南海东北部亚中尺度过程时空分布特征

基于高分辨率模型2009-2012年的模拟结果,本文对南海东北部亚中尺度过程的时空分布特征进行了研究。模拟结果表明,南海东北部上层广泛存在着相对涡度接近于局地行星涡度的亚中尺度过程。统计结果发现,亚中尺度过程的相对涡度的分布具有着明显的非对称性,即正涡度明显强于负涡度。这意味着相比于负涡度,具有正涡度的亚中尺度过程要更为活跃,而这主要是由离心不稳定导致。同时,亚中尺度过程在时间分布上表现出明显的冬强夏弱的季节变化特征。通过对该海区亚中尺度过程可能生成机制的分析发现,该季节变化与流场拉伸和混合层的厚度有着密切关系,冬季更强的流场拉伸和更深的混合层有利于通过锋生过程和混合层不稳定为亚中尺度过程生成提供更多的能量。     

黑潮入侵优化对南海北部中尺度涡旋模拟的影响

基于高分辨率海洋环流模式,通过比较吕宋海峡处地形优化后的黑潮入侵形态和强度不同的试验,我们研究了黑潮入侵优化后对南海中尺度涡模拟的影响。我们发现黑潮入侵的减弱导致了涡旋活动的减弱,这使得模式结果与观测结果更为相近。在这种情况下,模式模拟的吕宋海峡西部及北部陆坡区域的涡动动能明显减弱。模式涡动动能的减弱与模式反气旋式涡数量的减少和气旋式涡强度的减弱有关。涡动动能收支的分析进一步表明,黑潮入侵的优化将通过改变水平速度切变和温跃层斜率来改变涡动动能,而这两个参数分别与正压和斜压不稳定性有关。前者在模式涡动动能减弱中起着更为重要的作用,而黑潮入侵导致的涡动动能的水平输送对吕宋海峡西部区域的能量收支同样起着重要的作用。     

南海北部陆坡中尺度涡的演化及传播规律分析

The continental slope in the northern South China Sea(SCS) is rich in mesoscale eddies which play an important role in transport and retention of nutrients and biota. In this study, we investigate the statistical properties of eddy distributions and propagation in a period of 24 years between 1993 and 2016 by using the altimeter data. A total of 147 eddies are found in the continental slope region(CSR), including 70 cyclonic eddies(CEs) and 77 anticyclonic eddies(ACEs). For those eddies that appear in the CSR, the surrounding areas of Dongsha Islands(DS) and southwest of Taiwan(SWT) are considered as the primary sources, where eddies generated contribute more than 60% of the total. According to the spatial distribution of eddy relative vorticity, eddies are weakening as propagating westward. Although both CEs and ACEs roughly propagate along the slope isobaths, there are discrepancies between CEs and ACEs. The ACEs move slightly faster in the zonal direction, while the CEs tend to cross the isobaths with large bottom depth change. The ACEs generally move further into the basin areas after leaving the CSR while CEs remain around the CSR. The eddy propagation on the continental slope is likely to be associated with mean flow at a certain degree because the eddy trajectories have notable seasonal signals that are consistent with the seasonal cycle of geostrophic current. The results indicate that the eddy translation speed is statistically consistent with geostrophic velocity in both magnitude and direction.     

基于CORA2再分析数据的南海中尺度涡时空分布特征初步研究

利用南海20 a逐日海流再分析资料对南海海域中尺度涡进行时空特征分析。经过数据处理、涡漩识别、统计分析等方法,对南海海域中尺度涡空间分布、时间分布、生命周期、空间尺度、移动路径、移动速度、影响频率等特征进行分析,对南海中尺度涡进行全面详细的解读。研究发现:涡旋出现位置跟南海200 m等深线较一致。大部分涡旋周期都集中在30 d以内,直径大都在100~300 km,主要向西南方向移动,速率在15~20 cm/s的涡旋比例最高。反气旋式中尺度涡影响频率要大于气旋式中尺度涡的影响频率,主要影响区域大致在200 m等深线以内海域。     

Spring mesoscale high in the western South China Sea

A recurring spring mesoscale eddy in the western South China Sea (SCS) is studied using remote sensing data and historical in situ observations. The feature first appears east of the central Vietnam coast in February as a high sea-level anomaly, grows rapidly to a well-developed anticyclonic eddy by March, matures in April, and decays in May. Besides the warm-core feature, it also has an inherent low-salinity property, so it is named "spring mesoscale high (SMH)". Though with clear interannual variation in terms of intensity and spatial coverage, the SMH always emerges in the region between 110 E and 114 E and between 12 N and 16 N. The formation of SMH is ascribed to the combined effects of wind forcing and releasing of potential energy set up by winter monsoon. In particular, the wind-stress curl plays an important role in its development, maintenance, and dissipation.     

