Analysis of seasonal variation of water masses in East China Sea

Seasonal variations of water masses in the East China Sea （ECS） and adjacent areas are investigated, based on historical data of temperature and salinity （T-S）. Dynamic and thermodynamic mechanisms that affect seasonal variations of some dominant water masses are discussed, with reference to meteorological data. In the ECS above depth 600 m, there are eight water masses in summer but only five in winter. Among these, Kuroshio Surface Water （KSW）, Kuroshio Intermediate Water （KIW）, ECS Surface Water （ECSSW）, Continental Coastal Water （CCW）, and Yellow Sea Surface Water （YSSW） exist throughout the year. Kuroshio Subsurface Water （KSSW）, ECS Deep Water （ECSDW）, and Yellow Sea Bottom Water （YSBW） are all seasonal water masses, occurring from May through October. The CCW, ECSSW and KSW all have significant seasonal variations, both in their horizontal and vertical extents and their T-S properties. Wind stress, the Kuroshio and its branch currents, and coastal currents are dynamic factors for seasonal variation in spatial extent of the CCW, KSW, and ECSSW, whereas sea surface heat and freshwater fluxes are thermodynamic factors for seasonal variations of T-S properties and thickness of these water masses. In addition, the CCW is affected by river runoff and ECSSW by the CCW and KSW.     

Picoplankton distribution in different water masses of the East China Sea in autumn and winter

Picoplankton distribution was investigated in different water masses of the East China Sea in November,2006 and February,2007.The autumn and winter cruises crossed three major water masses:the coastal water mass(CWM),the mixed water mass(MWM),which forms on the continental shelf,and the Kuroshio water mass(KWM).Picoplankton composition was resolved into four main groups by flow cytometry,namely Synechococcus,Prochlorococcus,picoeukaryotes,and heterotrophic bacteria.The average abundances of Synechococcus,picoeukaryotes,and heterotrophic bacteria were(0.63±10.88)×103,(1.61±1.16)×103,(3.39±1.27)×105 cells/mL in autumn and(6.45±8.60)×103,(3.23±2.63)×103,(3.76±1.37)×105 cells/mL in winter,respectively.Prochlorococcus was not found in the CWM and seldom observed in surface samples in either season.However,Prochlorococcus was observed in the MWM and KWM(approximately 10 3 cells/mL) in both autumn and winter.Synechococcus distribution varied considerably among water masses,with the highest levels in KWM and lowest levels in CWM.The depth-averaged integrated abundance of Synechococcus was approximately 5-fold higher in KWM than in CWM,which may be due primarily to water temperature.In the MWM,Synechococcus was resolved as two subgroups;the presence of both subgroups was more common in autumn.Picoeukaryote abundance varied less among water masses than Synechococcus,and heterotrophic bacteria depth-averaged integrated abundance exhibited the smallest seasonal variations with respect to water mass.Correlation analysis showed that relationships between picoplankton abundances and environmental factors(temperature,nutrients,and chlorophyll a) differed among the three water masses,suggesting that the three water masses have different effects on picoplankton distribution(particularly Synechococcus).     

Seasonal variations of several main water masses in the southern Yellow Sea and East China Sea in 2011

The seasonal variations of several main water masses in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) and East China Sea (ECS) in 2011 were analyzed using the in-situ data collected on four cruises. There was something special in the observations for the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) and the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) during that year. The YSWC was confirmed to be a seasonal current and its source was closely associated with the Kuroshio onshore intrusion and the northerly wind. It was also found that the YSCWM in the summer of 2011 occupied a more extensive area in comparison with the climatologically-mean case due to the abnormally powerful wind prevailing in the winter of 2010 and decaying gradually thereafter. Resulting from the reduced Changjiang River discharge, the CDW spreading toward the Cheju Island in the summer of 2011 was weaker than the long-term mean and was confined to flow southward in the other seasons. The other water masses seemed normal without noticeable anomalies in 2011. The Yellow Sea Coastal Current (YSCC) water, driven by the northerly wind, flowed southeastward as a whole except for its northeastward surface layer in summer. The Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) was the strongest in summer and the weakest in winter in its northward movement. The Kuroshio water with an enhanced onshore intrusion in autumn was stable in hydrographic features apart from the seasonal variation of its surface layer.     

