred, the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the LS was 388 cm²/s² which was almost 2 times higher than that during the weak-intrusion season. The volume transport of the Kuroshio in the east of the Philippines shows an inverse relationship to that of the LS. There is a six-month phase shift between the two seasonal phenomena. The volume transport in the east of the Philippines shows its peak sis-month earlier faster than that of the LS. The strong Kuroshio intrusion is found to be also related to the seasonal variation of the wind stress curl generated by the northeasterly wind. The negative wind stress curl in the northern part of LS induces an anticyclonic flow, while the positive wind stress curl in the southern part of LS induces a cyclonic flow. The northwestward Kuroshio intrusion in the northern part of LS happened with larger negative wind stress curl, while the westward intrusion along 20.5°N in the center of the LS occurred with weaker negative wind stress curl.     

Modelling subsurface dynamics in the Black Sea

Dependency of major hydrophysical/chemical features of highly stratified basins on density surfaces in the vertical makes isopycnic models an attractive tool for simulating the dynamics of marginal marine environments such as the Black Sea because of the ability of these models to restrict vertical transport to some desirable degree. In the present work the seasonal variations of the subsurface dynamics of the Black Sea are investigated using an isopycnic model. Particular attention is given to the interfaces of the Cold intermediate layer and Suboxic layer and finally, the deep layer circulation in the basin is studied. It appears that although the depth range of the base of the Cold intermediate layer and the lower Soboxic layer interface do not change seasonally, their horizontal distribution is defined by the upper layer dynamics of the basin. Cyclonic surface circulation diminishes with increasing depth and the deep layer circulation is characterised by an anti-cyclonic rim current driven by density gradients created from river runoff and the influx of Mediterranean water.     

Upper Ocean Sensitivity to Wind Forcing in the South China Sea

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Layered Ocean Model (NLOM) has been used to investigate the sensitivity of the upper South China Sea (SCS) circulation to various atmospheric wind forcing products. A 1/16° 6-layer, thermodynamic Pacific Ocean north of 20°S version of NLOM has been integrated using observed climatological monthly mean winds (Hellerman and Rosenstein, 1983) and climatologies based on two atmospheric prediction models: the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). ECMWF products include the 10 meter winds (at both 1.125° and 2.5° resolution) and surface stresses (1.125°). The NCEP forcing (1.875°) is a surface stress product. Significant differences exist in the wind stress curl patterns and this is reflected in the upper ocean model response, which is compared to observational data. The model experiments suggest the generation of the West Luzon Eddy is controlled by positive wind stress curl. The degree of Kuroshio intrusion into the SCS, however, is not affected by wind stress curl but is governed by the coastline geometry of the island chain within Luzon Strait. The summertime offshore flow from the Vietnamese coast is present in all simulations but the dipole structure on either side of the jet is variable, even among experiments with similar wind stress curl patterns. The ECMWF surface stresses exhibit spurious coastal wind stress curl patterns, especially in locations with significant orographic features. This manifests itself in unrealistic small scale coastal gyres in NLOM. High resolution basin-scale and coastal models might be adversely affected by these stresses. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

渤、黄海风生流场季节循环时空模态与变异

根据1978—2015年渤、黄海沿岸观测风应力场与二维非线性垂直平均风生流模式，以及旋转经验正交函数（REOF）、调和分析等方法，研究了渤、黄海月平均风生流速度势、流函数场季节循环时空模态与年际变异.渤、黄海月平均风生流速度势、流函数场主要有两种时空模态，季节周期分量是时空模态的主要分量.由于风应力场季节循环变异，渤海流函数场季节时空循环变异程度大于速度势场，速度势、流函数场第二模态是季节变异的主要分量，黄海速度势场季节时空循环变异程度大于流函数场，速度势场第二模态是季节变异的主要分量.由于月平均风应力场强度年际变化显著线性减弱，渤、黄海季节平均风生流场强度年际变化也显著减弱.渤、黄海暖流与冷水团季节生消是风生流水平环流与垂直对流对冷 暖水体输送与汇集共同作用的结果，渤、黄海春、夏季辐合上升环流延缓及减弱了浅层暖水向深层传播，是春、夏季冷水团与温跃层形成的重要动力因素，因此，速度势是研究渤、黄海风生流场十分重要的因素.冬季渤海中部、黄海东部反气旋型及辐散下沉环流与黄海中部气旋型环流、辐合上升环流是黄海暖流季节转换与强度的主要动力控制因素，夏季黄海东部气旋型环流、辐合上升环流与黄海中部反气旋型环流、辐散下沉环流是黄海冷水团季节转换与强度的主要动力控制因素.     