南海中尺度涡旋对热带气旋的响应：个例研究

利用TOPEX／POsEIDON和Jason—1卫星高度计,SeaWiFS水色传感器和TMI微波成像仪等卫星遥感资料研究了南海中尺度涡旋对热带气旋“玲玲”（Lingling,0123）、“灿都”（Chanthu,0405）和“榴莲”（Durian,0621）的响应,得到以下研究结果：（1）位于热带气旋“玲玲”和“榴莲”移动路径右侧的冷涡在热带气旋经过后增强,表现在海面高度距平和海表温度的较大幅度下降,以及叶绿素a的爆发性升高;（2）位于“玲玲”移动路径左侧以及“灿都”路径上的暖涡在热带气旋经过后减弱,表现在海面高度距平和海表温度的下降,而叶绿素a变化不太明显;（3）当热带气旋“玲玲”和“灿都”经过暖涡时,热带气旋的强度迅速增大,这表明暖涡可能有助于热带气旋的加强．     

Spatial-temporal variability of submesoscale currents in the South China Sea

Spatial and seasonal variabilities of submesoscale currents in the northeastern South China Sea are investigated by employing a numerical simulation with a horizontal resolution of 1km. The results suggest that submesoscale currents are widespread in the surface mixed layer mainly due to the mixed layer instabilities and frontogenesis. In horizontal, submesoscale currents are generally more active in the north than those in the south, since that active eddies, especially cyclonic eddies, mainly occur in the northern area. Specifically, submesoscale currents are highly intensified in the east of Dongsha Island and south of Taiwan Island. In temporal sense, submesoscale currents are more active in winter than those in summer, since the mixed layer is thicker and more unstable in the winter. The parameterization developed by Fox-Kemper et al. is examined in terms of vertical velocity, and the results suggest that it could reproduce the vertical velocity if mixed layer instability dominates there. This study improves our understanding of the submesoscale dynamics in the South China Sea.     

Three-dimensional properties of mesoscale cyclonic warm-core and anticyclonic cold-core eddies in the South China Sea

In general, a mesoscale cyclonic (anticyclonic) eddy has a colder (warmer) core, and it is considered as a cold (warm) eddy. However, recently research found that there are a number of “abnormal” mesoscale cyclonic (anticyclonic) eddies associated with warm (cold) cores in the South China Sea (SCS). These “abnormal” eddies pose a challenge to previous works on eddy detection, characteristic analysis, eddy-induced heat and salt transports, and even on mesoscale eddy dynamics. Based on a 9-year (2000–2008) numerical modelling data, the cyclonic warm-core eddies (CWEs) and anticyclonic cold-core eddies (ACEs) in the SCS are analyzed. This study found that the highest incidence area of the “abnormal” eddies is the northwest of Luzon Strait. In terms of the eddy snapshot counting method, 8 620 CWEs and 9 879 ACEs are detected, accounting for 14.6% and 15.8% of the total eddy number, respectively. The size of the “abnormal” eddies is usually smaller than that of the “normal” eddies, with the radius only around 50 km. In the generation time aspect, they usually appear within the 0.1–0.3 interval in the normalized eddy lifespan. The survival time of CWEs (ACEs) occupies 16.3% (17.1%) of the total eddy lifespan. Based on two case studies, the intrusion of Kuroshio warm water is considered as a key mechanism for the generation of these “abnormal” eddies near the northeastern SCS.     

