The destiny of the North Pacific Intermediate Water in the South China Sea

The previous studies show that the spreading path of the subtropical salinity minimum of the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) is southwestward pointing to the Luzon Strait. Based on the P -vector method and generalized digital environmental model (GDEM) data, the volume transport of NPIW through Luzon Strait and the upward transport on the NPIW lower and upper boundaries are calculated to examine the destiny of NPIW in the South China Sea (SCS). On the annual mean, the estimation of NPIW transport into the SCS through the Luzon Strait is 1.72 Sv (1Sv=10 6 m 3 /s). The upward transport over the SCS is 0.31 Sv on the NPIW upper boundary and 1.31 Sv on the NPIW lower boundary. There is no strait or passage deeper than the surface for the NPIW to extend, except for the Luzon Strait. For the volume balance in the SCS NPIW, the volume transport of 2.72 Sv has to flow out of the SCS NPIW layer through the Luzon Strait.     

A Lagrangian study of the near-surface intrusion of Pacific water into the South China Sea

Satellite-tracked Lagrangian drifters are used to investigate the transport pathways of near-surface water around the Luzon Strait. Particular attention is paid to the intrusion of Pacific water into the South China Sea(SCS).Results from drifter observations suggest that except for the Kuroshio water, other Pacific water that carried by zonal jets, Ekman currents or eddies, can also intrude into the SCS. Motivated by this origin problem of the intrusion water, numerous simulated trajectories are constructed by altimeter-based velocities. Quantitative estimates from simulated trajectories suggest that the contribution of other Pacific water to the total intrusion flux in the Luzon Strait is approximately 13% on average, much smaller than that of Kuroshio water. Even so, over multiple years and many individual intrusion events, the contribution from other Pacific water is quite considerable. The interannual signal in the intrusion flux of these Pacific water might be closely related to variations in a wintertime westward current and eddy activities east of the Luzon Strait. We also found that Ekman drift could significantly contribute to the intrusion of Pacific water and could affect the spreading of intrusion water in the SCS. A case study of an eddy-related intrusion is presented to show the detailed processes of the intrusion of Pacific water and the eddy-Kuroshio interaction.     

吕宋海峡及南海北部海域的水团分析

根据1992年3月和1994年9月台湾海峡两岸科学家对南海北部两次协同调查的CTD资料以及由此计算的重力势资料,对吕宋海峡及南海北部400m以上海水的温盐性质进行分析。结果发现,调查海区基本可划分为两种水团,即黑潮水和南海水。黑潮水主要从吕宋海峡中部和北部进入南海,侵入的黑潮水向西北方向扩展,受到台湾海峡海底地形的阻挡而大部分集中于台湾西南海域,向西的范围基本不超过119°E。虽然两次观测所处的季节不同（分别为春初和夏末）,但黑潮入侵南海的差异并不明显。另外,在二次调查的部分层次上,南海北部陆坡边缘都发现有一团水平尺度约百公里的黑潮性质水。配合重力势的水平分布形式,可以用地转流场的结构解释水团分析的结果。     

Significant salinity increase in subsurface waters of the South China Sea during 2016–2017

The South China Sea(SCS) is the largest semi-enclosed marginal sea in the North Pacific. Salinity changes in the SCS play an important role in regional and global ocean circulation and the hydrological cycle. However, there are few studies on salinity changes over the SCS due to lack of high-quality and long-term observations. In the past decade, the deployment of floats from the Argo program in the SCS and their accumulated temperature and salinity profiles have made it possible for us to examine salinity changes over the entire basin. In this study,salinity changes were investigated with Argo and underwater glider temperature and salinity observations and gridded temperature–salinity objective analyses(UK Met Office Hadley Centre EN4.2.1 objective analysis and China Argo Real-time Data Center BOA_Argo). The results indicated that the subsurface water in the entire SCS became significantly saltier during 2016–2017. The most significant salinity increase was found during 2016 in the northeastern SCS. The subsurface water in the northeastern SCS exhibited a salinity maximum above 35, which was recorded by three Argo floats during 2015–2016. Such high salinity water was rarely observed and reported prior to the Argo era. Average salinity of 2016–2017 along the 25.5σ_θ–23.5σ_θ isopycnal surfaces in the whole SCS is 0.014-0.130 higher than the climatology. Increases in subsurface salinity started from the northeastern SCS and extended southwestward gradually. Moreover, the subsurface salinity changes, especially in the northern SCS,exhibited a semiannual lead behind the subsurface Luzon Strait transport. Further analysis indicated that the predominance of advection, driven by subsurface Luzon Strait transport, led to salinification along the western boundary of the SCS. In other parts of the SCS, negative wind stress curl trends tended to preserve the high salinity characteristics of the subsurface water.     

