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.     

A study of internal solitary waves observed on the continental shelf in the northwestern South China Sea

Based on in-situ time series data from the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and thermistor chain in Wenchang area, a sequence of internal solitary wave (ISW) packets was observed in September 2005, propagating northwest on the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (SCS). Corresponding to different stratification of the water column and tidal condition, both elevation and depression ISWs were observed at the same mooring location with amplitude of 35 m and 25 m respectively in different days. Regular arrival of the remarkable ISW packets at approximately the diurnal tidal period and the dominance of diurnal internal waves in the study area, strongly suggest that the main energy source of the waves is the diurnal tide. Notice that the wave packets were all riding on the troughs and shoulders of the internal tides, they were probably generated locally from the shelf break by the evolution of the internal tides due to nonlinear and dispersive effects.     

A new method to estimate phase speed and vertical velocity of internal solitary waves in the South China Sea

A new method of estimating the phase speed and vertical velocity of internal solitary waves (ISW) based on dynamic governing equations using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data was developed. This method was applied to a representative ISW case, which was captured in the South China Sea in the 2007 summer experiment. The result shows that this ISW had a phase speed of approximately 2.6?m?s^?1. This method provides an excellent alternative in estimating the phase speed of ISWs, especially useful in the absence of vertical stratification needed in solving the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV)-type equation, e.g., long-term mooring observation. Analyses show that the new method is fairly self-consistent, and it can be applied when only a part of the ISW observations is available. The computed vertical velocity of the ISW using the new method has a good agreement with the ADCP observations both in magnitude and pattern.     

两相流模型在南海内孤立波与沙波相互作用中的应用

为研究内孤立波与沙波的相互作用,本文对基于OpenFOAM的SedWaveFoam求解器进行改进,建立了内孤立波-泥沙运动欧拉两相流模型。在利用试验资料对模型进行验证的基础上,在南海北部典型代表性条件下,模拟分析了500 m水深位置沙波床面上内孤立波作用下的水动力变化和泥沙运动。结果表明,内孤立波逐渐离开沙波时,海底沙波背流面处出现与内孤立波背景流速反向的流速,在内孤立波导致的流场作用下,沙波床面上的泥沙悬起并运动到床面以上的水体中。振幅100 m的内孤立波可以导致床面以上14 m高的位置处出现约0.07 kg/m³的悬沙浓度。     

A study of SAR remote sensing of internal solitary waves in the north of the South China Sea: Ⅱ. Simulation of SAR signatures of internal solitary waves

A new model developed from the full-spectrum model of Lyzenga and Bennett （ 1988 ） is built up by us preliminarily through considering the impact of the ocean surface mixed layer turbulence on SAR remote sensing of internal solitary waves. In the partial differential equation of the action spectral density of the surface gravity-capillary waves the source function representing the contribution of the turbulence is added besides the usual source function representing the contribution of the wind. The source function is determined by applying the κ - ε model and adopting the Nasmyth spectrum of oceanic turbulence （ Nasmyth, 1970; Oakey, 1982; Fan, 2002） on the basis of the previous simulation results of internal tide transformation obtained in the companion paper （Fan et al. ,2008）. Either under relatively high wind speed, or under low wind speed, our model predicts significant large modulations of radar backscatter at all three bands （ L, C and X bands） for both VV and HH polarization. These results prove that considering the impact of ocean surface mixed layer turbulence on SAR remote sensing of internal solitary waves is reasonable and appropriate for settlement of the well-known problem of contemporary radar imaging models.     

南海北部陆架区内孤立波向岸传播过程研究

南海北部是全球海洋中内孤立波最强和最为活跃的海域。然而,内孤立波在传入陆架区后,其形态发生显著变化,其传播演变过程表现出高度的复杂性。本研究综合卫星图像和数值模式手段研究了内孤立波在向岸传播过程中的空间变化特征。可见光卫星图像研究结果显示,南海北部陆架区存在三种形态的内孤立波,分别为第一模态下凹型内孤立波、第一模态上凸型内孤立波和第二模态内孤立波。受水深和层结变化的控制,它们的分布区域显著不同。基于MITgcm的数值模拟研究表明,上凸型内孤立波由第一模态下凹内孤立波经过极性转换过程发展而来,而第二模态内孤立波由第一模态下凹内孤立波与急剧变浅地形相互作用而产生。     

