Submesoscale fronts observed by satellites over the Northern South China Sea shelf

Fronts are ubiquitous dynamic processes in the ocean, which play a significant role in the ocean dynamical and ecological environments. In this paper strong temperature fronts are investigated on the shelf of the Northern South China Sea using high resolution satellite data. These fronts have large horizontal gradients exceeding 1 °C km⁻¹ with spatial scales around several kilometers. The fronts generate meanders and eddies due to baroclinic instability, since these instabilities have spatial scales around the local first baroclinic mode deformation radius. The estimated Rossby number of the fronts is O(0.4), suggesting that the fronts tend to be ageostrophic and show submesoscale features. The Finite Size Lyapunov Exponent analysis of the generation mechanism indicates that the fronts are tightly related to the combined flow straining of geostrophic and Ekman currents.     

南海海温异常影响南海夏季风的数值模拟研究

采用p－σ九层区域气候模式(p－σRCM9）模拟并研究了南海海温异常对南海夏季风的影响, 数值模拟结果表明, 5月份的南海海温对南海夏季风的爆发日期起关键作用: 5月份南海海温持续增温 (降温）, 南海夏季风爆发日期偏早 (偏晚）。南海夏季风爆发后, 南海异常增温, 同期的南海夏季风增强, 而后期的南海夏季风减弱; 南海异常降温, 则与之相反。机制分析表明, 南海海温正(负)异常增强(减弱)了海面与行星边界层之间的能量交换, 主要是潜热通量的输送, 并在大气中通过积云对流加热率的变化来影响对流层热量的分布, 进而引起对流层中低层辐合和高层辐散的变化, 然后使得环流场和风场作出相应地调整, 环流场和风场又会反过来影响积云对流加热率的变化, 这是一个正反馈过程。在5月份南海增温(降温)强迫下, 5月份南海地区的对流活动加强(减弱）, 使得对流层低层副热带高压提前(延后)撤出南海, 从而有利于南海夏季风爆发偏早(晚）。在南海海温异常强迫下, 中国东南部和南海地区的降水率异常主要是由积云对流所产生的降水率异常引起。     

A Note on the South China Sea Shallow Interocean Circulation

1. IntroductionThe South China Sea (SCS) has many channelsconnecting with the outer oceans/seas (Fig. 1). Thewidest and deepest channel is the Luzón Strait, whichis the main entrance to the SCS from the WesternPacific Ocean, having a sill depth of about 2500 m.On the north, the Taiwan Strait connects with theEast China Sea, with a sill depth of about 70 m. Inthe vicinity of Mindoro Island, there are a numberof channels connecting the SCS with the Sulu Sea.The main channel is the M…     

南海夏季风期间水汽输送的气候特征

通过分析NCEP/NCAR 1973～1998年(共26年)4～8月的再分析比湿场和风场资料,研究了南海夏季风期间的水汽输送特征.夏季,东亚上空水汽水平输送特征在各月有很大差异,这是夏季风环流系统演变的结果.孟加拉湾南部地区是中国长江中下游和南海地区重要的水汽源地,来自上游孟加拉湾南部地区的水汽输送对南海季风的爆发具有重要意义.经向水汽输送主要有利于20～30°N之间华南地区的水汽辐合.从总的收支看,南海地区是一个水汽汇区.南海季风爆发早晚年的水汽输送通道存在明显差别.在爆发偏早年,从赤道印度洋到南海地区的输送通道建立早且维持时间长,4～5月南海易成为水汽辐合区;在偏晚年,南海地区水汽则是辐散的,不利于形成季风性降水.南海季风爆发早晚年与长江中下游旱涝年的水汽输送有一定联系.     

南海及邻域弱对流云系活动的TBB资料特征

利用日本气象研究厅提供的 1 980～ 1 997年共 1 8年 3小时一次的TBB资料 ,采用统计TBB≤ - 2 8℃出现频率的方法 ,研究了南海及邻域对流活动的区域统计分布特征     

南海北部大气气溶胶水溶性成分谱分布特征

通过对南海腹地岛屿测站和南海北岸测站气溶胶样品中水溶性成分的分析，以及与华南大陆清洁测点和城市测点的对比，结果表明:海岛测点气溶胶总质量与诸离子浓度均大大低于海岸与大陆测点。其分布以三峰型出现的比较多，海岛与海岸气溶胶中水溶性成分以SO2-4，Cl-与Ca2+，Na+为含量比重最大的离子成分；与华南大陆测点相比，Cl-，Na+比重显著增加而NH+4的含量比重有所下降。     

