The variability of internal tides in the Northern South China Sea

An array of three bottom-mounted ADCP moorings was deployed on the prevailing propagation path of strong internal tides for nearly 1 year across the continental slope in the northern South China Sea. These velocity measurements are used to study the intra-annual variability of diurnal and semidiurnal internal tidal energy in the region. A numerical model, the Luzon Strait Ocean Nowcast/Forecast System developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory that covers the northern South China Sea and the Kuroshio, is used to interpret the observed variation of internal tidal energy on the Dongsha slope. Internal tides are generated primarily at the two submarine ridges in the Luzon Strait. At the western ridge generation site, the westward energy flux of the diurnal internal tide is sensitive to the stratification and isopycnal slope associated with the Kuroshio. The horizontal shear at the Kuroshio front does not modify the propagation path of either diurnal or semidiurnal tides because the relative vorticity of the Kuroshio in Luzon Strait is not strong enough to increase the effective inertial frequency to the intrinsic frequency of the internal tides. The variation of internal tidal energy on the continental slope and Dongsha plateau can be attributed to the variation in tidal beam propagation in the northern South China Sea.     

内潮耗散与自吸-负荷潮对南海潮波影响的数值研究

利用非结构三角形网格的FVCOM海洋数值模式,在其传统二维潮波方程中加入参数化的内潮耗散项和自吸-负荷潮项,计算了南海及其周边海域的M_2、S_2、K_1和O_1分潮的分布。与实测值的比较表明,引入这两项对模拟准确度的提高有明显效果。根据模式结果本文计算分析了研究海域的潮能输入和耗散。能量输入计算表明,能通量是潮能输入的最主要构成部分,通过吕宋海峡断面进入南海的M_2和K_1分潮能通量分别为38和29GW;半日周期的自吸-负荷潮能量输入以负值居多,而全日周期的自吸-负荷潮能量输入以正值居多,因而自吸-负荷潮减弱了南海的半日潮,并加强了南海的全日潮。引潮力的作用也减弱了半日潮而加强了全日潮,但其作用要小于自吸-负荷潮。潮能耗散的分析显示底摩擦耗散在沿岸浅水区域起主导作用,内潮耗散则主要发生在深水区域。内潮耗散的最大值出现在吕宋海峡,且位于南海之外的海峡东部的耗散量大于位于南海之内的海峡西部的耗散量。对M_2和K_1分潮吕宋海峡的内潮耗散总值分别达到16和23GW。     

Numerical investigation of internal solitary waves from the Luzon Strait: Generation process,mechanism and three-dimensional effects

A fully nonlinear, non-hydrostatic model, MITgcm, is used to investigate internal solitary waves (ISWs) from the Luzon Strait (LS). As the ISWs in the South China Sea (SCS) have drawn more and more attention in recent years, they are studied in various ways, i.e., via remote sensing images, in situ measurements, and numerical simulations. The inspiration of this paper derived from the potential flaws of different numerical models that were employed to examine ISWs. In this study, we performed three-dimensional (3D) experiments with realistic topography and stratification, as well as with fully non-hydrostatic terms in the model, which was rather important for investigating the ISWs.Modeling results showed that baroclinic tides in the LS were essentially three-dimensional (3D), and that wave structures around two ridges in the strait were complicated with interesting internal oceanic phenomena. Several zonal cross-sections were chosen to illustrate vertical structures of zonal velocity field, and to show their meridional variances together with surface horizontal velocity gradients in order to highlight the advantages of 3D modeling with fully nonlinear, non-hydrostatic terms. Following Vlasenko et al. (2005), analysis of two parameters (Froude number and slope parameter that is defined as the ratio of inclination of topography to slope of radiated rays) that govern generation regime indicated that internal waves produced in the LS were subject to a mixed lee wave regime rather than baroclinic tide regime or unsteady lee wave regime.The propagation of ISWs beyond the generation area showed that manifestation of 3D effects was not very obvious, which, through further analysis, was mainly attributed to homogeneity of topography, inaccuracy of barotropic forcing, and Kuroshio intrusion in the LS. To better understand the necessity of 3D modeling, we chose several zonal cross-sections and performed various sensitivity experiments to show discrepancies between 2D and 3D cases.     