一个典型南海北部第二模态内孤立波的观测分析

第二模态内孤立波在海洋中极少被观测到。本文基于潜标高时空分辨率观测数据,对南海北部陆架区的一个典型第二模态内孤立波进行了分析。结果表明,该第二模态内孤立波的流核出现在135 m深度处,其最大水平流速为0.66 m/s,传播方向为西偏北58°。沿传播方向的内孤立波流速分布在80～170 m的深度范围内,而与传播方向相反的逆流出现在海表和海底附近。垂向模态分析表明,该第二模态内孤立波水平流速的垂向结构与理论结果吻合良好。能量计算结果显示其动能密度的垂向积分可达14 kJ/m2,而波峰线方向单位长度上的动能估算值为5.98 MJ/m。尽管该第二模态内孤立波的动能比陆架区第一模态内孤立波小1个量级,但其高达0.045 s-1的流速垂向剪切约为典型第一模态内孤立波的2倍,表明其导致的混合可能更强。     

南海北部孤立波对近岸波动的响应

On the basis of the time series observations from a temperature chain and an acoustic Doppler current profiler on the continental shelf of the northern South China Sea, a sequence of internal solitary waves （ISWs） and background waves （BWs, including internal tides and near-inertial waves） on the continental shelf were captured simultaneously after the transit of Typhoon Neast in October 2011. These measurementsprovided a unique opportunity to explore the influence of BWs on the ISWs. The BWs appeared a conversion on the current strength and vertical mode structure during the observational period. The BWs were dominated by weak and mode-one waves before October 2 and then turned to strong and high-mode waves after that time. Meanwhile, the ISWs displayed different wave structures before and after October 2, which was closely related to BWs＇ changes. According to the current profiles of BWs, the high-mode wave structure with strong current could significantly strengthen the vertical shear of ISWs in the near-surface layer and promote the breaking of ISWs, and thus it may play an important role in affecting the background current condition.     

南海北部陆坡区内孤立波的垂向热量输送

An integrated analysis of internal solitary wave(ISW) observations obtained from two moorings over the continental slope in the northern South China Sea(SCS) leads to an assessment of the vertical heat transport of the ISWs. The clusters of ISW packets are phase-locked to the fortnightly cycle of the semidiurnal tide. The ISWs appear during large semidiurnal tides, and there is a period of 5–6 d when no ISWs are observed. The effect of the ISWs on the continental slope heat budget is observed. The ISWs can modify a local temperature field in which the temperature in the upper layer can be changed by O(100) °C after the ISWs passed the mooring. Both ISWinduced diffusion and ISW-induced advection contribute to the temperature variation. The estimates imply an average vertical heat flux of 0.01 to 0.1 MW/m~2 in the ISWs in the upper 500 m of the water column. The vertical heat transport ranges from 0.56 to 2.83 GJ/m~2 with a mean value of 1.63 GJ/m~2. The observations suggest that the vertical heat transport is proportional to the maximum vertical displacement.     

南海北部a波和b波的生成与传播特征的数值研究

本文基于真实地形、潮汐的高分辨率三维MITgcm海洋环流模式,对南海北部a波（大振幅波列形式）和b波（孤立子形式）的生成与传播特征进行了数值研究。首先,我们总结和分析了这些波动的生成与传播特征。然后我们计算了吕宋海峡的能量收支。能量的生成在一天内有三个极大值,其中最大值对应a波的生成。吕宋海峡西边界的能通量一天内有两个极大值,较大的那个对应a波的生成而另一个对应b波的生成。我们设计了敏感性试验来探究吕宋海峡东西海脊对a、b波的生成和传播造成的影响。通过对比敏感性实验和标准试验的结果,发现对于a波的生成东海脊必不可少,但西海脊几乎没有影响。西海脊削弱了a波的振幅但未对a波波速造成明显的影响。b波来自于从东海脊生成的扰动信号。西海脊加强了这个扰动信号但减慢了它的传播速度。     

A study of SAR remote sensing of internal solitary waves in the north of the South China Sea:I.Simulation of internal tide transformation

For settlement of the well-known problem of contemporary radar imaging models,i.e.,the pmblem of a general underestimation of radar signatures of hydrodynamic features over oceanic internal waves and underwater bottom topography in tidal watels at at high radar frequency bands(X-band and C-band),the impact of the ocean surface mixed layer turbulence and the significance of strat-ified oceanic model on SAR remote sensing of internal solitary waves are proposed.In the north of the South China Sea by utilizing seme observed data of background field the nonlinearity coefficient,the dispersion coefficient,the horizontal variability coefficient and the phase speed in the generalized K-dV equation are determined approximately.Through simulations of internal tide transfor-mation the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the vertical displacement and horizontal velocity of intereal wave field are obtained.The simulation results indicate that the maximum amplitudes of internal solitary waves occur at depth 35 m,but the maximum current speeds take place at depth 20 m in this area of the sea(about 20°30'N,114°E)in August.It was noticed that considering the effects of flood current and ebb current respectively is appropriate to investigate influence of the background shear flow on coefficients of the K-dV equation.The obtained results provide the possibility for the simulation of SAR signatures of inter-nal solitary waves under considering the impact of ocean surface mixed layer turbulence in the companion paper.     