海基观测资料在改进南海台风强度分析中的应用

探讨了一种利用海岛自动站、石油平台站、海洋气象浮标观测站、船载自动气象站等在内的海基观测资料来改进南海热带气旋强度分析的客观估计方案,并利用该方案对近几年（2013—2016年）出现在南海海域的18个热带气旋强度进行了分析。结果表明：该方案的估计误差与基于卫星遥感资料分析得到的结果水平相当,其估计效果与热带气旋的自身强度和有效样本数量有关,同时是否有观测样本位于热带气旋最大风速半径内也会影响估计的准确性。在传统基于卫星遥感资料对热带气旋强度主客观分析出现不一致时,利用海基观测来估计台风的强度可以作为一种补充方案来提高强度分析的可靠性。     

OLR与南海热带气旋发展的关系

利用OLR资料,对近十多年(1990～2000年)的南海热带气旋的发生、发展与OLR之间的关系进行了分析研究。研究结果表明：南海热带低压能否发展加强成热带风暴与南海区及其附近OLR值的变化有较好的对应关系;OLR低值中心存在于辐合带中热带低压易发展;在双台风状态下,两个低值中心的强弱情况和距离决定热带低压能否发展。通过定义一个南海热带低压的发展指数IOD（Index of Development）来定量描述OLR等值线的梯度变化和南海热带低压发展的关系;当南海热带低压的发展指数IOD≥9时,热带低压易发展成为热带风暴     

南海夏季风对华南夏季降水年代际变化的影响

华南夏季降水和南海夏季风都具有准两年的变化特征。研究表明：20世纪70年代以后，华南夏季降水年代际变化主要表现在准两年尺度平均方差的变化上，当准两年方差大时，相应的华南夏季降水多，反之亦然。但是在1976年以前南海夏季风对华南夏季降水的影响并不大，这似乎与两者准两年变化关系的年代际变化有关。南海夏季风和华南夏季降水的准两年变化在1953-1976年是弱的反位相变化关系，相反地，这一时段它们的非准两年变化成分有很强的正相关；在1977-2000年这一阶段，南海夏季风和华南夏季降水的准两年变化具有很强的正相关，但是它们的非准两年变化成分的相关性则很差。分析结果还表明，20世纪70年代大气环流的年代际变异使得华南夏季降水准两年变化在最近20多年成为其年际时间演变的主导成分。     

冬季南海北行航线分析

利用多个卫星高度计融合资料,分析了南海冬季（1月）3年（2006～2008年）平均的风场特征和海况条件。结果显示：南海东北部和台湾海峡、巴士海峡的风力和浪高都最大,其次是南海西南部海域的风力和浪高较大,其余海域的风力和浪高较小。根据这些特点,从船舶航行的安全性和经济性上考虑,设计了南海冬季北行的4条航线：从马六甲海峡直接行驶到台湾海峡的最短航线、躲避南海西南部大风大浪区和台湾以南的大浪区的航线、躲避台湾海峡的大风而绕行台湾以东的航线以及比较安全但是航线很长的航线。船长可以根据南海冬季大风大浪的情况选择避风航行的最佳航线。H轮在2005年1月行驶到南海时躲避大风大浪的实例说明大风大浪对船舶安全性的影响非常显著。     

ENSO与南海SST关系的年代际变化

基于NOAA重建的海面温度（sea surface temperature, SST）资料和NCEP再分析大气资料,研究了ENSO（El Niño-Southern Oscillation）与南海SST关系的年代际变化。结果表明：ENSO影响南海SST的冬、夏季“双峰”现象发生了显著的年代际变化,即冬季的“峰值”自20世纪80年代显著减弱,而夏季的“峰值”稳定持续且在20世纪70年代之后增强;冬季“峰值”的减弱可能与冬季西北太平洋反气旋的年代际变化有关,夏季“峰值”的维持和增强可能与20世纪70年代之后印度洋SST“电容器”效应的增强有关。     

Adaptive Wind Gust and Associated Gust-factor Model for the Gust-producing Weather over the Northern South China Sea

Wind gusts are common environmental hazards that can damage buildings, bridges, aircraft, and cruise ships and interrupt electric power distribution, air traffic, waterway transport and port operations. Accurately predicting peak wind gusts in numerical models is essential for saving lives and preventing economic losses. This study investigates the climatology of peak wind gusts and their associated gust factors(GFs) using observations in the coastal and open ocean of the northern South China Se...     