THERMOHALINE FINESTRUCTURE AND ITS RELATION WITH THE WATER MASSES AND CURRENTS SYSTEM IN THE NORTHERN EAST CHINA SEA

Eighy-one CTD profiles gathered in springtime were used for northem East China Sea tbermohalinefinestructure studies indicating that the finestructure properties vaned with region and depth, as shown infinesructure specra, distribution of Cox numbers etc..Some results closely wiated to distribution of watermasses and Analysis of two typical profiles revealed differenes in autospectra of temperature,salihity and potential density gradients, probobility distribution of temperature finestructure gradient,Cox numberc.etc. The probability density function of vertical temperature gradients, which varied withsample interval, is given. The variances of temperatare finestructare gradient are used to estimate the lat-eral diffusivity and lateral temperatare flux, which were 10.3 (m~2/s) and 5.5×10~(-4) (℃ m/s),respectivly.     

Water masses in the South China Sea and water exchange between the Pacific and the South China Sea

Water masses in the South China Sea (SCS) were identified and analyzed with the data collected in the summer and winter of 1998. The distributions of temperature and salinity near the Bashi Channel (the Luzon Strait) were analyzed by using the data obtained in July and December of 1997. Based on the results from the data collected in the winter of 1998, waters in the open sea areas of the SCS were divided into six water masses: the Surface Water Mass of the SCS (S), the Subsurface Water Mass of the SCS (U), the Subsurface-Intermediate Water Mass of the SCS (UI), the Intermediate Water Mass of the SCS (I), the Deep Water Mass of the SCS (D) and the Bottom Water Mass of the SCS(B). For the summer of 1998, the Kuroshio Surface Water Mass (KS) and the Kuroshio Subsurface Water Mass (KU) were also identified in the SCS. But no Kuroshio water was found to pass the 119.5°E meridian and enter the SCS in the time of winter observations. The Sulu Sea Water (SSW) intruded into the SCS through the Mindoro Channel between 50–75 m in the summer of 1998. However, the data obtained in the summer and winter of 1997 indicated that water from the Pacific had entered the SCS through the northern part of the Luzon Strait in these seasons, but water from the SCS had entered the Pacific through the southern part of the Strait. These phenomena might correlate with the 1998 El-Niño event.     

Numerical Study of Water and Suspended Matter Exchange Between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

INTRODUCTIONTheYellowSeaandtheEastChinaSea (ECS)aremarginalseasofthenorthwestPacificandhaveexpansivecontinentalshelves .TheuniqueandstrikingfeaturesoftheYellowSeaandtheECSarethattheyhavestrongtidalcurrent;aresubjecttostrongmonsooninfluence ;andreceiveinflowfromthebiggestriverinChina ,theChangjiangRiver ;andthatthefamouswesternboundarycurrent,theKuroshio ,passesthroughtheECS ,withitsbranchesintrudingupwardintothecontinentalshelfareas.Generallyspeaking ,thewaterexchangecapacityofthe…     

Swells of the East China Sea

Over the past few decades, an increasing number of marine activities have been conducted in the East China Sea, including the construction of various marine structures and the passage of large ships. Marine safety issues are paramount and are becoming more important with respect to the likely increase in size of ocean waves in relation to global climate change and associated typhoons. In addition, swells also can be very dangerous because they induce the resonance of floating structures, including ships. This study focuses on an investigation of swells in the East China Sea and uses hindcast data for waves over the past 5 years in a numerical model, WAVEWATCH III (WW3), together with historical climate data. The numerical calculation domain covers the entire North West Pacific. Next, swells are separated and analyzed using simulated wave fields, and both the characteristics and generation mechanisms of swells are investigated.     

Observed characteristics of the North Yellow Sea water masses in summer

In this paper,we characterize the North Yellow Sea (NYS) water masses in summer by analyzing temperature and salinity data surveyed in 2006.The Liaonan Coastal Water is characterized by low salinity westward and southward flow paths.The westward path flows parallel to land,turns to the south,then to the southeast adjacent to the mouth of the Lüshun River,where it mixes with other coastal water directly to the southwest.It becomes the main source of low salinity water in the deep water area west of 123°E.The...     