Monthly variation of some parameters about internal solitary waves in the South China sea

In this paper, by non-dimensional analysis, it is found that finite-depth theory is more appropriate to the study of internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the South China Sea (SCS) than shallow-water theory. The 1-degree grid data of monthly mean temperature and salinity data at standard levels in the SCS are used to solve the linearized vertical eigenvalue problem. The nonlinear parameter and the wave phase speed are computed, then the nonlinear phase speed and the characteristic half-width of ISWs are calculated respectively by two different theories to investigate the difference between these two parameters in the SCS. The nonlinearity is the strongest near the continental slope of the SCS or islands where the bottom topography changes sharply, it is stronger in summer than that in winter; it increases (decreases) as pycnocline depth deepens (shallows), stratification strengthens (weakens) and pycnocline thickness thins (thickens). The nonlinear wave phase speed and the characteristic half-width are the largest in deep sea area, they then reduce peripherally in shallower water. The nonlinear wave phase speed in the SCS changes slightly with time, but the characteristic half-width changes somewhat larger with time. In most of the SCS basin, the nonlinear wave phase speed derived from shallow-water theory is very close to that derived from finite-depth theory, but the characteristic half-width derived from shallow-water theory is about 0.2–0.6 times larger than that derived from finite-depth theory. The ISW induced horizontal current velocity derived from shallow-water theory is larger than that derived from finite-depth theory. Some observed and numerical modeled ISW characteristic half-widths are compared with those derived from shallow-water and finite-depth theories, respectively. It is shown that, the characteristic half-widths derived from finite-depth theory agree better with observational and numerical modeled results than those derived from shallow-water theory in most cases, finite-depth theory is more applicable to the estimation of ISW characteristic half-widths in the northern SCS. It is also suggested that, to derive the precise ISW parameters in further study, the physical non-dimensional ratios which are related with ISW characteristic half-width, amplitude, thermocline and water depths should be calculated, so that an appropriate theory can be chosen for estimation.     

Internal solitary waves in the East China Sea

A European Space Agency＇ s ENVISAT advanced synthetic aperture radar （ASAR） image covering Zhejiang coastal water in the East China Sea （ECS） was acquired on 1 August 2007. This image shows that there are about 20 coherent internal solitary wave （ISW） packets propagating southwestward toward Zhejiang coast. These ISW packets are separated by about 10 kin, suggesting that these ISWs are tide-generated waves. Each ISW packet contains 5-15 wave crests. The wavelengths of the wave crests within the ISW packets are about 300 m. The lengths of the leading wave crests are about 50 km. The ISW amplitude is estimated from solving KdV equation in an ideal two-layer ocean model. It is found that the ISW amplitudes is about 8 m. Further analysis of the ASAR image and ocean stratification profiles show that the observed ISWs are depression waves. Analyzing the tidal current finds that these waves are locally generated. The wavelength and amplitude of the ECS ISW are much smaller than their counter- parts in the South China Sea （SCS）. The propagation speed of the ECS ISW is also an order of magnitude smaller than that of the SCS ISW. The observed ISWs in the ECS happened during a spring tide period.     

南海北部中尺度涡与内波相遇的特征分析

基于2009年12月~2010年4月南海北部大陆坡上东沙岛以西的一套潜标资料,分析一个中尺度涡与内波相遇时海水温度的变化特征。根据潜标上的温压记录,利用功率谱分析,发现潜标布放处存在周期为20~30 min的内孤立波及全日和半日周期的内潮;结合海表面高度异常资料,描述此处一个中尺度涡的经过过程。利用天文潮大潮发生的时间规律,推断出中尺度涡与内波的相遇,从而解释了压力记录的异常变化。根据中尺度涡与内波各自引起的海流流向,分析在本次观测中两者相遇时的共同作用所引起的海水温度的垂向变化,即当两者引起的流向相反时,内波引起的日周期等温线波动由上凸型弧状变为下凹型弧状,短时震荡由向下振荡变化为向上振荡。     

利用SAR遥感卫星资料研究东海内孤立波时空分布特征

通过分析欧洲空间局的地球资源卫星(ERS-1/2)从1995—2010年的合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像,研究了东海内孤立波的时间分布特征,绘制了东海内孤立波的空间分布图,并且反演了个别海区内孤立波的传播速度。研究结果表明:东海内孤立波主要分布在两个海域,台湾东北部海域和长江口、杭州湾以及外舟山群岛附近海域。在这两个海域,大潮期间的强潮流有利于内孤立波的出现。在长江口及附近海域,跃层强时,内孤立波出现的概率相对较高。台湾东北部内孤立波波速约为0.6—0.8 m/s,长江口及附近海域内孤立波波速约为0.6 m/s左右。     

