South China Sea Isopycnal-Surface Circulation
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Authors
Chu, Peter C.
Li, Rongfeng
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
2000-09
Date
Publisher
Language
Abstract
This paper investigates the seasonal variabilities of the South China Sea isopycnal-surface circulations and
of the Kuroshio intrusion through the Luzon Strait using the U.S. Navy’s climatological temperature and salinity
dataset (public domain) with ½8 3 ½8 resolution by the P-vector method. The representative pattern is a persistent
basin-scale cyclonic circulation away from the surface, and a seasonally varying circulation with a weak anticylonic gyre in the summer and a strong cyclonic gyre in the winter near the surface. This pattern is consistent
with a classical view of mean cyclonic circulation in large stratified lakes and semienclosed marginal seas by
Emery and Csanady and with a recent numerical simulation using the navy’s Layered Ocean Model by Metzger
and Hurlburt. The computed monthly volume transport through the Luzon Strait is negative (inflow) all year
round with a minimum value of 213.7 Sv in February (strongest intrusion) and a maximum value of 21.4 Sv
in September (weakest intrusion). The annual mean transport is 26.5 Sv (intrusion).
Type
Article
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Office of Naval Research NOMP Program
Naval Oceanographic Office
Naval Postgraduate School
Chinese National Science Foundation
Naval Oceanographic Office
Naval Postgraduate School
Chinese National Science Foundation
Funder
Format
21 p.
Citation
Chu, Peter C., and Rongfeng Li. "South China Sea isopycnal-surface circulation." Journal of Physical Oceanography 30.9 (2000): 2419-2438.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States