Decadal variability of chlorophyll a in the South China Sea: a possible mechanism

Four climatologies on a monthly scale (January, April, May and November) of chlorophyll a within the South China Sea (SCS) were calculated using a Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) (1979-1983) and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) (1998-2002). We analyzed decadal variability of chlorophyll a by comparing the products of the two observation periods. The relationships of variability in chlorophyll a with sea surface wind speed (SSW), sea surface temperature (SST), wind stress (WS), and mixed layer depth (MLD) were determined. The results indicate that there is obvious chlorophyll a decadal variability in the SCS. The decadal chlorophyll a presents distinct seasonal variability in characteristics, which may be as a result of various different dynamic processes. The negative chlorophyll a concentration anomaly in January was associated with the warming of SST and a shallower MLD. Generally, there were higher chlorophyll a concentrations in spring during the SeaWiFS period compared with the CZCS period. However, the chlorophyll a concentration exhibits some regional differences during this season, leading to an explanation being difficult. The deepened MLD may have contributed to the positive chlorophyll a concentration anomalies from the northwestern Luzon Island to the northeastern region of Vietnam during April and May. The increases of chlorophyll a concentration in northwestern Borneo during May may be because the stronger SSW and higher WS produce a deeper mixed layer and convective mixing, leading to high levels of nutrient concentrations. The higher chlorophyll a off southeastern Vietnam may be associated with the advective transport of the colder water extending from the Karimata Strait to southeastern Vietnam.     

An interdecadal change of tropical cyclone activity in the South China Sea in the early 1990s

Tropical cyclone (TC) genesis in the South China Sea (SCS) during 1979-2008 underwent a decadal variation around 1993. A total of 55 TCs formed in the SCS from May to September during 1994- 2008, about twice that during 1979-1993 (27). During the TC peak season (July-September, JAS), there were 43TCs from 1994-2008, but only 17 during 1979-1993. For July in particular, 13TCs formed from 1994-2008, but there were none during 1979-1993. The change in TC number is associated with changes of key environmental conditions in atmosphere and ocean. Compared to 1979-1993, the subtropical high was significantly weaker and was displaced more eastward during 1994-2008. In the former period, a stronger subtropical high induced downward flow, inhibiting TC formation. In the latter period, vertical wind shear and outgoing longwave radiation all weakened. Mid-level (850-500hPa) humidity, and relative vorticity were higher. Sea surface temperature and upper layer heat content were also higher in the area. All these factors favor TC genesis during the latter period. The decadal change of TC genesis led to more landfalling TCs in Southern China during the period 1994-2008, which contributed to an abrupt increase in regional rainfall.     

Seasonal-to-interannual variability of chlorophyll in central western South China Sea extracted from SeaWiFS

Using 10-year (January 1998–October 2007) dataset of Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), we extracted the dominant spatial patterns and temporal variations of the chlorophyll distribution in the central western South China Sea (SCS) through Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. The results show that the first EOF mode is characterized by a high chlorophyll concentration zone along the Vietnam coast. We found two peaks in summer (July–August) and in winter (December), respectively, in no...     

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.     

STUDY OF WATER—TRANSPORT THROUGH SOME MAIN STRAITS IN THE EAST CHINA SEA AND SOUTH CHINA SEA

OCCAM global ocean model results were applied to calculate the monthly water transport through 7 straits around the East China Sea(ECS)and the South china Sea(SCS).Analysis of the features of velocity profiles and their variations in the Togara Strait,Luzon Strait and Eastern Taiwan Strait showed that;1)the velocity profiles had striped pattern in the Eastern Taiwan Strait,where monthly flux varied from 22.4 to 28.1 Sv and annual mean was about 25.8 Sv;2)the profiles of velocity in the Togara Strait were characterized by core structure,and monthly flux varied from 23.3 to 31.4 Sv,with annual mean of about 27.9 Sv;3)water flowed from the SCS to the ECS in the Taiwan Strait,with maximum flux of 3.1 Sv in July and minimum of 0.9 Sv in November;4)the flux in the Tsushima Strait varied by only about 0.4 Sv by season and its annual mean was about 2.3 Sv;5)Kuroshio water flowed into the SCS in the Luzon Strait throughout the year and the velocity profiles were characterized by multi-core structure.The flux in the Luzon Strait was minimun in June(about 2.4 Sv)and maximum in February(about 9.0 Sv),and its annual mean was 4.8 Sv;6)the monthly flux in the Mindoro Strait was maximum in December(3.0 Sv)and minimum in June(Only 0.1 Sv),and its annual mean was 1.3 Sv;7)Karimata Strait water flowed into the SCS from May to August,with maximum in-flow flux of about 0.75 Sv in June and flowed out from September to April at maximum outflow flux of 3.9 Sv in January.The annual mean flux was about 1.35 Sv.     