南海东沙海域内孤立波形态研究

本文基于反射地震数据和MODIS遥感数据,对南海东沙海域内孤立波及孤立波群的形态有了系统的认识。内孤立波存在上升型和下降型两种极性波,又根据波形分成“钟形”、“平底形”和“碗形”三种类型,孤立波在波谷处的形状与孤立波振幅有关。单个内孤立波在传播一段时间后,受到各种因素的影响,会发育成波群。东沙海域的不同位置存在两种波群:“有序型”波群和“复杂型”波群,结合它们的位置及波群传播过程,认为这两种波群可能是孤立波从深海向陆架的整个传播过程中的两个阶段,“有序型”波群在被东沙岛阻碍后,受到各种海底地形、东沙环礁、波-波相互作用的影响,转变成“复杂型”波群。     

Derivation of internal solitary wave amplitude in the South China Sea deep basin from satellite images

In the present study, theories based on the Korteweg–de Vries equation are extended to the Benjamin–Ono equation to allow the determination of internal solitary wave (ISW) amplitude from satellite images. The free surface flow induced by an ISW is derived for deep water. As a coherent structure, the amplitude of the ISW has a unique relation to the convergence/divergence of surface flow, such that the flow convergence/divergence will increase/decrease the backscattering cross section and generate bright/dark bands in satellite images. The distance between bright and dark bands can be related to the amplitude of ISW. To validate the theory, a multi-ship measurement made on 9–11 May 2005 during the spring tide period is used. A systematic approach to determine the thickness and density of the upper and lower layers is also included so that the free surface flow can be determined with a relatively high accuracy.     

南海西北陆坡区内潮与近惯性内波观测研究

通过对2006年南海西北部海域近3个月的全水深流速观测资料的分析,研究了该海区正压潮、内潮及近惯性内波的时空分布特征。结果表明,全日内潮明显强于半日内潮,且最大潮流均出现在海洋上层;内潮的主轴方向基本沿东南-西北方向,近似与局地等深线垂直;内潮能量显示出明显的时间长度约为半月的大小潮调制周期;全日内潮的coherent部分占全日内潮能量的70%,而半日内潮的coherent部分占半日内潮能量的53%;进一步研究发现半日内潮主要由第一模态主导,而全日内潮第三模态能量占总能量的比例仅次于第一模态且量值上与之相当;强风过程可激发出强的近惯性运动,暖涡使得近惯性内波能量更有效地向海洋深层传播,冷涡则不利于近惯性内波能量向下传播。     

南海北部内孤立波生成对黑潮响应的初步研究

为了研究南海北部黑潮入侵对内孤立波生成造成的影响,本研究在对合成孔径雷达图像处理分析的基础上,运用二维非静力模式,对南海北部内孤立波生成以及其对黑潮入侵的响应做了初步的模拟和分析。对4 a(2007~2010年)的合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像统计分析发现,内波出现频率呈现明显的季节变化。月平均数据表明,内波出现频率在5月到8月期间较高并在6月达到峰值,占全年总数的29%;而在11月到次年的2月份期间出现频率较低并在12月和1月达到最低,各占全年的0.5%。通过二维、非静力近似数值模拟研究发现:黑潮入侵引起的平流对吕宋海峡区域内孤立波的激发产生具有明显的影响。具体表现为,黑潮入侵引起的的西向平均流拉伸了内孤立波波形并加强内孤立波的能量的频散,使得大振幅内孤立波演变成多个分散的波动,波长变长、振幅变小。敏感性实验通过替换夏季温盐场为冬季温盐场,对模拟结果并无实质上的影响,表明冬夏季温盐场的差异并非是SAR观测内波出现频率呈季节变化的重要因素。     

苏禄—苏拉威西海内孤立波动力参数时空变化特征

基于弱非线性理论及再分析同化数据,计算了苏禄—苏拉威西海冬季及夏季内孤立波动力参数,包括内孤立波线性速度、一阶和二阶非线性参数及线性色散参数,并研究了这些参数的时空变化特征。我们发现,虽然苏拉威西海域受到更加显著的西北太平洋水入侵,但苏禄海内孤立波动力参数的时空变化特征却比苏拉威西海更为显著。夏季苏禄海内孤立波线性速度总体上比冬季约大0.1m·s^–1;与此相反,夏季苏拉威西海内孤立波线性速度却比冬季约小0.05m·s^–1。无论是一阶或二阶非线性动力参数,其在苏拉威西海的时空变化均比较微弱,但在苏禄海则较为显著。苏禄海夏季一阶非线性动力参数比冬季高出约3×10^–3s^–1,但是夏季二阶非线性动力参数却比1月份低约3×10^–5m^–1·s^–1。此外,相比冬季,夏季苏禄海和苏拉威西海的色散动力参数均有所减弱,但其在苏禄海减弱的幅度更大。综上,苏禄—苏拉威西海环流引起的水体层化最大浮力频率所在深度的时空变化是造成上述内孤立波动力参数时空变化的根本...