Wind-driven circulation in the Japan Sea and its influence on the branching of the Tsushima Current

Seasonal variation in the wind-driven circulation in the Japan Sea is studied with reference to the branching of the Tsushima Current using a two-layer model with simplified bottom and coastal topography. The system is driven by wind stress, an inflow corresponding to the Tsushima Current and by the two outflows corresponding to the Tsugaru and Soya Currents.In the first phase, an annual mean wind stress is imposed and a quasi-stationary state is obtained. In the next phase, a seasonally varying wind stress is imposed. Seasonal variation in the wind stress plays an important role in the branching system of the Tsushima Current. In winter, an intensified western boundary current with a prominent inner circulation is formed as a result of a strong wind stress of winter monsoon with negative wind stress curl. In spring to summer, the western boundary current is weak, but the topographic branch along the Japanese coast is intensified. The weak western boundary current is caused by weak wind stress with positive wind stress curl, which induces cyclonic Sverdrup flow in the Japan Sea and causes its western boundary current to flow in the opposite direction to the prescribed northward boundary inflow current. The topographic branch is strongest in late spring and moves offshore in summer, in agreement with the central branch denoted by Kawabe (1982b). Some of the observational features of the Tsushima Current are successfully simulated.     

南海上层经向翻转环流的低频变化

The low-frequency variability of the shallow meridional overturning circulation(MOC) in the South China Sea(SCS) is investigated using a Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA) product for the period of 1900–2010. A dynamical decomposition method is used in which the MOC is decomposed into the Ekman, external mode, and vertical shear components. Results show that all the three dynamical components contribute to the formation of the seasonal and annual mean shallow MOC in the SCS. The shallow MOC in the SCS consists of two cells: a clockwise cell in the south and an anticlockwise cell in the north; the former is controlled by the Ekman flow and the latter is dominated by the external barotropic flow, with the contribution of the vertical shear being to reduce the magnitude of both cells. In addition, the strength of the MOC in the south is found to have a falling trend over the past century, due mainly to a weakening of the Luzon Strait transport(LST) that reduces the transport of the external component. Further analysis suggests that the weakening of the LST is closely related to a weakening of the westerly wind anomalies over the equatorial Pacific, which leads to a southward shift of the North Equatorial Current(NEC) bifurcation and thus a stronger transport of the Kuroshio east of Luzon.     

Influence of vertical motions on maintaining the nitrate balance in the Black Sea based on numerical simulation

The upwelling of deep water associated with the influence of cyclonic wind curl and the difference in the buoyancy of the inflows in the lower and upper water layers is observed in the central part of the Black Sea. The resulting vertical water motions contribute to the transport of ammonium to the upper boundary of the anaerobic zone. In the suboxic zone, ammonium is converted to nitrate via nitrite as a result of the nitrification, and thus it can supply the nitrocline in the water basin. Within the framework of this paper we discuss the effectiveness of this mechanism on the basis of the numerical simulation. The calculations were performed using a one-dimensional physical-biogeochemical model for the upper 600-m sea water layer, which takes into account seasonal variations in atmospheric parameters and vertical motions. The model describes the biological and redox processes in the suboxic zone. We have estimated the contribution of different constituents into the balance of nitrogen compounds in the euphotic water layer. It is shown that ammonium nitrogen coming from the deep water due to vertical water motion plays a significant role in maintaining the balance of nitrates in the central part of the Black Sea.     

南海大尺度动力场年循环和年际变化

应用COADS风应力、Levitus温度资料，描述南海上层海洋动力场的年循环及其与热力场之间的关系和南海大尺度动力场的年际变化。针对冬、夏2个季节，分析Sverdrup环流场与上层海温之间的关系。研究发现，上层海温变化与上层海洋环流基本结构非常相似，即上层海温变化在一定程度上反映了南海Sverdrup平衡，而且随着浓度的增加，平均海温场与流函数场之间的对应关系更好。本文还着重分析了El Nino期间和La Nina期间的南海异常流函数场。研究发现，异常流函数场在El Nino期间的夏季主要是强化南海自身的环流结构，即强化南部反气旋式涡流（gvre)和强化北部气旋式涡流；冬季则削弱整个南海的气旋式流场。LaNina期间对夏季环流态的影响主要集中在南海北部，即削弱北部气旋式涡流，而对于南海南部的影响甚微；冬季则强化整个南海的气旋式流场。     

A numerical study of the South China Sea deep circulation and its relation to the Luzon Strait transport

A fine-resolution MOM code is used to study the South China Sea basin-scale circulationand its relation to the mass transport through the Luzon Strait. The model domain includes the South China Sea, part of the East China Sea, and part of the Philippine Sea so that the currents in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait are free to evolve. In addition, all channels between the South China Sea and the Indonesian seas are closed so that the focus is on the Luzon Strait transport. The model is driven by specified Philippine Sea currents and by surface heat and salt flux conditions. For simplicity, no wind-stress is applied at the surface.The simulated Luzon Strait transport and the South China Sea circulation feature a sandwich vertical structure from the surface to the bottom. The Philippine Sea water is simulated to enter the South China Sea at the surface and in the deep ocean and is carried to the southern basin by western boundary currents. At the intermediate depth, the net Luzon Strait transport is out of t