The Weakening Relationship between ENSO and the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset in Recent Decades

The El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) is traditionally regarded as the most important factor modulating the interannual variation of the South China Sea summer monsoon(SCSSM) onset. A preceding El Ni?o(La Ni?a) usually tends to be followed by a delayed(an advanced) monsoon onset. However, the close relationship between ENSO and SCSSM onset breaks down after the early-2000 s, making seasonal prediction very difficult in recent years. Three possible perspectives have been proposed to explain the weakening linkage between ENSO and SCSSM onset, including interdecadal change of the ENSO teleconnection(i.e., the Walker circulation), interferences of other interannual variability(i.e., the Victoria mode), and disturbances on intraseasonal time scales(i.e., the quasi-biweekly oscillation). By comparing the epochs of 1979–2001 and 2002–19, it is found that the anomalous tropical Walker circulation generated by ENSO is much weaker in the latter epoch and thus cannot deliver the ENSO signal to the SCSSM onset. Besides, in recent years, the SCSSM onset is more closely linked to extratropical factors like the Victoria mode, and thus its linkage with ENSO becomes weaker. In addition to these interannual variabilities, the intraseasonal oscillations like the quasi-biweekly oscillation can disrupt the slow-varying seasonal march modulated by ENSO. Thus, the amplified quasi-biweekly oscillation may also contribute to the weakening relationship after the early-2000 s. Given the broken relationship between ENSO and SCSSM onset, the extratropical factors should be considered in order to make skillful seasonal predictions of SCSSM onset, and more attention should be paid to the extended-range forecast based on intraseasonal oscillations.     

影响南海夏季风爆发因子的诊断研究

通过南海夏季风爆发偏早年和偏晚年前期冬春季东亚地区的环流、积雪及海温等要素特征的诊断分析,揭示了南海夏季风爆发时间早晚与前期冬季东亚大气环流、热带对流、热源及热带太平洋海温的异常分布有密切联系,南海夏季风爆发偏早年的前期有冬季风偏强,高原积雪偏少,海洋大陆地区的对流活跃、热源增强及LaNina型海温分布等主要特征;南海夏季风爆发偏晚年的前期特征则基本相反。根据1997～1998年冬春环流、积雪及海温等的特征作了1998年南海夏季风爆发时间的预测,其结果与1998年的实况基本一致。     

南海台风状况下海气界面热量交换研究

根据国家海洋局南海分局的Marex(马瑞克斯)数据浮标观测资料、南海断面线 调查资料和西沙海洋站资料，计算了南海海气界面热量交换值。研究结果表明:不论是夏季还是秋季，在台风环流内海气界面热量交换均非常强烈，主要贡献来自潜热通量(Qv)，位于(20.49°N，114.14°E)附近海域。夏季台风环流内显热通量(Qk)出现负值，海面有效反射辐射(Qe)出现减弱现象；秋冬季节台风环流内Qk量值增加显著均为正值，Qe有加强的现象。分析实测资料发现:1961～1989年8次ElNino事件过程中，西沙海洋站水温比赤道太平洋水温提早出现增暖现象的有4次，水温推迟出现增暖现象的也是4次。西沙海洋站水温增暖出现在12月的仅有1次。ElNino事件发生后，南海水温异常增暖，但是海气界面热量交换反而减弱。     

南海地区总云量的气候特征研究

采用EOF展开、小波分析、Mann-Kendall突变分析等方法,利用国际卫星云气候计划(ISCCP)提供的月平均云气候资料集,分析了南海地区总云量的气候特征.结果表明:①总云量表现为南北型的空间分布特征,分界在16°N附近,以北区域主要受南北热力差异影响,以纬向分布为主;以南区域主要受海陆热力差异影响,沿海岸线分布....     

南海秋雨气候特征分析

用台站观测逐日降水资料和热带测雨卫星观测降水资料,对我国南海地区降水季节演变特征分析发现,与我国大部分地区不同,南海地区降水季节峰值是在秋季,主要集中在8～10月,且降水量年际变化大。环流场的合成分析表明,南海地区秋季中层500 hPa有利的副高位置和低层低压系统的活动和维持是形成这一地区显著秋雨的主要原因。而由于副高的位置受热带太平洋海温影响较大,分析发现Niño3.4的海温指数对该区域降水有很好的指示意义。8～10月Niño3.4指数和同期海南岛站点平均降水量之间的相关能够达到－0.47,超前3个月 (即5～7月)的Niño3.4指数与8～10月海南岛站点平均降水量的相关亦能达到－0.43。从跨季度气候预测的角度来考虑,5～7月的Niño3.4指数可以作为预测8～10月南海秋雨的重要参考指标。     

Interocean circulation and heat and freshwater budgets of the South China Sea based on a numerical model

