Diagnostic calculation of the upper-layer circulation in the South China Sea during the winter of 1998

On the basis of hydrographic data obtained in November 28 to December 27, 1998 cruise, the calculation of the circulation in the South China Sea (SCS) is made by using the P-vector method, in combination with SSH data from TOPEX/ERS-2 analysis. For study of the dynamical mechanism, which causes the pattern of winter circulation in the SCS, the diagnostic model (Yuan et al., 1982; Yuan and Su, 1992) is used to simulate numerically the winter circulation in the SCS. The following results have been obtained.(1) The main characteristics of the circulation systems in the central SCS are as follows: A coastal southward jet in winter is present at the western boundary near the coast of Vietnam; there is a stronger cyclonic circulation with a larger horizontal scale east of this coastal southward jet and west of 114°E; there is a weaker anti-cyclonic circulation in the central part of eastern SCS; there is a stronger and northeastward flow opposing the northeasterly monsoon between above a stronger cyclonic circulation and a weaker anti-cyclonic circulation.(2) The circulation systems in the northern SCS are as follows: 1)There is a cyclonic circulation system northwest of Luzon, and it has three centers of the cold water; 2) There is an anti-cyclonic eddy. Its center is located near(20°N, 116°40' E); 3)There is a warm and anti-cyclonic circulation south of Hainan Island; 4) There is a northeastward flow, the South China Sea Warm Current, in winter off Guangdong coast in the northern SCS.(3) In the southem SCS there is an anti-cyclonic circulation, and also there is a smaller scale cold water and cyclonic eddy.(4) The above pattern of winter circulation in the SCS agrees qualitatively with the horizontal distribution of temperature at 200 m level.(5) The dynamical mechanism which produces the above basic pattern of winter circulation is because of the following two causes: 1) The joint effect of the baroclinity and relief (JEBAR) is an essential dynamical cause; 2) The interaction between the wind stress and bottom topographic (IBWT) under the strong northeasterly monsoon is the next important dynamical mechanism.(6) Comparing the hydrographic structure and the horizontal distribution of velocity with the SSH data from TOPEX/ERS-2 analysis in the SCS during December of 1998, it is found that they agree qualitatively.     

Diagnostic calculation of the upper-layer circulation in the South China Sea during the winter of 1998

On the basis of hydrographic data obtained in November 28 to December 27, 1998 cruise, the calculation of the circulation in the South China Sea (SCS) is made by using the P-vector method, in combination with SSH data from TOPEX/ERS-2 analysis. For study of the dynamical mechanism, which causes the pattern of winter circulation in the SCS, the diagnostic model (Yuan et al., 1982; Yuan and Su, 1992) is used to simulate numerically the winter circulation in the SCS. The following results have been obtained. (1) The main characteristics of the circulation systems in the central SCS are as follows: A coastal southward jet in winter is present at the western boundary near the coast of Vietnam; there is a stronger cyclonic circulation with a larger horizontal scale east of this coastal southward jet and west of 114°E; there is a weaker anti-cyclonic circulation in the central part of eastern SCS; there is a stronger and northeastward flow opposing the northeasterly monsoon between above a stronger cyclonic c     

