东海黑潮及琉球群岛以东海流研究进展

东海是西太平洋的一个边缘海,它西部有广阔的大陆架,东面以九州岛、琉球群岛(由奄美诸岛、冲绳诸岛、先岛诸岛组成)和台湾岛连线为界,具有较深的海槽。黑潮是一支高温、高盐、高流速的西边界流,它起源于菲律宾以东海域、流经台湾东岸进入东海,沿东海大陆架外缘向东北向流动，穿越吐噶喇海峡返回太平洋。通常的把自台湾东北端起至吐噶喇海峡一段称为东海黑潮。此外,在琉球群岛以东海域也常年存在一支稳定的西边界流,称为琉球海流。 对于东海黑潮和琉球海流的硏究,主要起步于20世纪80年代,通过进行中日联合调查研究、中日副热带环流调查研究等,取得了许多重要成果,苏纪兰(1994)、袁耀初(2000，Yuan,2006)、管秉贤(2002)等人都做过评述。本文基于以上研究评述,主要叙述200年以来对东海黑潮及琉球海流的硏究新进展。     

琉球海流起源及其变化特征的初步分析

采用1977年1月～2006年12月高分辨率全球大洋环流模型OFES输出结果,对琉球群岛附近海域水文要素进行了统计分析.结果表明:(1)琉球海流从西南到东北逐渐加强,其中在宫古海峡东侧断面琉球海流流量约为同断面黑潮流量的70％.(2)琉球海流的来源有4部分,分别为台湾以东黑潮的分支、宫古海峡以南的西向流、东海黑潮通过庆良间水道次表层流出的部分以及冲绳群岛和奄美群岛东面的西向流.(3)黑潮的流核主要位于表层至水深400m,而琉球海流的流核主要位于水深200～600m.(4)琉球海流受中尺度涡的影响十分剧烈,纬度越低,其受中尺度涡的影响越明显.(5)琉球海流和黑潮都存在1个约10 a的显著变化周期.     

混合坐标模式HYCOM模拟COADS强迫下的南海平均环流

采用混合坐标模式(HYCOM)模拟南海环流,同时利用海表温度卫星资料和吕宋海峡Sb-ADCP观测海流数据来评估模式结果.地形敏感性实验表明,吕宋海峡地形数据对模拟黑潮入侵方式影响较大,在地形误差较大的情况下,模拟的黑潮可能以反气旋流套方式入侵.和Pathfinder海表温度卫星资料比较,模式输出的月平均温度在海盆区域误差较小.ERA-15资料强迫所模拟的吕宋海峡上层环流和Sb-ADCP观测一致,而COADS结果低估了吕宋海峡的体积输送.     

利用Argos浮标资料对黑潮入侵南海问题的分析

通过对Argos浮标资料的分析,针对黑潮能否在吕宋海峡入侵南海的问题进行了研究,结果表明:黑潮由吕宋海峡入侵南海主要发生在秋、冬两季,春、夏季基本上不发生。而入侵主要是以流的形式传入,秋季少量的入侵水会有分支沿台湾海峡北上,冬季黑潮自吕宋海峡入侵南海后向西进入南海腹部。并对其季节变化原因作了初步讨论,该区域风应力和黑潮流量的季节性变化可能是重要原因。     

南海北部次表层盐度的变化及其与北赤道流分叉点的关系

吕宋海峡是南海与外界水交换的重要通道,黑潮作为北太平洋最强的1支西边界流,在经过吕宋海峡时会对南海北部的环流和环境产生重要影响。本文用1991—2011年期间CTD断面实测资料和高度计资料,提取23.0~25.5 kg/m³等密度面之间的盐度极大值,研究了南海北部不同年月盐度极大值变化、黑潮入侵方式与强弱,以及盐度极大值变化与北赤道流分叉点南北移动的关系,结果表明:(1)黑潮入侵南海方式多样,既有分支形式,也有弯曲、流套形式。(2)不同年月间,黑潮入侵南海的强弱存在较大差别,120°E断面的次表层盐度极大值的变动可超过0.3。(3)北赤道流分叉点位置的南北变动对黑潮入侵南海的强弱具有重要影响:北赤道流分叉点位置偏北,黑潮入侵南海较强;北赤道流分叉点位置偏南,则黑潮入侵相对较弱。     