南海北部深水区东西构造差异性及其动力学机制

This paper overviews research progress in observation, theoretical analysis and numerical modeling of submesoscale dynamic processes in the South China Sea(SCS) particularly during recent five years. The submesoscale processes are defined according to both spatial and dynamic scales, and divided into four subcategories as submesoscale waves, submesoscale vortexes, submesoscale shelf processes, and submesoscale turbulence. The major new findings are as follows.(1) Systematic mooring observations provide new insights into the solitary waves(ISWs) and the typhoon-forced near-inertial waves(NIWs), of which a new type of ISWs with period of 23 h was observed in the northern SCS(NSCS), and the influences of background vorticity, summer monsoon onset, and deep meridional overturning circulation on the NIWs, as well as nonlinear wave-wave interaction between the NIWs and internal tides, are better understood. On the other hand, satellite altimeter sea surface height data are used to reveal the internal tide radiation patterns and provide solid evidence for that the ISWs in the northeastern SCS originate from the Luzon Strait.(2) Submesoscale offshore jets and associated vortex trains off the Vietnam coast in the western boundary of the SCS were observed from satellite chlorophyll concentration images. Spiral trains with the horizontal scale of 15–30 km and the spacing of 50–80 km were identified.(3) 3-D vertical circulation in the upwelling region east of Hainan Island was theoretically analyzed. The results show that distribution patterns of all the dynamic terms are featured by wave-like structures with horizontal wavelength scale of 20–40 km.(4) Numerical models have been used for the research of submesoscale turbulence. Submesoscale vertical pump of an anticyclonic eddy and the spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern SCS are well modeled.     

Mesoscale eddies in the South China Sea and their impact on temperature profiles

Some life history statistics of the mesoscale eddies of the South China Sea (SCS) derived from altimetry data will be further discussed according their different formation periods.A total of three ATLAS (autonomous temperature line acquisition system)mooring buoys data will be analyzed to discuss eddies‘ impact on temperature profiles.They identify that the intraseasonal variation of SCS thermocline is partly controlled by mesoscale eddies.     

南海西部风驱离岸急流次中尺度锋面的动力学分析

本文利用卫星观测资料和500 m分辨率数值模拟结果,结合理论分析,对南海西部夏季风场驱动的离岸急流海域次中尺度锋面及其不稳定对背景流场的动力学影响进行了研究。卫星观测和模拟结果表明,南海西部（WSCS）存在侧向尺度为O（1-10）km的次中尺度锋面,在地转和非地转运动的共同作用下,次中尺度密度锋面具有一阶Rossby（Ro）和Richardson（Ri）数。锋面诊断结果显示,沿锋面急流方向的风场强迫引起了显著的跨锋面Ekman净输送,有效地在跨锋面方向将表层冷水平流输送至暖水侧,导致海表浮力损失。减弱的垂向层结和增强的水平浮力梯度使得锋面海域出现负Ertel位涡（PV）,表明该密度锋面易受次中尺度对称不稳定（SI）的影响。次中尺度锋面不稳定引起的跨锋面次级环流能够显著增强垂向速度,其最大值可达100 m·d^-1。能量评估结果表明,次中尺度湍流的两个主要能量源,即地转剪切项（GSP）和垂向浮力通量（BFLUX）在锋面海域显著增强表明在沿锋面急流方向的风场强迫作用下,大尺度地转流的地转剪切动能和锋面有效位能能有效地通过锋面不稳定向次中尺度过程传递。因此,次中尺度锋面及其不稳定有助于增强局地垂向交换和正向串级地转能量,可以为夏季WSCS高叶绿素浓度的相干结构和锋面地转能量的正向传递提供新的动力解释。     

南海中尺度涡温盐结构的季节特征及形成机制

本文利用最新的涡旋数据集和ARMOR3D数据,研究了南海中尺度涡温盐结构的季节特征及形成机制。合成分析的结果表明,在冬季,涡旋引起温度异常的水平分布在50米以浅表现为类似偶极型分布,而在50m以深则趋向于中心对称分布;在夏季,温度异常的水平分布均表现为中心对称的特征。涡旋引起盐度异常的水平分布也具有类似的季节特征,但是偶极型中的不对称性相对较弱。在垂向上,涡旋所致的温度异常表现为单层结构,而盐度异常则为三层结构。进一步的分析表明,涡旋所致温盐异常的垂向分布特征与背景温盐的垂向分层有关;而在50m以浅,温盐异常的水平分布的不对称特征主要由背景温盐场的水平平流所致。     

南海西部夏季上升流锋面的次中尺度特征分析

利用卫星遥感资料和区域海洋数值模式ROMS(regional ocean modeling system)高分辨率数值模拟结果, 对南海西部夏季上升流锋面的次中尺度特征及其非地转过程进行了探讨。高分辨率卫星遥感观测和数值模拟结果显示, 南海西部夏季锋面海域存在活跃的次中尺度现象, 其水平尺度约为1~10km, 且具有O(1)罗斯贝数(Rossby number, Ro)的典型次中尺度动力学特征。进一步的诊断分析表明, 在夏季西南风的驱动下, 沿锋面射流方向的风应力(down-front wind stress)引起的跨锋面埃克曼输运有利于将海水由锋面冷水侧向暖水侧输运, 减小了锋面海域的垂向层结和Ertel位涡, 加剧了锋面的不稳定, 并形成跨锋面的垂向次级环流。高分辨率模拟结果显示, 锋面海域最大垂向流速可达100m?d ^-1, 显著增强了上层海洋的垂向物质交换。因此, 活跃在锋面海域的次中尺度过程可能是增强南海西部上升流海域垂向物质交换的重要贡献者。     