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。     

Evidence for water exchange between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait

An analysis of historical oxygen data provides evidence on the water exchange between theSouth China Sea (SCS) and the Pacific Ocean (PO). In the vicinity of the Luzon Strait (LS) , the dissolved oxygen concentration of sea water is found to be lower on the Pacific side than on the SCS side at depths between 700 and 1500 m (intermediate layer) , while the situation is reversed above 700 m (upper layer) and below 1 500 m (deep layer). The evidence suggests that water exits the SCS in the intermediate layer but enters it from the Pacific in both the upper and the deep layers, supporting the earlier speculation that the Luzon Strait transport has a sandwiched structure in the vertical. Within the SCS basin, the oxygen distribution indicates widespread vertical movement, including the upwelling in the intermediate layer and the downwelling in the deep layer.     

Study of the Kuroshio/Ryukyu Current system based on satellite-altimeter and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> measurements

Data from satellite altimeters and from a 13-month deployment of in situ instruments are used to determine an empirical relationship between sea-level anomaly difference (SLA) across the Kuroshio in the East China Sea (ECS-Kuroshio) and net transport near 28°N. Applying this relationship to the altimeter data, we obtain a 12-year time series of ECS-Kuroshio transport crossing the C-line (KT). The resulting mean transport is 18.7 ± 0.2 Sv with 1.8 Sv standard deviation. This KT is compared with a similarly-determined time series of net Ryukyu Current transport crossing the O-line near 26°N southeast of Okinawa (RT). Their mean sum (24 Sv) is less than the mean predicted Sverdrup transport. These KT and RT mean-flow estimates form a consistent pattern with historical estimates of other mean flows in the East China Sea/Philippine Basin region. While mean KT is larger than mean RT by a factor of 3.5, the amplitude of the KT annual cycle is only half that of RT. At the 95% confidence level the transports are coherent at periods of about 2 years and 100–200 days, with RT leading KT by about 60 days in each case. At the annual period, the transports are coherent at the 90% confidence level with KT leading RT by 4–5 months. While the bulk of the Kuroshio enters the ECS through the channel between Taiwan and Yonaguni-jima, analysis of satellite altimetry maps, together with the transport time series, indicates that the effect of mesoscale eddies is transmitted to the ECS via the Kerama Gap southwest of Okinawa. Once the effect of these eddies is felt by the ECS-Kuroshio at 28°N, it is advected rapidly to the Tokara Strait.     

南海上层经向翻转环流的低频变化

The low-frequency variability of the shallow meridional overturning circulation(MOC) in the South China Sea(SCS) is investigated using a Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA) product for the period of 1900–2010. A dynamical decomposition method is used in which the MOC is decomposed into the Ekman, external mode, and vertical shear components. Results show that all the three dynamical components contribute to the formation of the seasonal and annual mean shallow MOC in the SCS. The shallow MOC in the SCS consists of two cells: a clockwise cell in the south and an anticlockwise cell in the north; the former is controlled by the Ekman flow and the latter is dominated by the external barotropic flow, with the contribution of the vertical shear being to reduce the magnitude of both cells. In addition, the strength of the MOC in the south is found to have a falling trend over the past century, due mainly to a weakening of the Luzon Strait transport(LST) that reduces the transport of the external component. Further analysis suggests that the weakening of the LST is closely related to a weakening of the westerly wind anomalies over the equatorial Pacific, which leads to a southward shift of the North Equatorial Current(NEC) bifurcation and thus a stronger transport of the Kuroshio east of Luzon.     