2000年夏季南海环流的改进逆方法计算

基于2000年8月航次在南海调查资料,采用改进逆方法,并结合TOPEX/ERS分析的SSH分布,获得以下的主要结果:(1)南海中部和西南部环流系统主要受反气旋环流所支配.主要有越南东南反气旋涡W₁,其水平尺度约为300km,垂向深度可达1000m以深,流速很强,其最大流速为79cm/s左右,还有暖涡W₂以及吕宋岛西南反气旋涡环流系统W₃.其次,在反气旋涡W₁与W₂之间还存在气旋式涡C₁.其水平尺度比暖涡W₁小得多,流速也较强.两涡W₁与C₁之间存在一支南向流,它们组成一个准偶极子.(2)在暖涡W₁的西侧存在西边界流,即北向射流,其流速很强,约在12°N流向转向东北.(3)南海北部环流系统主要受气旋环流所支配.在断面N2附近及以北存在一个气旋式环流系统.其次,在海南岛东南存在一个尺度不大的反气旋环流系统.(4)南海东南部环流系统主要受气旋环流所支配.主要有在巴拉望岛以西存在尺度较大的气旋环流系统,以及暖涡W₁东南存在一个气旋环流系统.其次,在加里曼丹岛西北还存在范围不大的反气旋环流.(5)比较1998年夏季航次与2000年夏季航次时计算结果,虽然它们在定量上有些变化与差别,但在定性上它们的环流结构有十分相似之处.这表明,南海环流具有明显的季节特性.(6)比较2000年夏季南海水文结构,流函数分布以及TOPEX/ERS的SSH分布,它们在定性上十分吻合.     

1998年冬季南海上层环流诊断计算

基于1998年11月28日至12月27日的调查航次的CTD资料,采用P矢量方法对调查期间南海环流进行了诊断计算,也对比了在此期间TOPEX/ERS卫星高度计SSH的资料,得到了1998年冬季南海上层环流的以下一些重要特征.(1)南海中部环流系统主要特征:在冬季越南近岸出现西边界南向射流.这支沿岸南向射流以东、114°E以西存在一个尺度大的、显著气旋式环流,它位于南自10°N左右北至16°N附近区域.在区域东中部存在一个尺度不大的、较弱的反气旋暖涡.该反气旋涡中心约位于14°N附近.在上述强的气旋式环流涡与较弱的反气旋式环流涡之间,存在一支强的、逆风方向的,即偏东北方向的海流.上述是冬季南海中部基本流态,并与200m处水平温度分布与密度分布有很好的对应.产生上述基本流态的动力原因有两个:1)在偏东北季风作用下,与地形变化相互作用,是本文首次提出的,并指出,其动力原因与冬季黄海暖流形成机制有相似之处;2)由于斜压场与地形的联合效应(JEBAT).(2)在海区南部存在一个反气旋式环流,在加里曼丹岛西北还有一个尺度不大、冷的气旋式涡.(3)南海北部环流系统:1)在吕宋岛西北明显地存在一个气旋环流系统,并有3个冷水中心;2)在此气旋式环流系统的一个冷水中心(约19°30'N,119°30'E)以西,存在一个反气旋式涡;3)在海南岛以南出现一个暖的、反气旋式环流;4)在南海北部,114°E以东、广东沿岸外侧存在一支东北向流.这是管秉贤首次指出的,冬季时出现南海暖流.(4)上述1998年冬季南海上层环流的一些重要特征都与此期间TOPEX/ERS-2卫星高度计SSH分布有较好的相对应.     

Diagnostic calculation of the circulation in the South China Sea during summer 1998

On the basis of hydrographic data obtained from 12 June to 6 July, 1998, the three-dimensional structure of circulation in the South China Sea (SCS) is computed using a three-dimensional diagnostic model. The combination of sea surface height anomaly from altimeter data and numerical results provides a consistent circulation pattern for the SCS, and the main circulation features can be summarized as follows: In the northern SCS there are a cyclonic eddy C1 near Dongsha Islands and an anti-cyclonic eddy W1 west of Luzon Island. In the central SCS a strong anti-cyclonic eddy W3 and a cyclonic eddy C3 compose a quasi-dipole southeast of Vietnam. A coastal northward jet is present at the western boundary near the Vietnam coast above 300 m level. This northward coastal jet flows northward and turns eastward at about 14°N, and then flows southeastward into the area between eddies W3 and C3. In the southern SCS the current is weaker. The most important dynamic mechanism underlying the circulation in the SCS is the joint effect of the baroclinicity and relief (JEBAR), and the second dynamical mechanism is the interaction between the wind stress and relief (IBWSR). Comparison of the characters of circulation in the SCS during summer 2000 with that during summer 1998 reveals no obvious variability of the main characteristics.     