Submesoscale eddies in the East China Sea detected from SAR images

Seven-year(2005–2011) Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR) images are applied to study oceanic eddies in the East China Sea. It is found that most of these eddies detected from the SAR images are less than 10 km, which are submesoscale eddies. Seasonal differences are evident in the distribution of eddies, with the highest and the lowest number of eddies noted in summer and winter, respectively. Since slick streaks in SAR images look dark, an eddy identified due to the slicks is referred to as "black eddy". As a result of wave-current interactions in the zones of current shear, it can be seen that an eddy exhibits a bright curve, the eddy is called "white eddy". During the seven years, 95 black eddies and 50 white eddies are identified in the study area. Black eddies are found in the whole study area while white eddies are mainly distributed in the vicinity of the Kuroshio Current. This study suggests that the distribution of the white eddy is denser around the Kuroshio because of the strong shear in the Kuroshio region. In terms of the eddy sizes, white eddies are generally smaller than black eddies.     

中尺度涡影响下的南海西部活性铝分布

To understand the distribution of aluminum(Al) under the influence of mesocale eddies in the western South China Sea(SCS), sea level anomaly, geostrophic current, environmental parameters and reactive Al were investigated in the western SCS in August 2013. The highest reactive Al concentration((180±64) nmol/L) was observed in the surface waters, indicating a substantial atmospheric input. Vertically, the reactive Al decreased from the surface high concentration to the subsurface minima at the depth of chlorophyll a(Chl a) maxima and then increased again with depth at most of the stations. The average concentration of reactive Al in the upper 100 m water column was significantly lower in the cyclonic eddy((137±6) nmol/L) as compared with that in the noneddy waters((180±21) nmol/L). By contrast, the average concentrations of Chl a and silicate in the upper 100 m water column were higher in the cyclonic eddy and lower in the anticyclonic eddy. There was a significant negative correlation between the average concentrations of reactive Al and Chl a in the upper 100 m water column. The vertical distribution of reactive Al and the negative correlation between reactive Al and Chl a both suggest that the reactive Al in the upper water column was significantly influenced by biological removal processes. Our results indicate that mesoscale eddies could regulate the distribution of reactive Al by influencing the primary production and phytoplankton community structure in the western SCS.     

Vertical velocity and transport in the South China Sea

Deep water in the South China Sea is renewed by the cold and dense Luzon Strait overflow. However, from where and how the deep water upwells is poorly understood yet. Based on the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model reanalysis data, vertical velocity is derived to answer these questions. Domain-integrated vertical velocity is of two maxima, one in the shallow water and the other at depth, and separated by a layer of minimum at the bottom of the thermocline. Further analysis shows that this two-segmented vertical transport is attributed to the vertical compensation of subsurface water to the excessive outflow of shallow water and upward push of the dense Luzon Strait overflow, respectively. In the abyssal basin, the vertical transport increases upward from zero at the depth of 3 500–4 000 m and reaches a maximum of 1.5×106 m3/s at about 1 500 m. Deep water upwells mainly from the northeastern and southwestern ends of the abyssal basin and off the continental slopes. To explain the upward velocity arising from slope breaks, a possible mechanism is proposed that an onshore velocity component can be derived from the deep western boundary current above steep slopes under bottom friction.     

南海中尺度涡的演化过程与行为追踪:一种基于全局最邻近滤波的方法

The eddy tracking approach is developed using the global nearest neighbor filter(GNNF) to investigate the evolution processes and behaviors of mesoscale eddies in the South China Sea(SCS). Combining the Kalman filter and optimal data association technologies, the GNNF algorithm is able to reduce pairing errors to 0.2% in tracking synthetic eddy tracks, outperforming other existing methods. A total of 4 913 eddy tracks that last more than a week are obtained by the GNNF during 1993–2012. The analysis of a growth and a decay based on 3 445 simple eddy tracks show that eddy radius, amplitude, and vorticity smoothly increase during the first half of lifetime and decline during the second half following a parabola opening downwards. The genesis of eddies mainly clusters northwest and southwest of Luzon Island whereas the dissipations concentrate the Xisha Islands where the underwater bay traps and terminates eddies. West of the Luzon Strait, northwest of Luzon Island, and southeast of Vietnam are regions where eddy splits and mergers are frequently observed. Short disappearances mainly distribute in the first two regions. Moreover, eddy splits generally result in a decrease of the radius and the amplitude whereas eddy mergers induce growing up. Eddy intensity and vorticity, on the contrary, are strengthened in the eddy splits and diminished in mergers.     