南海东北部内潮的模态结构和传播

The evolution of energy, energy flux and modal structure of the internal tides(ITs) in the northeastern South China Sea is examined using the measurements at two moorings along a cross-slope section from the deep continental slope to the shallow continental shelf. The energy of both diurnal and semidiurnal ITs clearly shows a～14-day spring-neap cycle, but their phases lag that of barotropic tides, indicating that ITs are not generated on the continental slope. Observations of internal tidal energy flux suggest that they may be generated at the Luzon Strait and propagate west-northwest to the continental slope in the northwestern SCS. Because the continental slope is critical-supercritical with respect to diurnal ITs, about 4.6 kJ/m~2 of the incident energy and 8.7 kW/m of energy flux of diurnal ITs are reduced from the continental slope to the continental shelf. In contrast, the semidiurnal internal tides enter the shelf because of the sub-critical topography with respect to semidiurnal ITs.From the continental slope to the shelf, the vertical structure of diurnal ITs shows significant variation, with dominant Mode 1 on the deep slope and dominant higher modes on the shelf. On the contrary, the vertical structure of the semidiurnal ITs is stable, with dominant Mode 1.     

Mooring observations of internal solitary waves in the deep basin west of Luzon Strait

A total of 137 internal solitary waves （ISWs） are captured during a field experiment conducted in the deep basin west of the Luzon Strait （LS） from March to August, 2010. Mooring observations reveal that a fully developed ISW owns a maximum westward velocity of more than 1.8 m/s and an amplitude of about 200 m. The ISWs in the South China Sea （SCS） are most active in July, which may be due to the strong stratification in summer. Most of the ISW episodes are detected around and after the 1st or 15th lunar day, indicating that the ISW in the SCS is triggered by astronomic tides. Half part of the observed ISWs were detected around 19：00 local time, which can be explained by the fact that type-a ISWs emerged in the evening at roughly the same time each day. The propagation direction of the ISWs and the astronomic tides in the LS show that the area south of the Batan Island is probably the main source region of the type-a ISWs, while the area south of Itbayat Island and south of the Batan Island is likely the main source region of the type-b ISWs observed at the mooring. Moreover, for the resonance of semidiurnal internal tides emitting from the double ridges in the LS, the underwater ridge south of the Itbayat Island and south of the Batan Island is believed to favor the generation of the energetic ISWs.     

Numerical study of baroclinic tides in Luzon Strait

The spatial and temporal variations of baroclinic tides in the Luzon Strait (LS) are investigated using a three-dimensional tide model driven by four principal constituents, O₁, K₁, M₂ and S₂, individually or together with seasonal mean summer or winter stratifications as the initial field. Barotropic tides propagate predominantly westward from the Pacific Ocean, impinge on two prominent north-south running submarine ridges in LS, and generate strong baroclinic tides propagating into both the South China Sea (SCS) and the Pacific Ocean. Strong baroclinic tides, ∼19 GW for diurnal tides and ∼11 GW for semidiurnal tides, are excited on both the east ridge (70%) and the west ridge (30%). The barotropic to baroclinic energy conversion rate reaches 30% for diurnal tides and ∼20% for semidiurnal tides. Diurnal (O₁ and K₁) and semidiurnal (M₂) baroclinic tides have a comparable depth-integrated energy flux 10–20 kW m⁻¹ emanating from the LS into the SCS and the Pacific basin. The spring-neap averaged, meridionally integrated baroclinic tidal energy flux is ∼7 GW into the SCS and ∼6 GW into the Pacific Ocean, representing one of the strongest baroclinic tidal energy flux regimes in the World Ocean. About 18 GW of baroclinic tidal energy, ∼50% of that generated in the LS, is lost locally, which is more than five times that estimated in the vicinity of the Hawaiian ridge. The strong westward-propagating semidiurnal baroclinic tidal energy flux is likely the energy source for the large-amplitude nonlinear internal waves found in the SCS. The baroclinic tidal energy generation, energy fluxes, and energy dissipation rates in the spring tide are about five times those in the neap tide; while there is no significant seasonal variation of energetics, but the propagation speed of baroclinic tide is about 10% faster in summer than in winter. Within the LS, the average turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate is O(10⁻⁷) W kg^{− 1} and the turbulence diffusivity is O(10⁻³) m²s⁻¹, a factor of 100 greater than those in the typical open ocean. This strong turbulence mixing induced by the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation exists in the main path of the Kuroshio and is important in mixing the Pacific Ocean, Kuroshio, and the SCS waters.     