P矢量方法在南海夏季环流诊断计算中的应用

基于1998年6～7月南海调查航次的CTD资料,对南海环流采用最近发展的P矢量方法进行诊断计算.计算结果:黑潮向西入侵南海,然后做反气旋弯曲向东北方向流动,最终有通过巴士海峡流出南海的趋势.在南海北部存在一个气旋性环流,这个环流的强度和范围随深度增加而减小.该环流的冷中心位置随深度增加稍向南移.南海中部、越南以东海域存在一个明显的气旋涡和反气旋涡,尤其在200m及其以上水层均相当稳定,反气旋涡位于越南以东,其中心位置在11°53'N,111°50'E,气旋涡的中心位置在13°17'N,112°55'E,两者的尺度皆约为250km.吕宋岛西侧存在一个反气旋涡.在计算海区南部、巴拉望岛西南海域,100m以上层存在一个反气旋式涡.从各层流场分布均可以显示海流在西部强化的现象.     

Three dimensional diagnostic modeling study of the South China Sea circulation before onset of summer monsoon in 1998

The wind data from NCEP and hydrographic data obtained from April 22–May 24, 1998 have been used to compute the circulation in the South China Sea (SCS) using three dimensional diagnostic models. The main numerical results with SSHA derived from T/P altimeter are as follows: most of intruded Kuroshio bypasses. However, a part of Kuroshio intrudes westward above 300 m levels. This intruded westward flow is narrowly confined to the continental slope south of China, in agreement with the findings of Qu et al. (2000). The basin-scale cyclonic gyre dominates in the northern SCS and consists of two cyclonic eddies, C2 and C3, above 300 m levels. However, it is separated into two parts by an anti-cyclonic eddy, W4, below 300 m. The basin-scale anti-cyclonic gyre dominates in the central SCS and consists of three anti-cyclonic eddies, W1, W2 and W3, above 300 m levels. However, below 300 m it consists of the anti-cyclonic eddies W1, W2 and W4 and extends northward to near 20°N. A northward coastal jet is present near the coast of Vietnam at depths above 300 m, and develops northward further to about a distance of 3°15′ N than that in cruise 2. The most important dynamical mechanism is due to the joint effect of the baroclinity and relief. The second dynamical mechanism is due to the interaction between the wind stress and relief. The topography effect is more important than the β effect. The Sverdrup relation cannot be satisfied in the SCS.     

Three dimensional diagnostic study of the circulation in the South China Sea during winter 1998

On the basis of hydrographic data obtained from 28 November to 27 December, 1998, the three-dimensional structure of circulation in the South China Sea (SCS) is computed using a three-dimensional diagnostic model. The combination of sea surface height anomaly from altimeter data and numerical results provides a consistent circulation pattern for the SCS, and main circulation features can be summarized as follows: in the northern SCS there are a cold and cyclonic circulation C1 with two cores C1-1 and C1-2 northwest of Luzon and an anticyclonic eddy (W1) near Dongsha Islands. In the central SCS there is a stronger cyclonic circulation C2 with two cores C2-1 and C2-2 east of Vietnam and a weaker anticyclonic eddy W2 northwest of Palawan Island. A stronger coastal southward jet presents west of the eddy C2 and turns to the southeast in the region southwest of eddy C2-2, and it then turns to flow eastward in the region south of eddy C2-2. In the southern SCS there are a weak cyclonic eddy C3 northwest of Borneo and an anti-cyclonic circulation W3 in the subsurface layer. The net westward volume transport through section CD at 119.125°E from 18.975° to 21.725°N is about 10.3 × 10⁶ m³s⁻¹ in the layer above 400 m level. The most important dynamic mechanism generating the circulation in the SCS is a joint effect of the baroclinicity and relief (JEBAR), and the second dynamical mechanism is an interaction between the wind stress and relief (IBWSR). The strong upwelling occurs off northwest Luzon.     