吕宋海峡流场季节变化的数值模拟

基于海洋模式HYCOM(Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model),利用大小区嵌套技术,分别对全球海洋和西北太平洋进行了网格嵌套数值模拟,研究了吕宋海峡海域环流场的季节性变化。考虑全球海洋环流影响的西北太平洋模式,成功地刻画了黑潮的流结构及季节变化。吕宋海峡海洋环流流场在不同深度处差异较大,存在着明显的季节变化。黑潮入侵南海主要发生在500m深度以上,冬季最明显,夏秋两季不明显。在500m层常年存在一支南海暖流流入西北太平洋,在800m层南海暖流消失。一年四季黑潮主要通过吕宋海峡的南部和中部进入南海。1 000m层流场表明,黑潮主要通过吕宋海峡的中部入侵南海。在800~1 000m处主要是黑潮水流入南海。     

吕宋海峡水交换季节和年际变化特征的数值模拟研究

利用ROMS(Regional Ocean Modeling System)建立了一套覆盖西北太平洋的涡尺度分辨率环流模型,并对吕宋海峡附近的环流进行了模拟研究。结果表明,吕宋海峡120.75°E断面净流量季节变化显著,全年均为西向输运,6月份达到最小,为0.40×106 m3/s,然后逐渐增大,在12月份达到最大,为6.14×106 m3/s,全年平均流量为3.04×106 m3/s。在500 m以浅,秋、冬季都有明显的黑潮流套存在,并伴有黑潮分支入侵南海,而春、夏季黑潮南海分支减弱或消失,黑潮入侵不明显。在500 m以深,冬、春季,吕宋海峡以东有非常明显的南向流存在,流速约10 cm/s,而到了夏、秋季该南向流出现明显的减弱,黑潮与南海的水交换主要通过吕宋海峡以北的吕宋海沟进行。在垂向结构上,120.75°E断面浅层呈多流核结构,并且流核的位置和强弱受黑潮的季节性变化影响显著,深层流的季节变化不大。在年际尺度方面,吕宋海峡年际体积输运量异常与Niño3.4滞后6个月相关系数达到41.6%,吕宋海峡水交换与ENSO现象有较为显著的正相关关系,并存在2~3 a和准8 a周期的年际变化。     

源区黑潮研究进展

黑潮(Kuroshio)作为太平洋上一支强大的西边界流,起源于菲律宾以东海域,经吕宋海峡,从台湾以东进入东海,穿越吐噶喇海峽进入日本以南海域、最后汇入北太平洋环流。 本文作者所指源区是从菲律宾的吕宋岛以东至我国台湾岛以东之间,在此区域黑潮流经吕宋海峽,流态发生显著变化,是近几年来各国学者研究的重点。关于菲律宾以东黑潮的研究较少,作者重点阐述吕宋海峡处和台湾以东黑潮的研究进展。     