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.     

南海环流动力机制研究综述

南海的环流复杂,但通过近20 a来的研究工作,国内外学者对此已取得了不少的成果.本文就南海环流框架性的问题,综述了有关的文献,认为对南海上层海洋三方面的环流分量的驱动机制已有了初步的认识.这三方面分别是:(1)准季节性风场;(2)黑潮向南海的净输运;(3)黑潮向南海的涡度平流输送.但是对这些驱动的时空变化仍相当不清楚.三者皆增强了南海北部的海盆尺度气旋式环流,其强化的西南向西边界流靠近东沙群岛,建议称为“东沙海流”.没有水文证据显示黑潮水是以分支形式进入南海,其向南海的输运也不可能主要通过中尺度涡过程,具体机制有待研究.每年在南海生成的中尺度涡平均约有10个,风场与沿岸地形所生成的强风应力旋度可能是其主要的驱动机制.作为框架性的认识,也有三方面的工作进行得较少,即:(1)吕宋海峡的上层水交换;(2)南海的中尺度涡生成机制,虽然强风应力旋度及前述的第三种环流驱动机制也有中尺度涡伴生;(3)自吕宋海峡进入的深层水对南海上层海洋环流的影响.     

The characteristic differences of tropical cyclones forming over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea

The best track dataset of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific (WNP) and the South China Sea (SCS) from 1977 to 2005 during the satellite era, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset and the extended reconstructed sea surface temperature dataset are employed in this study. The main climatological characteristics of tropical cyclone formation over the WNP and the SCS are compared. It is found that there is obviously different for the locations of tropical cyclone origins, achieving the lowest central pressure and termination points between over the WNP and over the SCS. The annual number of tropical cyclones forming over the SCS is obviously less than over the WNP, and there is a significant negative correlation with the correlation coefficient being -0.36 at the 5% significance level between over the WNP and over the SCS. The mean speed of tropical cyclone moving is 6.5 m /s over the WNP and 4.6 m /s over the SCS. The mean lowest central pressure of tropical cyclones is obviously weaker over the SCS than over the WNP. The tropical cyclone days per year, mean total distance and total displacement of tropical cyclone traveled over the WNP are all obviously longer than those over the SCS. Tropical cyclone may intensify to Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale 5 over the WNP, but no tropical cyclone can intensify to Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale 3 over the SCS. The changing ranges of the radii(R15,R16) of the 15.4 m /s winds them and the 25.7 m /s winds over the WNP are obviously wider than those over the SCS, and the median values of the radii over the WNP are also larger than those over the SCS. For the same intensity of tropical cyclones, both radii have larger medians over the WNP than over the SCS. The correlations of annual mean tropical cyclone size parameters between over the WNP and over the SCS are not significant. At the same time, the asymmetric radii of tropical cyclones over the WNP are different from those over the SCS.     

A numerical study of the South China Sea deep circulation and its relation to the Luzon Strait transport

A fine-resolution MOM code is used to study the South China Sea basin-scale circulationand its relation to the mass transport through the Luzon Strait. The model domain includes the South China Sea, part of the East China Sea, and part of the Philippine Sea so that the currents in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait are free to evolve. In addition, all channels between the South China Sea and the Indonesian seas are closed so that the focus is on the Luzon Strait transport. The model is driven by specified Philippine Sea currents and by surface heat and salt flux conditions. For simplicity, no wind-stress is applied at the surface.The simulated Luzon Strait transport and the South China Sea circulation feature a sandwich vertical structure from the surface to the bottom. The Philippine Sea water is simulated to enter the South China Sea at the surface and in the deep ocean and is carried to the southern basin by western boundary currents. At the intermediate depth, the net Luzon Strait transport is out of t     