1998年夏季南海环流的三维结构

利用1998年6月12日至7月6日南海的调查资料,采用三维海流诊断模式,计算了夏季南海三维海流,结合卫星海表面高度距平资料,得到结果如下:(1)南海北部,在吕宋岛以西海域和东沙群岛附近海域,分别存在一个反气旋式涡和东沙群岛西南的气旋式涡.(2)南海中部,越南以东海域出现由暖涡W3和冷涡C3组成的一个准偶极子.在冷涡C3和暖涡W3以北分别存在一个暖涡W2和冷涡C2.(3)在越南近岸存在较强的、北向的西边界射流,此北向射流在14°N附近离岸转为东,并流入两涡W3和C3之间.(4)南海南部,在巴拉望岛的西南海域,100m以浅水层存在反气旋式涡,而在其较深水层,此处变为气旋式涡.(5)南海环流的动力机制有两个:最重要的动力因子为斜压场与地形相互作用项,其次为风应力与地形相互作用项.(6)讨论了夏季南海环流垂向速度w分布,例如在30m层,Ekman抽吸对垂向速度w分布起着重要作用.(7)与2000年夏季南海环流的比较,1998年夏季计算海域涡旋W3,C3,C2等的位置变化并不大.     

1998年南海夏季风爆发前环流的三维海流诊断计算的研究

基于1998年南海夏季风爆发前航次(4月22日至5月24日)获得的水文资料和NCEP提供的风场资料,采用三维海流诊断模式计算南海环流,结合同时期高度计资料T/P推得的水位高度距平分布,获得了一致的南海环流的流态,主要环流特性概括如下:(1)黑潮入侵南海较弱,黑潮的大部分绕过吕宋海峡作反气旋弯曲,向东北方向流向台湾以东,但小部分在300m以浅向西入侵,并局限于中国大陆以南较狭窄的陆架坡内,不扩展到所有的西边界,这与Qu的观点一致.(2)南海北部环流,在300m以浅主要由海盆尺度的气旋环流支配,它以两个气旋式涡C1与C2为核心组成.在300m以深,南海北部环流被反气旋环流以暖涡W4为核心分离成两个尺度不大、分别以气旋涡C2和C3为核心的环流.冬季时海盆尺度气旋式环流的范围比4~5月大得多.(3)南海中部环流,主要由海盆尺度的反气旋环流支配.在300m以浅海盆尺度的反气旋式环流分别以暖涡W1,W2和W3为核心组成.在反气旋式涡W1东南存在一个以C1为核心气旋式环流.但在300m以深,海盆尺度的反气旋环流分别以暖涡W1,W2和W4为核心组成,并向北扩展到20°N.(4)在越南以东近岸存在一支较强的沿岸北向流,其强度比6月时沿岸的北向流强.这支较强的北向的沿岸流一直可达17°15'N附近,比6月时更往北大约3°15'.(5)产生1998年4~5月南海环流的动力机制有两个:最重要的动力因子为斜压场与地形相互作用项,其次为东南风作用下风应力与地形相互作用项.Sverdrup关系在南海环流不满足.     

一个考虑潮汐、中尺度涡和地形影响的南海底部环流诊断模型

本文构造了一个考虑潮汐、中尺度涡和地形影响下的南海底部环流诊断模型。在该模型中,潮汐混合和涡致混合引起的垂直速率用一个类似的改进参数化方案来表示。该模型结果显示在南海深层吕宋海峡"深水瀑布"和斜压影响最大,潮汐作用和中尺度涡影响次之,风场的影响最小。斜压影响的整体效应与其他因素相反。潮汐混合与涡致混合具有明显的地形依赖性。潮汐混合主要集中在南海北部海盆地形较为陡峭的陆坡区和南海中部海山区,而涡致混合主要集中在海盆西边界区以及中部海山区。在不考虑吕宋海峡"深水瀑布"、潮汐和中尺度涡的情况下(对应吕宋海峡关闭),南海底部环流为反气旋式环流。考虑吕宋海峡"深水瀑布"后,南海底层环流为气旋式环流,而潮汐混合和涡致混合起到加强整个气旋式环流强度的作用。此外,该模型还给出了南海底部环流量级大小与地形坡度之间的密切关系,即地形坡度较大的地方,其流速也大。这对于现场观测有着一定的参考意义。最后,本文用尺度分析的方法从理论上分析了该模型的适用性,证实了该模型具有一定的可靠性。     