北赤道流分叉点及南海北部环流的研究进展

介绍了北赤道流分叉点、南海北部环流的一些研究成果,并就黑潮对南海的影响所作的研究进行了回顾.北赤道流分叉点的位置对于北赤道流系水体疏运变化及在黑潮和MC之间水体、热量、盐度输运的分配中起着重要的作用.北赤道流分叉点位置约在14.6°N上,分叉点位置随深度增加而北移.分叉点有明显的季节变化和年际变化,在春、夏季向南移动,而在秋、冬季则向北移动.年际变化与ENSO现象相关紧密,在El Nio事件NEC分叉纬度处于最北端,在La Nio事件处于最南端.对于分叉点位置的定量化研究,仍然需要更多的观测结果进行研究.季风和黑潮是影响南海北部环流的两种主要因素.南海北部上层流场主要由广东沿岸流、黑潮入侵流套、东沙海流、南海暖流和吕宋海流组成.除海盆、次海盆尺度环流外,受季风、黑潮和地形等因素的影响,南海表现出多涡结构.通过近些年的卫星观测和数值模拟的结果,人们对南海中尺度涡的认识大大加深,但要想模拟出风应力形成涡的机制,还需要提高风场和模式的分辨率.由于观测资料的限制,对南海流场的垂直结构、以及春-秋季季风转相时期的流场结构等还研究得较少.吕宋海峡水交换是西太平洋对南海影响的主要途径.黑潮在吕宋海峡附近的形变一直是有争议的热点问题,目前对于黑潮入侵有3种观点:(1) 认为黑潮经过吕宋海峡形成流套结构,并分离出中尺度涡影响南海流场、水团结构;(2) 认为黑潮有一直接分支分离出来进入南海形成黑潮分支;(3) 认为吕宋海峡水交换不属于以上两种情况,西太平洋对南海的水团输送另有机制.北赤道流分叉点在对黑潮的水体、热量、盐度输运的分配中起着重要的作用,黑潮对南海北部环流的影响可能与NEC的分叉点位置有关,但目前对NEC的分叉点位置与南海北部环流相关性的研究甚少.最后提出了对未来加强该方面研究的一些展望.     

热带气旋影响吕宋海峡输运的研究进展与展望

吕宋海峡是连接南海与西太平洋的唯一深水通道,也是调节南海环流及其热力特征的关键海洋通道。在大尺度西边界流、中尺度涡、热带气旋等众多因子的共同影响下,吕宋海峡输运表现出显著的多时间尺度变率特征,其中热带气旋是影响该海域强烈且频繁的天气过程之一,解析吕宋海峡输运与热带气旋之间的动力联系也是近年来南海海洋研究的热点之一。本文主要从吕宋海峡附近热带气旋活动特征及其对黑潮、吕宋海峡附近环流结构、吕宋海峡输运的影响等方面回顾最新的研究进展。最后,本文认为接下来应当在热带气旋调制吕宋海峡输运的机制,以及对吕宋海峡输运年际变化的贡献等方面加强研究。     

A Review on the Currents in the South China Sea: Seasonal Circulation, South China Sea Warm Current and Kuroshio Intrusion

Researches on the currents in the South China Sea (SCS) and the interaction between the SCS and its adjacent seas are reviewed. Overall seasonal circulation in the SCS is cyclonic in winter and anticyclonic in summer with a few stable eddies. The seasonal circulation is mostly driven by monsoon winds, and is related to water exchange between the SCS and the East China Sea through the Taiwan Strait, and between the SCS and the Kuroshio through the Luzon Strait. Seasonal characteristics of the South China Sea Warm Current in the northern SCS and the Kuroshio intrusion to the SCS are summarized in terms of the interaction between the SCS and its adjacent seas.     

Distributions of nutrients in the East China Sea and the South China Sea connection

Surface maps of nitrate, phosphate and silicate of the East China Sea (ECS) have been constructed and are described. Reports on exchanges of material between the ECS and the South China Sea (SCS) through the Taiwan Strait are reviewed. Recent advances seem to have reversed the earlier view that the SCS exports nutrients to the ECS through the Taiwan Strait. This is because the northward flow of seawater in the summer carries little nutrient. On the other hand, the waters flowing southward along the coast of China in winter carry orders of magnitude higher nutrient concentrations. The outflow of subsurface waters from the SCS, however, is the major source of new nutrients to the ECS continental shelves because these subsurface waters flow out of the Luzon Strait, join the northwardly flowing Kuroshio and enter the Okinawa trough. Around 10% of the nutrients exported from the SCS through the Luzon Strait upwell onto the ECS shelf. These inputs are larger than the aggregate of all the rivers that empty into the ECS, contributing 49% of the externally sourced nitrogen, 71% of the phosphorous, and 54% of the silica for the ECS.     