1998年夏、冬季南海的水团及其与太平洋的水交换

根据 1998年夏季和冬季 2个航次的实测资料 ,对南海的水团进行划分和分析 ,并利用1997年 7月和 12月的实测资料 ,对巴士海峡 (吕宋海峡 )和民都洛水道附近的温盐分布进行分析。1998年冬季的资料分析结果表明 ,可将南海外海水划分为 6个水团 ,即南海表层水团 (S)、南海次表层水团 (U)、南海次 -中层混合水团 (UI)、南海中层水团 (I)、南海深层水团 (D)和南海底盆水(B)。 1998年夏季还可在南海中鉴别出黑潮表层水团 (KS)和黑潮次表层水团 (KU) ,但在冬季观测期间无黑潮水越过 119.5°E经线进入南海 ;夏季有苏禄海水在 5 0～ 75 m层经民都洛水道侵入南海。然而 ,1997年夏季和冬季的资料分析表明 :夏、冬两季都有大洋水通过吕宋海峡北段进入南海 ,南段有南海水流入太平洋。这些现象可能与 1998年前后的厄尔尼诺有关。     

Several significant hydrographic characteristics and their formation mechanism in the South China Sea during the spring and summer of 1998

INTRODUCTIONTheSCSisthelargestmarginseainthewestoftheNorthPacificOcean .Theprevailingwindinwinterisnortheast,whileinsummeritissouthwest .Itisstilluncertainthathowthecirculationandtemperature -salinityfieldassociatewiththemonsoonforcingandaccompanywithseveralkindsofvariationsbeforeorafterthesummermonsoonburst .DuringSECMEXin 1 998,twointensiveobservationperiods (IOP)havebeencarriedoutntheSCS (Fig 1 ) :IOP1 ,from 1 0Aprilto 5May ;IOP2 ,from 1 2JunetoJuly 6 ,inordertounderstandthe…     

Genetic diversity and population structure of three dominant myctophid fishes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaphus theta,Stenobrachius leucopsarus</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. nannochir</Emphasis>) in the North Pacific Ocean

We compared the genetic diversity of three dominant myctophid fishes in the North Pacific Ocean that have different diel vertical migration patterns on the basis of the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome b. No genetic structure was detected for each of these three species. The genetic diversity progressively increased for Diaphus theta, a diel migrant species showing clear diel vertical migration; Stenobrachius leucopsarus, a semi-diel migrant, in which only part of the population migrates vertically; S. nannochir, a non-diel migrant. All three species were suggested to have experienced a recent, sudden population expansion. Interspecific differences in genetic diversity might be attributable to differences in the degree of population size reduction during the glacial periods; this degree in turn corresponds to the energy demand of the fishes.     

Formation, Distribution and Volume Transport of the North Pacific Intermediate Water Studied by Repeat Hydrographic Observations

In order to examine the formation, distribution and transport of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), repeated hydrographic observations along several lines in the western North Pacific were carried out in the period from 1996 to 2001. NPIW formation can be described as follows: (1) Oyashio water extends south of the Subarctic Boundary and meets Kuroshio water in intermediate layers; (2) active mixing between Oyashio and Kuroshio waters occurs in intermediate layers; (3) the mixing of Oyashio and Kuroshio waters and salinity minimum formation around the potential density of 26.8σ_θ proceed to the east. It is found that Kuroshio water flows eastward even in the region north of 40°N across the 165°E line, showing that Kuroshio water extends north of the Subarctic Boundary. Volume transports of Oyashio and Kuroshio components (relative to 2000 dbar) integrated in the potential density range of 26.6–27.4σθ along the Kuroshio Extension across 152°E–165°E are estimated to be 7–8 Sv (10⁶ m³s⁻¹) and 9–10 Sv, respectively, which is consistent with recent work. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

吕宋海峡Ekman输运和南海SST的相关性分析

在利用1950—2009年NCEP(National Center for Environmental Prediction)资料分析风场数据的基础上,计算吕宋海峡的Ekman输运,研究表明其存在显著的季节变化,除了夏季外,其它季节均为由太平洋向南海输运。分析吕宋海峡Ekman输运和南海海盆表征上层热力状况的海表面温度SST(Sea Surface Temperature)之间的关系发现:在年内时间尺度上,两者不存在显著的同期相关,Ekman输运对SST的影响开始于一个月之后,从北部向南扩展,第二个月最为明显,并扩展至整个海盆,第三个月开始衰减,第四个月影响消失,且相关性为正;在年际尺度上,吕宋海峡Ek-man输运的异常同南海SSTA(Sea Surface Temperature Abnormal)的第二模态存在显著的相关联系,并且吕宋海峡Ekman输运和南海SSTA的相关关系在北部为正,南部为负。吕宋海峡Ekman输运调制南海大尺度环流,通过暖、冷平流的作用影响南海SST的变化。     