用广义随底坐标海洋模式研究南海2000年夏季环流

基于2000年8月在南海调查航次得到的水文资料,首次采用广义随底坐标形式的改进POM模式对南海夏季环流进行了数值研究.用正交曲线性水平网格覆盖观测区域,在垂向上对近表海面层次采用近似z坐标,而近底层则为随底坐标.在计算海区实际地形及假设的水平均匀而垂直层化的密度分布下,实施的两个数值计算试验表明,本模式采用的垂直坐标方案比传统的σ坐标方案优越,随底坐标模式因压力梯度项在起伏地形下产生的系统计算误差将变得十分的微小.在南海2000年夏季环流的实际计算中,首先对观测资料进行了60d的诊断计算,然后在诊断已得到的动力场结果基础上,又进行了10d左右的预报运行得到半诊断结果.从计算结果来看,它依赖于参数C_vis与C_dif的选择,特别是参数C_vis,文中取值为C_vis=C_dif=008.比较诊断与半诊断两个计算过程的结果,它们在定性上较为一致,在定量上有些差别.这是因为半诊断计算的方法对密度场作适当的动力调整,使其与地形、风场等更加匹配.在大尺度环流结构不受影响的情况下,尽可能地消除了小尺度噪声,可使计算得到的流场更为清晰.2000年8月南海计算区域环流的最大特点是多涡结构,其中有些反气旋暖涡和气旋式冷涡相间分布.在越南东南海域自表层至1000m水层稳定存在着一个显著的反气旋暖涡,其中心位置在11°51'N,112°07'E(诊断计算),水平尺度约为300km.此暖涡以东存在一个气旋式冷涡,这两个冷、暖涡是研究海区夏季环流的重要环流特征之一.在计算区域东北部夏季环流以反气旋环流系统为主;在计算区域东南部夏季环流以气旋系统为主;南海夏季环流分布,明显出现西部强化特征.     

1998年冬季南海环流的三维结构

利用1998年11月28日至12月27日南海的调查资料,采用三维海流诊断模式,计算了冬季南海三维海流,所得结果如下:(1)冬季南海环流系统方面:1)南海北部,在吕宋西北海域分别存在一个气旋式、反气旋式涡.2)南海中部,在越南近岸存在较强的、南向的西边界射流.其以东海域出现较强的气旋式环流.南海中部东侧海域存在一个较弱的反气旋式环流.3)南海南部,一般流速较弱.在112°E以西受反气旋式环流所控制,加里曼丹岛西北海域存在气旋性环流.由于受调查海域所限,这两个环流只部分出现.(2)上述环流系统与200 m层水平温度、密度分布对应较好.(3)南海冬季环流垂向速度分布方面:1)表层,南海北部,在吕宋西北为范围较大的上升流海区.而在东沙群岛附近海域出现了下降流.海南岛以南及东南海域也存在下降流.南海中部,越南以东海域出现范围较大的下降流,其以东为上升流海域,而在巴拉望岛西北海域又出现下降流.南海南部,基本上被上升流海域所控制.2)次表层与表层不同,例如在次表层,海南岛东南部海域出现上升流.中层和深层垂向速度分布与次表层相似.(4)关于南海垂向速度分量分布的动力原因:在表层,风应力旋度场起着主要作用;在次表层,β效应与斜压场相互作用是重要的动力因子,而风应力旋度场和β效应与正压场相互作用也有一定影响;在南海中部等区域的中层以及在南海的深层,主要受B效应与斜压场相互作用和B效应与正压场相互作用的共同作用.     