Multimodal structure of the internal tides on the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea

Based on the moored current and temperature observations during the summer of 2005, the vertical structure of the internal tides on the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) is studied. The vertical structure of the internal tides was found to differ greatly between semidiurnal and diurnal constituents. Generally, the diurnal constituents are dominated by the first-mode motions, which are consistent with the overwhelming first-mode signals in the northeastern SCS. In contrast, the semidiurnal internal tides, unlike the predomination of the first-mode variations in the northeastern area, exhibit a higher modal structure with dominate second-mode signals in the observational region. Moreover, although the diurnal internal tides are much stronger than the semidiurnal component, the shear caused by the latter over various scales was found to be significant compared to that induced by the diurnal tides, probably due to the superposition of the first-mode and higher-mode (smaller scale) semidiurnal variations. Further analysis demonstrates that the shear induced by the diurnal internal tides is larger than that induced by the semidiurnal variations around 45 m depth, where the first-mode current reversal in the vertical happens, while below 45 m depth higher-mode semidiurnal internal tides generally produce larger shear than that by the diurnal component. The northwest-propagating semidiurnal internal tides of higher-mode with small vertical scale, probably do not originate from a distant source like Luzon Strait, but were likely generated near the experiment site.     

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.     

Optimal estimation of absolute geostrophic velocity field in vicinity of the Luzon Strait using variational data assimilation technique

A P - vector method is optimized using the variational data assimilation technique(VDAT). The absolute geostrophic velocity fields in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait (LS) are calculated, the spatial structures and seasonal variations of the absolute geostrophic velocity field are investigated. Our results show that the Kuroshio enters the South China Sea (SCS) in the south and middle of the Luzon Strait and flows out in the north, so the Kuroshio makes a slight clockwise curve in the Luzon Strait, and the curve is strong in winter and weak in summer. During the winter, a westward current appears in the surface, and locates at the west of the Luzon Strait. It is the north part of a cyclonic gyre which exits in the northeast of the SCS; an anti-cyclonic gyre occurs on the intermediate level, and it exits in the northeast of the SCS, and an eastward current exits in the southeast of the anti-cyclonic gyre.     

Sea surface height anomaly and geostrophic circulation variations in the South China Sea from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry

The sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) and geostrophic circulation in the South ChinaSea (SCS) are studied using TOPEX/POSE1DON (T/P) altimetry data. The SSHA, which is obtained after tidal correction based on the tidal results from T/P data, is predominated by seasonal alternating monsoons. The results reveal that the SSHA in the central part of the SCS is positive in spring and summer, but negative in autumn and winter. It is also found that the SSHA in the SCS can be approached with the sum of tidal constituents SA and SSA. The geostrophic circulations in the SCS are calculated according to sea surface dynamic topography, which is the sum of SSHA and mean sea surface height. It is suggested that the circulation in the upper layer of the SCS is generally cyclonic and notably western intensified during autumn and winter, while the western intensification is weak during spring and summer. It is also indicated that the Kuroshio intrudes into the northeastern SCS throuth the Luzon Strait in winter. But ther     

Mooring observed mode-2 internal solitary waves in the northern South China Sea

The mode-2 internal solitary waves (ISWs) generated by mode-2 internal tide (IT) are identified by mooring observations in the northern South China Sea (SCS) from 2016 to 2017. Two mode-2 ISWs with a re-appearance period of 24.9 h observed on 29 and 30 July 2016 are characterized by type-b ISWs. They occurred when the isotherms compressed obviously in the vertical direction. Modal decomposition of IT horizontal currents shows that the vertical compression of the isotherms is mainly caused by diurnal mode-2 IT. The analysis of the role of the density stratification reveals that a deeper and thinner pycnocline is favorable for generation of mode-2 ISWs rather than pycnocline intensity. By comparing the mode-2 nonlinear, dispersion coefficients and the Ursell numbers calculated based on the stratification associated with different kinds of ITs with the observation results, it is shown that the diurnal mode-2 IT plays a crucial role in the generation of the mode-2 ISWs. When the diurnal mode-2 IT interacts with the semidiurnal IT and causes a deeper and thinner pycnocline, the mode-2 ISWs are easily excited.     