南海等密度面环流季节变化的数值模拟研究

In this study, we develop a variable-grid global ocean general circulation model(OGCM) with a fine grid(1/6)°covering the area from 20°S–50°N and from 99°–150°E, and use the model to investigate the isopycnal surface circulation in the South China Sea(SCS). The simulated results show four layer structures in vertical: the surface and subsurface circulation of the SCS are characterized by the monsoon driven circulation, with basin-scaled cyclonic gyre in winter and anti-cyclonic gyre in summer. The intermediate layer circulation is opposite to the upper layer, showing anti-cyclonic gyre in winter but cyclonic gyre in summer. The circulation in the deep layer is much weaker in spring and summer, with the maximum velocity speed below 0.6 cm/s. In fall and winter, the SCS deep layer circulation shows strong east boundary current along the west coast of Philippine with the velocity speed at 1.5 m/s, which flows southward in fall and northward in winter. The results have also revealed a fourlayer vertical structure of water exchange through the Luzon Strait. The dynamics of the intermediate and deep circulation are attributed to the monsoon driving and the Luzon Strait transport forcing.     

南海北部次表层盐度的变化及其与北赤道流分叉点的关系

吕宋海峡是南海与外界水交换的重要通道,黑潮作为北太平洋最强的1支西边界流,在经过吕宋海峡时会对南海北部的环流和环境产生重要影响。本文用1991—2011年期间CTD断面实测资料和高度计资料,提取23.0~25.5 kg/m³等密度面之间的盐度极大值,研究了南海北部不同年月盐度极大值变化、黑潮入侵方式与强弱,以及盐度极大值变化与北赤道流分叉点南北移动的关系,结果表明:(1)黑潮入侵南海方式多样,既有分支形式,也有弯曲、流套形式。(2)不同年月间,黑潮入侵南海的强弱存在较大差别,120°E断面的次表层盐度极大值的变动可超过0.3。(3)北赤道流分叉点位置的南北变动对黑潮入侵南海的强弱具有重要影响:北赤道流分叉点位置偏北,黑潮入侵南海较强;北赤道流分叉点位置偏南,则黑潮入侵相对较弱。     

Topographic Effect of Izu Ridge on the Distribution of the North Pacific Intermediate Water South of Japan

The topographic effect of the Izu Ridge on the horizontal distribution of the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) south of Japan has been studied using observational data obtained by the Seisui-Maru of Mie University (Mie Univ. data) and those compiled by Japan Oceanographic Data Center (JODC data). Both data sets show that water of salinity less than 34.1 psu on potential density () surface of 26.8 is confined to the eastern side of the Izu Ridge, while water of salinity less than 34.2 psu is confined to the southern area over the Izu Ridge at a depth greater than 2000 m and to the southeastern area in the Shikoku Basin. It is also shown by T-S analysis of Mie Univ. data over the Izu Ridge that water of salinity less than 34.2 psu dominates south of 30°N, where the depth of the Izu Ridge is deeper than 2000 m and NPIW can intrude westward over the Izu Ridge. JODC data reveal that relatively large standard deviations of the salinity on surface of 26.7, 26.8 and 26.9 are detected along the mean current path of the Kuroshio and the Kuroshio Extension. Almost all of the standard deviations are less than 0.05 psu in other area with the NPIW, which shows that the time variation in the salinity can be neglected. This observational evidence shows that the topographic effect of the Izu Ridge on the horizontal distribution of the NPIW, which is formed east of 145°E by the mixing of the Kuroshio water and the Oyashio water, is prominent north of 30°N with a depth shallower than 2000 m.