A Lagrangian study of the near-surface intrusion of Pacific water into the South China Sea

Satellite-tracked Lagrangian drifters are used to investigate the transport pathways of near-surface water around the Luzon Strait. Particular attention is paid to the intrusion of Pacific water into the South China Sea(SCS).Results from drifter observations suggest that except for the Kuroshio water, other Pacific water that carried by zonal jets, Ekman currents or eddies, can also intrude into the SCS. Motivated by this origin problem of the intrusion water, numerous simulated trajectories are constructed by altimeter-based velocities. Quantitative estimates from simulated trajectories suggest that the contribution of other Pacific water to the total intrusion flux in the Luzon Strait is approximately 13% on average, much smaller than that of Kuroshio water. Even so, over multiple years and many individual intrusion events, the contribution from other Pacific water is quite considerable. The interannual signal in the intrusion flux of these Pacific water might be closely related to variations in a wintertime westward current and eddy activities east of the Luzon Strait. We also found that Ekman drift could significantly contribute to the intrusion of Pacific water and could affect the spreading of intrusion water in the SCS. A case study of an eddy-related intrusion is presented to show the detailed processes of the intrusion of Pacific water and the eddy-Kuroshio interaction.     

Interannual variability of the Kuroshio intrusion in the South China Sea

The interannual variability of intrusions of the Kuroshio into the South China Sea (SCS) is investigated using satellite remote sensing data supported by in-situ measurements. The mesoscale circulation of the SCS is predominantly wind-forced by the northeast winter and southwest summer monsoons. Although the region has been studied extensively, considerable uncertainty remains about the annual and interannual mesoscale nature of the circulation. The frequency and characteristics of Kuroshio intrusions and their effect on circulation patterns in the northeast SCS are also not well understood. Satellite observations of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Sea Surface Height Anomalies (SSHA) from TOPEX/ Poseidon for the period 1997–2005 are used here to analyze the annual and interannual variability in Kuroshio intrusions and their effects on the region. Analysis of SST and SSHA shows the formation and characteristics of intrusions vary considerably each year. Typically, the intrusion occurs in the central region of Luzon Strait and results in an anticyclonic circulation in the northeastern SCS. However, in some years, the intrusion is located in the northern portion of Luzon Strait and a cyclonic intrusion results. Wind stress and wind stress curl derived from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) QuikSCAT satellite scatterometer are used to evaluate the relationship between wind stress or wind stress curl and the presence of winter Kuroshio intrusions into the SCS.     

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.     

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     

Application of LICOM to the numerical study of the water exchangebetween the South China Sea and its adjacent oceans

1 IntroductionThe South China Sea (SCS) is the largestmarginal sea in the western Pacific (see Fig. 1). It con-nects with the SCS through the Taiwan Strait, with thePacific through the Luzon Strait, with the Sulu Seathrough the Mindoro and Balabac Straits and with theJava Sea and Andaman Sea through the Sunda Shelf(For convenience, here we refer to the section at 1.5°N,Fig. 2). It is shown that the seasonal SCS circulation ismostly affected by the summer/winter monsoon, andthe no…     

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 Kuroshiowater 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.     

Intrusion of the Kuroshio into the South China Sea,in September 2008

Using widespread conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) data in the Philippine Sea and northern South China Sea near the Luzon Strait together with altimeter data, we identified an intrusion of water from the Kuroshio into the South China Sea (SCS) through the Luzon Strait in September 2008. The Kuroshio water obviously intruded into the SCS from 20 to 21°N, and existed mainly in the upper 300 m. The intrusion water extended as far west as 117°E, then looped around in an anticyclonic eddy and returned to the Philippine Sea further north. The dynamics of the Kuroshio intrusion are discussed using a 1.5-layer nonlinear shallow-water reduced-gravity model. The analysis suggests that the strong cyclonic eddy to the east of the Kuroshio in September 2008 was of benefit to the intrusion event.