Features of eddy kinetic energy and variations of upper circulation in the South China Sea

The features of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) and the variations of upper circulation in theSouth China Sea (SCS) are discussed in this paper using geostrophic currents estimated from Maps of Sea Level Anomalies of the TOPEX/Poseidon altimetry data. A high EKE center is identified in the southeast of Vietnam coast with the highest energy level 1 400 cm2 ·s~(-2) in both summer and autumn. This high EKE center is caused by the instability of the current axis leaving the coast of Vietnam in summer and the transition of seasonal circulation patterns in autumn. There exists another high EKE region in the northeastern SCS, southwest to Taiwan Island in winter. This high EKE region is generated from the eddy activities caused by the Kuroshio intrusion and accumulates more than one third of the annual EKE, which confirms that the eddies are most active in winter. The transition of upper circulation patterns is also evidenced by the directions of the major axises of velocity variance ellipses between 10°and 14.5°N     

1995与1996年夏季琉球群岛两侧海流

基于1995,1996年夏季日本调查船的观测资料,采用P矢量方法对琉球群岛两侧的海流进行了计算.结果表明:黑潮为琉球群岛以西海域的一支东北向强流,1996年夏季的流速比1995年夏季的强,在深层出现南向逆流.黑潮东、西两侧分别存在一个反气旋式暖涡和一个弱的气旋式冷涡.1995年夏季,琉球群岛以东,从表层至以下层都存在一支沿岸北上的海流,即琉球海流.该海流来自黑潮分支,为本海区的一个主要物理特征.琉球海流以下出现弱的南向流.冲绳岛以东海域,在25°～25°30'N,128°30'～129°10'E附近从表层至700m水深存在一个中尺度的反气旋式暖涡.在温、盐水平分布图上,对应的出现一个较高温、低密水块.1996年夏季,冲绳岛西南海域存在一个中尺度的反气旋式暖涡和一个气旋式冷涡,形成一个偶极子,中间为较强的南向流,该现象为本海区的一个重要物理特征,属首次报道.冲绳岛以东表层主要被南向流控制,琉球海流不明显.200m以深在近岸出现北向流,这表明琉球海流的核心位于次表层.琉球海流的下面出现南向流.计算海区东北部从表层到700m水深出现一个中尺度的反气旋式暖涡,与1995年夏季时比较,其位置向北移动.此外在1996年夏季从近表层到深层,垂直方向和水平方向上的等温线、等盐线波动很大,例如在C断面上冷、暖涡相间出现,且暖     

Currents in the Luzon Strait during the spring of 2002: observation and computation by modified inverse model

On the basis of the current measurements at 200,500 and 800 m from moored current meters with the time series data from March 17 to April 15 at the mooring station (20°49′57″N, 120°48′ 12″E) and the hydrographic data obtained in the Luzon Strait during the spring of 2002 cruise, the circulation in the investigated     