Transition of Tidal Waves from the East to South China Seas over the Taiwan Strait: Influence of the Abrupt Step in the Topography

Observations of tidal waves between the East and South China Seas (ECS and SCS) over the Taiwan Strait (TS) suggest that the diurnal tides simply appear as one southward-propagating wave from the ECS to the SCS through the TS. The semidiurnal tides, however, behave differently in that they appear as a southward-propagating Kelvin wave in the western TS and a nearly standing wave in the eastern TS, and then diminish rapidly over the shallow shoal in the southern TS. A smaller-domain model, with sea-level boundary conditions derived from a larger-domain tidal model, was first used to simulate tides in the TS to an overall percentage of accuracy of about 90%. Subsequent numerical experiments and theoretical analysis revealed that the southward-propagating semidiurnal tides to be impeded and then reflected as they arrive at an abrupt, deepened step in the topography of the southern TS. This reflection enhances the amplitudes of the incident semidiurnal tides and contributes to the formation of a nearly standing wave in the eastern TS. The southward-propagating diurnal tides in the TS are connected by the diurnal tides in the northern SCS when the amplitudes of the two tide systems are comparable and their phases nearly equal at the step. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

吕宋海峡內潮的季节变化特征及其对背景流的响应研究

基于2008年秋季至2009年夏季共9个月的锚定潜标流速资料,分析了吕宋海峡西南內潮的时空特征.谱分析结果显示,该观测点全日內潮和半日內潮较为显著,尤其体现在顺时针旋转部分.除春季第二模态占优外,全日內潮主在其余三个季节均以第一模态为主,而半日內潮呈现变化的多模态结构.此外,全日內潮的动能具有明显的季节差异,冬季能量最强,夏季紧随其后,而在春、秋两季能量最小.通过分析发现,非相干运动对此季节性特征起主要作用,它反映了內潮与背景场的相互作用.然而,半日內潮却没有显著的季节性差异,而且能量较全日內潮更小,尤其在冬季,只有全日內潮动能的三分之一.同时,半日內潮的不规则变化也是与多变的背景场相关的.半日內潮的非相干部分占到了半日內潮总能量的37%左右,而全日內潮更小一些,只有22.2%.     

南海东部中尺度涡生成机制

利用高度计海面高度异常数据和非线性1½层约化重力模式研究了南海东部中尺度涡的生成机制。模式结果表明，南海内区风场是南海东部中尺度涡生成的主要驱动力，且南海内区高频风场能解释约54%的南海东部中尺度涡。从西太平洋传来的信号同样有十分重要的作用，由西太区域高频风场大致能解释南海东部40%的中尺度涡。风驱动的赤道附近的海面异常信号能经过锡布图通道和民都洛海峡传播到吕宋岛西海岸，其中有部分能量会以罗斯贝波的形式往西传播。这种信号在西传的过程中会发生不稳定，可能形成孤立的涡旋。     

A numerical study of the summertime flow around the Luzon Strait

Luzon Strait, a wide channel between Taiwan and Luzon islands, connects the northern South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The Kuroshio, South China Sea gyre, monsoon and local topography influence circulation in the Luzon Strait area. In addition, the fact that the South China Sea is a fairly isolated basin accounts for why its water property differs markedly from the Kuroshio water east of Luzon. This work applies a numerical model to examine the influence of the difference in the vertical stratification between the South China Sea and Kuroshio waters on the loop current of Kuroshio in the Luzon Strait during summer. According to model results, the loop current’s strength in the strait reduces as the strongly stratified South China Sea water is driven northward by the southwest winds. Numerical results also indicate that Kuroshio is separated by a nearly meridional ridge east of Luzon Strait. The two velocity core structures of Kuroshio can also be observed in eastern Taiwan. Moreover, the water flowing from the South China Sea contributes primarily to the near shore core of Kuroshio.     