Surface inflow into the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait in winter

We studied the driving force of the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) during the winter monsoon, using satellite-tracked drifters entering the Luzon Strait (LS) through the Balintany and Babuyan Channels from the Philippine Sea. Most drifters passing through the Babuyan Channel in winter entered the interior SCS without a significant change in velocity. However, half of the drifters passing through the Balintany Channel entered the SCS at ~30 cm/s, which was faster than when they entered the LS. The other half continued moving northwestward into the Kuroshio and returned to the North Pacific. Quantitative analyses, using surface climatological wind and sea surface height anomaly (SSHa) data explained both the difference in velocity of drifters between the two channels and their acceleration through the Balintany Channel. The results suggest that the positive meridional gradient of sea surface height in the Luzon Strait, caused by the pileup of seawater driven by the Northeast monsoon, as well as Ekman flow, contribute to the Kuroshio intrusion into the SCS through the Babuyan and Balintany Channels. The former may be the main driving force.     

Response of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset to air-sea heat fluxes over the Indian Ocean

We objectively define the onset date of the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon, after having evaluated previous studies and considered various factors. Then, interannual and interdecadal characteristics of the SCS summer monsoon onset are analyzed. In addition, we calculate air-sea heat fluxes over the Indian Ocean using the advanced method of CORARE3.0, based on satellite remote sensing data. The onset variation cycle has remarkable interdecadal variability with cycles of 16 a and 28 a. Correlation analysis between air-sea heat fluxes in the Indian Ocean and the SCS summer monsoon indicates that there is a remarkable lag correlation between them. This result has important implications for prediction of the SCS summer monsoon, and provides a scientific basis for further study of the onset process of this monsoon and its prediction. Based on these results, a linear regression equation is obtained to predict the onset date of the monsoon in 2011 and 2012. The forecast is that the onset date of 2011 will be normal or 1 pentad earlier than the normal year, while the onset date in 2012 will be 1-2 pentads later.     

SEAWATER FLUX OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

The South China Sea water can be divided according to depth into three boxes by the pycnoclineand a sill.Using a box model with matter balance,the net seawater fluxes were calculated to be317.9×10~4 m~3/s in box Ⅰ for the upper homogeneous layer outflowing to the adjoining oceans;67×10~4 m~3/s in box Ⅲ for the water entering the basin;240×10~4 m~3/s in box Ⅱ for water entering theSouth China Sea.The upward speed of basin water was calculated to be 8.4×10~(-5) cm/s and that ofseawater flowing up along the pycnocline was calculated to be 8.9×10~(-5) cm/s.     

Empirical ocean color algorithm for estimating particulate organic carbon in the South China Sea

We examined regional empirical equations for estimating the surface concentration of particulate organic carbon(POC) in the South China Sea. These algorithms are based on the direct relationships between POC and the blue-to-green band ratios of spectral remotely sensed reflectance,R rs( λ B)/ R rs(555). The best error statistics among the considered formulas were produced using the power function POC(mg/m 3)=262.173 [ R rs(443)/ R rs(555)]- 0.940. This formula resulted in a small mean bias of approximately-2.52%,a normalized root mean square error of 31.1%,and a determination coefficient of 0.91. This regional empirical equation is different to the results of similar studies in other oceanic regions. Our validation results suggest that our regional empirical formula performs better than the global algorithm,in the South China Sea. The feasibility of this band ratio algorithm is primarily due to the relationship between POC and the green-toblue ratio of the particle absorption coefficient. Colored dissolved organic matter can be an important source of noise in the band ratio formula. Finally,we applied the empirical algorithm to investigate POC changes in the southwest of Luzon Strait.     

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM CURRENT Ⅱ. BAROCLINIC CASE

In this part, Levitus‘ climatological temperature and salinity are incorporated in the numerical model developed in Part I. Diagnostic and prognostic experiment on the thermohaline circulation were conducted. The smooth Levitus‘ data do not include any information on the South China Sea Warm Current (SCSWC), so it is not in the model-produced diagnostic thermohaline circulation. Although the SCSWC does not appear in the wind-driven circulation in the barotropic case, it appears in the prognostic wind-driven circulation in the baroclinic case. This implies that the differing circulation pat-terns between barotropic case and bareclinic case are due to the stratification. The prognostic thermohaline circulation with wind stress and inflow/outflow transports at open boundaries are also discussed. Coupling of density and dynamic forces makes the circulation pattern more complicated, Even though the stratification is not always a direct cause of the formation of the SCSWC, it is at least an indirect cause.     