2002年春季吕宋海峡海流:观测与改进逆模式计算

基于2002年春季航次在吕宋海峡海域锚碇测流站(20°49'57"N,120°48'12"E)200,500与800m处锚碇测流以及CTD观测,采用改进逆方法对调查海域进行海流计算.(1)主要观测的结果:1)在200m处,观测期间海流平均速度为(47.4cm/s,346°).在500m处,海流观测期间平均速度为(20.3cm/s,350°).这些都表明黑潮在吕宋海峡锚碇测流站200和500m处向西北方向入侵南海.2)在800m处,海流观测期间平均速度为(1.2cm/s,35°),它的方向为东北向.比较每层实测流结果,表明800m层海流状况与200和500m层流况不同.3)在观测期间,200,500和800m处,日平均流速在4月皆比3月时要强.4)在调查海区西部的中间区域存在一个高密、冷水中心(HDCW),其中心位置位于断面A的水文站3附近.5)在调查海区东南区域存在一个低密、暖水(LDWW)中心,其中心位置位于断面B的水文站8附近.(2)主要计算结果:1)通过断面B的偏北方向与偏南方向的流量分别为32.48×106m3/s(包括反气旋涡的流量)与3.34×106m3/s.因此通过断面B的净北向流量为29.14×106m3/s.2)通过断面A的东向与西向的流量分别为16.71×106m3/s与8.57×106m3/s(包括气旋涡的流量).因此,通过断面A的净东向流量为8.14×106m3/s.3)通过断面M北向的净流量为24.68×106m3/s.4)黑潮通过断面M后分为主流和一个支流,其主流,流量为16.54×106m3/s,流向断面C的东部分.主流通过断面C的东部分后,最后流向台湾以东海域.而其一个分支,净流量为8.14×106m3/s,在一个高密、冷水中心(HDCW)的区域以东作气旋式弯曲,然后向西北方向通过断面C的西部.因此,黑潮在断面C有两个流核.5)比较计算得到的在锚碇测流站M附近流方向与在200与500m处观测流方向为西北向,它们甚为一致.6)在断面B西侧位于550m以深水层南海水可能缓慢地从西北流向东南,通过断面B的南向流量大约为3.34×106m3/s.     

The Kuroshio near the Luzon Strait and circulation in the northern South China Sea during August and September 1994

Wind data from NCEP and hydrographic data obtained from August 28 to September 10, 1994 have been used to compute circulation in the northern South China Sea and near Luzon Strait using three-dimensional diagnostic models with a modified inverse method. The numerical results are as follows: the main Kuroshio is located above 400 m levels near Taiwan’s eastern coast and above 800 m levels away from it. Near Luzon Strait above 400 m levels a branch of the Kuroshio joins with a part of the northward current, which comes from an area west of Luzon’s western coast and intrudes northwestward, then it branchs into western and eastern parts near 20°30′ N. The eastern part flows northward into an area east of Taiwan, while its western part continues to intrude northwestward, flowing through an area southwest of Taiwan. Net westward intruded volume transport through longitude Section AB at 121°00′ E from 19°00′ N to 21° 43′ N is about 3.5 × 10⁶ m³s⁻¹ in a layer above 400 m levels. The anticyclonic eddies W1 and W3 exist above 700 m levels east of Dongsha Islands and below 200 m levels in the eastern part of the region, respectively. The circulation in the middle region is dominated mainly by a basin-scale cyclonic gyre, and consists of three cyclonic eddies. Strong upwelling occurs in the middle region. The joint effect of baroclinity and relief and interaction between wind stress and relief both are important for real forcing of flow across contours of fH ⁻¹ in effecting the circulation pattern.     

The Kuroshio East of Taiwan and in the East China Sea and the currents East of Ryukyu Islands during early summer of 1996

Using hydrographic data and moored current meter records and the ADCP observed current data during May–June 1996, a modified inverse method is applied to calculate the Kuroshio east of Taiwan and in the East China Sea and the currents east of Ryukyu Islands. There are three branches of the Kuroshio east of Taiwan. The Kuroshio in the East China Sea comes from the main (first) and second branches of the Kuroshio east of Taiwan. The easternmost (third) branch of the Kuroshio flows northeastward to the region east of Ryukyu Islands. The net northward volume transports of the Kuroshio through Section K₂ southeast of Taiwan and Section PN in the East China Sea are 44.4×10⁶ and 27.2×10⁶ m³s⁻¹, respectively. The western boundary current east of Ryukyu Islands comes from the easternmost branch of the Kuroshio east of Taiwan and an anticyclonic recirculating gyre more east, making volume transports of 10 to 15×10⁶ m³s⁻¹. At about 21°N, 127°E southeast of Taiwan, there is a cold eddy which causes branching of the Kuroshio there.