Interannual Variability of Shelf and Slope Circulations in the Northern South China Sea

Abstract

The northern South China Sea (NSCS) is a dynamically complex region whose shelf and slope currents are driven by different mechanisms. In this study, we used field measurements to identify clear interannual variations in the circulation related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle. To investigate the modulation mechanisms, we used a high-resolution numerical model that covers the shelf and slope regions of the NSCS. The results indicate that the stronger southwestward slope current during La Niña and stronger northeastward shelf current during El Niño in summer and winter are largely related to changes in wind forcing. The Kuroshio intrusion into the NSCS does not appear to significantly affect the circulation in the southwestern shelf region.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): JOUC

Title: Journal of Ocean University of China

Publisher: Science Press and Springer (China )

ISSN (Electronic): 1672-5182

Publication date (Electronic): 02 September 2020

Publication date (Print): 01 October 2020

Volume: 19

Issue: 5

Pages: 1005-1016

Affiliations

¹State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China

²Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China

³Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China

⁴School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5706, USA

Author notes

*Corresponding author: GENG Bingxu, E-mail: gengbx@ 123456scsio.ac.cn

Article

Publisher ID: s11802-020-4446-9

DOI: 10.1007/s11802-020-4446-9

Copyright statement: Copyright © Ocean University of China, Science Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2020.

License:

The copyright to this article, including any graphic elements therein (e.g. illustrations, charts, moving images), is hereby assigned for good and valuable consideration to the editorial office of Journal of Ocean University of China, Science Press and Springer effective if and when the article is accepted for publication and to the extent assignable if assignability is restricted for by applicable law or regulations (e.g. for U.S. government or crown employees).

Product

Self URI (journal-page): https://www.springer.com/journal/11802