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM CURRENT Ⅰ.BAROTROPIC CASE

In this work, Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was used to study the formation of the South China Sea Warm Current (SCSWC) in the barotropic case. Monthly averaged wind stress and the inflow/outflow transports in January were used in the numerical simulation which reproduced the SCSWC. The effects of wind stress and inflow/outflow were studied separately. Numerical experiments showed thatthe Kuroshio intrusion through the Luzon Strait and the slope shelf in the northern SCS are necessary conditions for the founation of the SCSWC. In a flat bottom topography experiment, the wind stress drivennortheast current in the northern SCS is a compensatory current.     

Dimethylsulfide in the South China Sea

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＧｒｅａｔｅｆｆｏｒｔｓｗｅｒｅｄｅｖｏｔｅｄｒｅｃｅｎｔｌｙｔｏｓｔｕｄｙｉｎｇｄｉｍｅｔｈｙｌｓｕｌｆｉｄｅ(ＤＭＳ)ｄｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎｉｎｓｅａｗａｔｅｒ,ａｓｉｔａｃｃｏｕｎｔｓｆｏｒｔｈｅｍａｊｏｒｐａｒｔｏｆｔｈｅｓｕｌｆｕｒｆｌｕｘｆｒｏｍｔｈｅｏｃｅａｎｓｔｏｔｈｅａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｅ.Ｍｏｒｅｏｖｅｒ,ｉｔｓｏｘｉｄａｔｉｏｎｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｓｉｎｔｈｅａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｅｍａｙｉｎｆｌｕｅｎｃｅｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌａｃｉｄｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎａｎｄ…     

Annual and interannual variability of scatterometer ocean surface wind over the South China Sea

To investigate the annual and interannual variability of ocean surface wind over the South China Sea (SCS), the vector empirical orthogonal function (VEOF) method and the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) method were employed to analyze a set of combined satellite scatterometer wind data during the period from December 1992 to October 2009. The merged wind data were generated from European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS)-1/2 Scatterometer, NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) and NASA’s Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) wind products. The first VEOF mode corresponds to a winter-summer mode which accounts for 87.3% of the total variance and represents the East Asian monsoon features. The second mode of VEOF corresponds to a spring-autumn oscillation which accounts for 8.3% of the total variance. To analyze the interannual variability, the annual signal was removed from the wind data set and the VEOFs of the residuals were calculated. The temporal mode of the first interannual VEOF is correlated with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) with a four-month lag. The second temporal interannual VEOF mode is correlated with the SOI with no time lag. The time series of the two interannual VEOFs were decomposed using the HHT method and the results also show a correlation between the interannual variability and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events.     

Comparison of remote sensing data with in-situ wind observation during the development of the South China Sea monsoon

Wind measurements derived from QuikSCAT data were compared with those measured by anemometer on Yongxing Island in the South China Sea (SCS) for the period from April 2008 to November 2009. The comparison confirms that QuikSCAT estimates of wind speed and direction are generally accurate, except for the extremes of high wind speeds (>13.8m/s) and very low wind speeds (<1.5m/s) where direction is poorly predicted. In-situ observations show that the summer monsoon in the northern SCS starts between May 6 and June 1. From March 13, 2010 to August 31, 2010, comparisons of sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall from AMSR-E with data from a buoy located at Xisha Islands, as well as wind measurements derived from ASCAT and observations from an automatic weather station show that QuikSCAT, ASCAT and AMSR-E data are good enough for research. It is feasible to optimize the usage of remote-sensing data if validated with in-situ measurements. Remarkable changes were observed in wind, barometric pressure, humidity, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), air temperature, rainfall and SST during the monsoon onset. The eastward shift of western Pacific subtropical high and the southward movement of continental cold front preceded the monsoon onset in SCS. The starting dates of SCS summer monsoon indicated that the southwest monsoon starts in the Indochinese Peninsula and forms an eastward zonal belt, and then the belt bifurcates in the SCS, with one part moving northeastward into the tropical western North Pacific, and another southward into western Kalimantan. This largely determined the pattern of the SCS summer monsoon. Wavelet analysis of zonal wind and OLR at Xisha showed that intra-seasonal variability played an important role in the summer. This work improves the accuracy of the amplitude of intra-seasonal and synoptic variation obtained from remote-sensed data.     