Observed characteristics of the North Yellow Sea water masses in summer

In this paper, we characterize the North Yellow Sea (NYS) water masses in summer by analyzing temperature and salinity data surveyed in 2006. The Liaonan Coastal Water is characterized by low salinity westward and southward flow paths. The westward path flows parallel to land, turns to the south, then to the southeast adjacent to the mouth of the Lüshun River, where it mixes with other coastal water directly to the southwest. It becomes the main source of low salinity water in the deep water area west of 123°E. The high-salinity Lubei Coastal Water is the remnant of the winter Lubei Coastal Water, which is located mostly in a small area between Yantai and Weihai, and does not originate in the Bohai Sea Coastal Water. The two NYS zones demarcated at 123°E have distinctly different temperature and salinity characteristics. There are two high-salinity centers east of 123°E, whereas there is low-salinity water to the west whose temperature and salinity structures are complex, composed of the coastal water south of Chengshantou, the Liaonan Coastal Water and the Bohai Sea Water.     

A NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE TIDE-SURGE INTERACTION IN THE EAST CHINA SEA AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

Nearshore sea levels in the East China Sea(ECS) and the South China Sea(SCS) during tropical cyclones-Typhoon 8007(Joe, 1980) and Typhoon 7209(Betty 1972) were simulated. The tide-surge interactions in the two regions are remarkable and locally produced. The corresponding nonlinear effects were derived from the different nonlinear terms. The contribution of the quadratic friction term is the most important, the shallow term comes second the convective term is the least; the phases of the interactions generated by the various nonlinear terms are asynchronous. Both the quadratic friction and the convective term can stimulate and aggravate the surge structure with more peaks. The bottom friction features have crucial influences on tides and surges, and the interaction is sensitive to the changes of tide and surge.     

Numerical experiments on the wind-driven circulation in the Bohai, Huanghai and East China Seas in winter

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HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIOPLANKTON PRODUCTION IN THE EAST CHINA SEA

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The suspended sediment concentration distribution in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The distribution of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea (BYECS) is studied based on the observed turbidity data and model simulation results. The observed turbidity results show that (i) the highest SSC is found in the coastal areas while in the outer shelf sea areas turbid water is much more difficult to observe, (ii) the surface layer SSC is much lower than the bottom layer SSC and (iii) the winter SSC is higher than the summer SSC. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is used to simulate the SSC distribution in the BYECS. A comparison between the modeled SSC and the observed SSC in the BYECS shows that the modeled SSC can reproduce the principal features of the SSC distribution in the BYECS. The dynamic mechanisms of the sediment erosion and transport processes are studied based on the modeled results. The horizontal distribution of the SSC in the BYECS is mainly determined by the current-wave induced bottom stress and the fine-grain sediment distribution. The current-induced bottom stress is much higher than the wave-induced bottom stress, which means the tidal currents play a more significant role in the sediment resuspension than the wind waves. The vertical mixing strength is studied based on the mixed layer depth and the turbulent kinetic energy distribution in the BYECS. The strong winter time vertical mixing, which is mainly caused by the strong wind stress and surface cooling, leads to high surface layer SSC in winter. High surface layer SSC in summer is restricted in the coastal areas.     

Wind stress field over the Bohai Sea,the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

Seasonal and annual with stress fields over the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea were computed from the wind rose data compiled in the Climatic Atlas of Chinese Offshore Areas and North-west Pacific and published by the Ocean Press in 1982. 684 wind roses in 2° latitude by 2° longitude boxes constructed from 278,815 wind reports are involved in the present study. The computations are principally intended as a data source for further research. Some oceanographic consequences are expounded on.     

Mesoscale eddy movement in the northern East China Sea

1. On the basis of the analysis of hydrographical and geological data it is concluded that the cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea existed every year and season. However, it was deduced from its monthly changes that it did not exist all the time.2. Conspicuous interannual, even monthly changes of the eddy in summer were found. The main cause for it was the strength and position of HWC and HCC.As for its seasonal change, reliable analysis was hard to make. However, from Fig. 2 and taking into account the change of the strength of HWC and HCC it seems that the eddy was strongest with southmost centre in winter and weaker (compared with winter) with northmost centre in summer.3. More often than not, the eddy occurred in intermediate layer. The distructive effect of the wind might be the cause for the eddy's not reaching the surface in spring, fall and winter, and the Changjiang Diluted Water might have played the same role in summer.4. The average position of the eddy was, upon the whole, coincident with the mud's-the multiyear existence of the eddy was determinant for the mud formation. 5. The disposition of HWC, HCC and NRK was the main dynamical factor for the eddy formation. Among others, HWC and HCC were decisive and the occurrence of bottom cold water in summer may intensify the eddy as a thermodynamical factor.     