1998年春夏南海温盐结构及其变化特征

利用1998年5～8月“南海季风试验”期间“科学1”号和“实验3”号科学考察船两个航次CTD资料,分析了1998年南海夏季风暴发前后南海主要断面的温盐结构及其变化特征.观测发现,南海腹地基本被典型的南海水团所控制,但在南海东北部尤其是吕宋海峡附近,表层和次表层水明显受到西太平洋水的影响.季风暴发以后,南海北部表面温度有显著升高,升幅由西向东递减,而南海中部和南部表面温度基本没变,这使得南海北部东西向温度梯度和整个海盆南北向温度梯度均减小.北部断面表层盐度普遍由34以上降低到34以下,混合层均有所发展,是季风暴发后降水和风力加剧的结果.观测期间黑潮水跨越吕宋海峡的迹象明显但变化剧烈.4～5月,黑潮次表层水除在吕宋海峡中北部出现外,在吕宋岛以西亦有发现,表明有部分黑潮水从吕宋海峡南端沿岸向西进而向南进入南海.6～7月,次表层高盐核在吕宋海峡中北部有极大发展,但在吕宋岛以西却明显萎缩;虽然看上去黑潮水以更强的流速进、出南海,但对南海腹地动力热力结构的影响未必更大.一个超过34.55的表层高盐水体于巴拉望附近被发现,似与通过巴拉望两侧水道入侵南海的西太平洋水有关.     

基于拉格朗日拟序结构的吕宋海峡表层水交换研究

黑潮通过吕宋海峡入侵南海呈现明显的瞬态特征。以往的研究通常将黑潮在吕宋海峡附近的流态分为几种不同类型。本文基于表层地转流计算得到的有限时间李雅普诺夫指数场（FTLE），展示了拉格朗日视角下的吕宋海峡上层水交换特征。从FTLE场提取的拉格朗日拟序结构（LCSs）很好地识别了吕宋海峡附近的典型流态和旋涡活动。此外，这些LCSs还揭示了吕宋海峡周围复杂的输运路径和流体域，这些特征得到了卫星跟踪浮标轨迹的验证，且从流速场中是无法直接识别的。FTLE场显示，吕宋海峡附近表层水体的输运形态主要可分为四类。其中，黑潮直接向北流动的“跨越”形态和顺时针旋转的“流套”形态的发生频次明显高于直接进入南海的黑潮分支“渗入”形态和南海水流出至太平洋的“外流”形态。本文还进一步分析了黑潮在吕宋海峡处的涡旋脱落事件，突出强调了LCSs在评估涡旋输运方面的重要性。反气旋涡旋的脱落个例表明，这些涡旋主要源自黑潮“流套”，涡旋脱落之前可有效地俘获黑潮水。LCS所指示的输运通道信息有助于预测最终被反气旋涡所挟卷水体在上游的位置。而在气旋涡的形成过程中，LCS的分布特征表明，大部分气旋涡并未与黑潮水的输运路径相连通。因此，气旋涡对从太平洋到南海的上层水交换的贡献较小。     

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.     

Barotropic tide in the northeast South China Sea

A moored array deployed across the shelf break in the northeast South China Sea during April-May 2001 collected sufficient current and pressure data to allow estimation of the barotropic tidal currents and energy fluxes at five sites ranging in depth from 350 to 71 m. The tidal currents in this area were mixed, with the diurnal O1 and K1 currents dominant over the upper slope and the semidiurnal M2 current dominant over the shelf. The semidiurnal S2 current also increased onshelf (northward), but was always weaker than O1 and K1. The tidal currents were elliptical at all sites, with clockwise turning with time. The O1 and K1 transports decreased monotonically northward by a factor of 2 onto the shelf, with energy fluxes directed roughly westward over the slope and eastward over the shelf. The M2 and S2 current ellipses turned clockwise and increased in amplitude northward onto the shelf. The M2 and S2 transport ellipses also exhibited clockwise veering but little change in amplitude, suggesting roughly nondivergent flow in the direction of major axis orientation. The M2 energy flux was generally aligned with the transport major axis with little phase lag between high water and maximum transport. These barotropic energy fluxes are compared with the locally generated diurnal internal tide and high-frequency internal solitary-type waves generated by the M2 flow through the Luzon Strait.     

基于调制不稳定性的吕宋海峡内孤立波生成机理探讨

The South China Sea (SCS) is a hot spot for oceanic internal solitary waves due to many factors, such as the complexity of the terrain environment. The internal solitary waves in the northern SCS mainl...