Numerical simulation of wave field in the South China Sea using WAVEWATCH III

Wave fi elds of the South China Sea(SCS) from 1976 to 2005 were simulated using WAVEWATCH III by inputting high-resolution reanalysis wind fi eld datasets assimilated from several meteorological data sources. Comparisons of wave heights between WAVEWATCH III and TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter and buoy data show a good agreement. Our results show seasonal variation of wave direction as follows: 1. During the summer monsoon(April–September), waves from south occur from April through September in the southern SCS region, which prevail taking about 40% of the time; 2. During the winter monsoon(December–March), waves from northeast prevail throughout the SCS for 56% of the period; 3. The dominant wave direction in SCS is NE. The seasonal variation of wave height H s in SCS shows that in spring, H s ≥1 m in the central SCS region and is less than 1 m in other areas. In summer, H s is higher than in spring. During September–November, infl uenced by tropical cyclones, H s is mostly higher than 1 m. East of Hainan Island, H s 2 m. In winter, H s reaches its maximum value infl uenced by the north-east monsoon, and heights over 2 m are found over a large part of SCS. Finally, we calculated the extreme wave parameters in SCS and found that the extreme wind speed and wave height for the 100-year return period for SCS peaked at 45 m/s and 19 m, respectively, SE of Hainan Island and decreased from north to south.     

3-D BAROCLINIC NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA I. UPPER CIRCULATION

A three-dimensional baroclinic shelf sea model was employed to simulate the seasonal characteristics of the South China Sea (SCS) upper circulation. The results showed that: in summer, an anticyclonic eddy, after its formation between the Bashi Channel and Dongsha Islands in the northeastern SCS, moves southwestward until it disperses slowly. There exists a northward western boundary current along the east shore of the Indo-China Peninsula in the western SCS and an anticyclonic gyre in the southern SCS. But at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, a weak local cyclonic eddy forms in the Nansha Trough, then grows slowly and moves westward till it becomes a cyclonic gyre in the southern SCS in autumn. At the beginning of winter, there exists a cyclonic gyre in the northern and southern SCS, and there is a southward western boundary current along the east shore of the Indo-China Peninsula. But at the end of winter, an anticyclonic eddy grows and moves toward the western boundary after forming in the Nansha Trough. The eddy‘s movement induces a new opposite sign eddy on its eastern side, while the strength of the southward western boundary current gets weakened. This phenomenon continues till spring and causes eddies in the southern SCS.     

Anomalies of asian summer monsoon related to ssta in the south China Sea and the tropical pacific

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅＳｏｕｔｈＣｈｉｎａＳｅａ(ＳＣＳ)ｉｓａｐａｒｔｌｙ ｅｎｃｌｏｓｅｄｏｃｅａｎｂａｓｉｎｏｖｅｒｌａｉｄｂｙａｐｒｏｎｏｕｎｃｅｄｍｏｎｓｏｏｎｓｕｒｆａｃｅｗｉｎｄ .Ｐａｓｔｓｔｕｄｉｅｓ (Ｃｈｅｎｅｔａｌ.,1 991 ;ＤｉｎｇａｎｄＭｕｒａｋａｍｉ,1 994 ;Ｙａｎ ,1 997;ＬｉａｎｇＢｉｑｉ,1 991 ;ＬｉａｎｇＪｉａｎｙｉｎ ,1 991 )ｉｎｄｉｃａｔｅｔｈａｔａｈｕｇｅｗａｒｍｗａｔｅｒｐｏｏｌｊｏｉｎｔｌｙｃｏｎｔｒｉｂｕｔｅｄｂｙｔｈｅｗｅｓｔｅｒｎＰａｃｉｆｉｃ ,ｅａ…     

Circulation patterns of summer monsoon corresponding to two kinds of indices over the South China Sea

The characteristics of circulation corresponding to two kinds of indices of summer monsoon onset over the South China Sea (SCS) have been discussed using the reanalysis data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research. It is found that there are two patterns of deep convection that occur at different locations and influence the summer monsoon onset over the SCS. One is over the Asia continent and the western Pacific corresponding to the southwesterly of summer monsoon prevailing over the northern and central part of the SCS, while the other is near the Philippines that affects the westerly summer monsoon as prevailing over the central and southern southern part of the SCS. Since these two kinds of convection affecting the summer monsoon onset do not always occur together, thus the summer monsoon onset time is different when determined by various indices.     

南海海域数种海藻总脂质及脂肪酸含量的比较

研究南海海域盛产的四种褐藻(海带、裙带菜、昆布和亨氏马尾藻)、三种红藻(紫菜、沙菜和江蓠)及来自南海三个不同海区(南沙、惠来和南澳)亨氏马尾藻的总脂质及脂肪酸含量干重,并重点比较其多不饱和脂肪酸的含量.结果表明,供试褐藻类海藻总脂质含量ω在1.81%～6.11%之间,红藻类海藻的总脂质含量ω在1.44%～3.96%之间;紫菜中含有7.548mg/g(干重,下同)的亚油酸(C182);海带含丰富C181,达5.592mg/g;花生四烯酸(C204)在裙带菜中含量为1.606mg/g;在供试藻种中,昆布的EPA(C20.5)和DHA(C226)含量最高,测定值为608μg/g和689μg/g.