Chemical hydrography of coastal upwelling in the East China Sea

Based on the field data obtained during cruises on the shelf of the East China Sea from 1997 to 1999, seasonal variations of coastal upwelling on the inner shelf are discussed by using cross-shelf transect profiles and horizontal distributions of chemical and hydrographic variables. Results show that the coastal upwelling was year-round, but the areas and intensities of the upwelling were quite different in season. The coastal upwelling occurred in all of the coastal areas of the region in spring and summer, but in autumn only in the area off Zhejiang Province, and in winter in the area off Fujian Prov- ince. It was the strongest in summer and the weakest in winter. Geographically, it was the strongest in the area off Zhejiang Province and the weakest in the southmost or northmost parts of the East China Sea. The estimated nutrient fluxes upward into euphotic zone through coastal upwelling were quite large, es- pecially for phosphate, which contributed significantly to primary production and improved the nutrient structure of the coastal ecosystem in the East China Sea.     

Major features and variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea

This is a brief introduction of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea (ECS). The main results of the study for this part of the Kuroshio system in recent years are reviewed and presented with emphases placed on the major features of the current structure, annual and inter-annual variations of the velocity and volume transport of the Kuroshio in ECS, and the relation between the variation of the Kuroshio in ECS and that of the Kuroshio south of Japan. And finally, an indirect relation between the variation of the Kuroshio in ECS and that of the North Equatorial Current system is suggested. It is shown that the fluctuation of the Kuroshio in ECS is also correlated with that of the North Equatorial Current and North Equatorial Counter-current. Ties of the above relation are the wind stress curl field over the tropical and subtropical belts.     

Impact of two typhoons on the marine environment in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

This study investigated the ef fects of two typhoons(Nari and Wipha) on sea surface temperature(SST) and chlorophyll- a(Chl- a) concentration. Typhoons Nari and Wipha passed through the Yellow Sea on September 13, 2007 and the East China Sea(ECS) on September 16, 2007, respectively. The SST and Chl- a data were obtained from the Aqua/Terra MODIS and NOAA18, respectively, and the temperature and salinity in the southeast of the study area were observed in situ from Argo. The average SST within the study area dropped from 26.33°C on September 10 to a minimum of 22.79°C on September 16. Without the usual phenomenon of ‘right bias', the most striking response of SST was in the middle of the typhoons' tracks, near to coastal waters. Strong cooling of the upper layers of the water column was probably due to increased vertical mixing, discharge from the Changjiang River estuary, and heavy rainfall. During the typhoons, average Chl-a increased by 11.54% within the study area and by 21.69% in the off shore area near to the southeast ECS. From September 1 to 13, average Chl-a was only 0.10 mg/m~3 in the of fshore waters but it reached a peak of 0.17 mg/m~3 on September 18. This large increase in Chl-a concentration in of fshore waters might have been triggered by strong vertical mixing, upwelling induced by strong typhoons, and sedimentation and nutrient infl ux following heavy rainfall.     

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL THERMOCLINE MODEL FOR THE YELLOW SEA AND NORTHERN EAST CHINA SEA

A time-dependent, three-dimensional finite difference model is presented for simulating the stratifiedYellow Sea and northem East China Sea. The mode is forced by time-dependent observed wind, surfaceflux of heat, and tidal turbulence. With this model, momentum and temperature distribution can be computed,and an approximation for the sub-grid scale effects is introduced by the use of mass and momentumexchange coefficients. The vertical exchanges are quite dependent on these assumed coefficents, whichare complicated functions of the turbulence energy of tide and wind, of the stratified strength and otherfactors. This model was applied to describe the mechanics of the variations in strength and thickness ofthe thermocline covering almost the whole Yellow Sea and northern East Chna Sea in summer. Comparisonsof the computed output with obtained survey data led to some important conclusions.