南海上层海洋次中尺度过程空间差异和季节变化特征

南海是西太平洋最大的边缘海, 由于受季风影响显著以及北部海域的黑潮入侵, 其动力环境复杂多变, 次中尺度过程丰富, 且在空间上和时间上存在多变性。文章基于高分辨率数值模式的结果, 通过对次中尺度动力参数的分析, 对比讨论了南海北部、中部、西部和南部海域4个典型子区域上层海洋次中尺度过程的空间差异、季节变化、影响深度、影响因素等问题。研究发现各区域季节性变化特征和机制有所不同: 北部海域受冬季风和黑潮入侵影响, 冬季次中尺度的混合层不稳定较强; 中部海域同样表现为“冬强夏弱”; 西部海域受夏季风影响显著, 夏季次中尺度过程更为活跃; 而南部海域主要受岛屿地形影响较大, 容易产生地形尾涡, 季节性特征不明显。统计分析表明, 次中尺度过程往往表现出强正相对涡度与高应变特征, 在表层更容易出现负位涡, 流体稳定性较差。此外, 文章从能量学角度对次中尺度过程的主要能量来源、控制因素等进行了讨论。     

吕宋海峡西部深海盆内孤立波潜标观测研究

Mesoscale eddies have been suggested to have an impact on biological carbon fixation in the South China Sea （SCS）. However, their overall contribution to primary production during the spring inter-monsoon pe riod is still unknown. Based on large-scale biological and environmental in situ observations and synchro nous remote sensing data, the distribution patterns of phytoplankton biomass and the primary production, and the role of mesoscale eddies in regulating primary production in different eddy-controlled waters were investigated. The results suggested that the surface chlorophyll a concentrations and water column inte grated primary production （IPP） are significantly higher in cyclonic eddies and lower in the anticyclonic eddies as compared to that in non-eddy waters. Although eddies could affect various environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light availability, nutrient supply is suggested to be the most important one through which mesoscale eddies regulated the distribution patterns of phytoplankton biomass and pri mary production. The estimated IPP in cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies are about 29.5% higher and 16.6% lower than the total average in the whole study area, respectively, indicating that the promotion effect of mesoscale cold eddies on the primary production was much stronger than the inhibition effect of the warm eddies per unit area. Overall, mesoscale eddies are crucial physical processes that affect the biological car bon fixation and the distribution pattern of primary production in the SCS open sea, especially during the spring inter-monsoon period.     

High-resolution simulation of upper-ocean submesoscale variability in the South China Sea: Spatial and seasonal dynamical regimes

Submesoscale processes in marginal seas usually have complex generating mechanisms, highly dependent on the local background flow and forcing. This numerical study investigates the spatial and seasonal differences of submesoscale activities in the upper ocean of the South China Sea (SCS) and the different dynamical regimes for sub-regions. The spatial and seasonal variations of vertical vorticity, horizontal convergence, lateral buoyancy gradient, and strain rate are analyzed to compare the submesoscale phenomenon within four sub-regions, the northern region near the Luzon Strait (R1), the middle ocean basin (R2), the western SCS (R3), and the southern SCS (R4). The results suggest that the SCS submesoscale processes are highly heterogeneous in space, with different seasonalities in each sub-region. The submesoscale activities in the northern sub-regions (R1, R2) are active in winter but weak in summer, while there appears an almost seasonal anti-phase in the western region (R3) compared to R1 and R2. Interestingly, no clear seasonality of submesoscale features is shown in the southern region (R4). Further analysis of Ertel potential vorticity reveals different generating mechanisms of submesoscale processes in different sub-regions. Correlation analyses also show the vertical extent of vertical velocity and the role of monsoon in generating submesoscale activities in the upper ocean of sub-regions. All these results suggest that the sub-regions have different regimes for submesoscale processes, e.g., Kuroshio intrusion (R1), monsoon modulation (R2), frontal effects (R3), topography wakes (R4).