The South China Sea (SCS) interocean circulation and its associated heat and freshwater budgets are examined using the results of a variable-grid global ocean model. The ocean model has a 1/6° resolution in the SCS and its adjacent oceans. The model results from 1982 to 2003 show that the western Pacific waters enter the SCS through the Luzon Strait with an annual mean volume transport of 4.80 Sv, of which 1.71 Sv returns to the western Pacific through the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea and 3.09 Sv flows toward the Indian Ocean. The heat in the western Pacific is transported to the SCS with a rate of 0.373 PW (relative to a reference temperature 3.72 °C), while the total heat transport through the outflow straits is 0.432 PW. The net heat transport out of the SCS is thus 0.059 PW, which is balanced by a mean net downward heat flux of 17 W/m² across the SCS air–sea interface. Therefore, the interocean circulation acts as an “air conditioner”, cooling the SCS and its overlaying atmosphere. The SCS contributes a heat transport of 0.279 PW to the Indian Ocean, of which 0.240 PW is from the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait and 0.039 PW is from the SCS interior gained from the air–sea exchange. The Luzon Strait salt transport is greater than the total salt transport leaving the SCS by 3.97 Gg/s, implying a mean freshwater flux of 0.112 Sv (or 3.54 × 10¹² m³/year) from the land discharge and P − E (precipitation minus evaporation). The total annual land discharge to the SCS is estimated to be 1.60 × 10¹² m³/year, the total annual P − E over the SCS is thus 1.94 × 10¹² m³/year, equivalent to a mean P − E of 0.55 m/year. The SCS freshwater contribution to the Indian Ocean is 0.096 Sv. The pattern of the SCS interocean circulation in winter differs greatly from that in summer. The SCS branch of the Pacific-to-Indian Ocean throughflow exists in winter, but not in summer. In winter this branching flow starts at the Luzon Strait and extends to the Karimata Strait. In summer the interocean circulation is featured by a north-northeastward current starting at the Karimata Strait and extending to the Taiwan and Luzon Straits, and a subsurface inflow from the Luzon Strait that upwells into the surface layer in the SCS interior to supply the outward transports.     

Influence of South China Sea SST and the ENSO on Winter Rainfall over South China

The present study investigates the influence of South China Sea (SCS) SST and ENSO on winter (January--February--March; JFM) rainfall over South China and its dynamic processes by using station observations for the period 1951--2003, Met Office Hadley Center SST data for the period 1900--2008, and ERA-40 reanalysis data for the period 1958--2002. It is found that JFM rainfall over South China has a significant correlation with Nino-3 and SCS SST. Analyses show that in El Nino or positive SCS SST anomaly years, southwesterly anomalies at 700 hPa dominate over the South China Sea, which in turn transports more moisture into South China and favors increased rainfall. A partial regression analysis indicates that the independent ENSO influence on winter rainfall occurs mainly over South China, whereas SCS SST has a larger independent influence on winter rainfall in northern part of South China. The temperature over South China shows an obvious decrease at 300 hPa and an increase near the surface, with the former induced by Nino-3 and the latter SCS SST anomalies. This enhances the convective instability and weakens the potential vorticity (PV), which explains the strengthening of ascending motion and the increase of JFM rainfall over South China.     

TRMM-retrieved Cloud Structure and Evolution of MCSs over the Northern South China Sea and Impacts of CAPE and Vertical Wind Shear

Cloud structure and evolution of Mesoscale Convective Systems(MCSs) retrieved from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager(TRMM TMI) and Precipitation Radar(PR) were investigated and compared with some pioneer studies based on soundings and models over the northern South China Sea(SCS).The impacts of Convective Available Potential Energy(CAPE) and environmental vertical wind shear on MCSs were also explored.The main features of MCSs over the SCS were captured well by both TRMM PR and TMI.However,the PR-retrieved surface rainfall in May was less than that in June,and the reverse for TMI.TRMM-retrieved rainfall amounts were generally consistent with those estimated from sounding and models.However,rainfall amounts from sounding-based and PR-based estimates were relatively higher than those retrieved from TRMM-TMI data.The Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) modeling simulation underestimated the maximum rain rate by 22% compared to that derived from TRMM-PR,and underestimated mean rainfall by 10.4% compared to the TRMM-TMI estimate,and by 12.5% compared to the sounding-based estimate.The warm microphysical processes modeled from both the WRF and the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble(GCE) models were quite close to those based on TMI,but the ice water contents in the models were relatively less compared to that derived from TMI.The CAPE and wind shear induced by the monsoon circulation were found to play critical roles in maintaining and developing the intense convective clouds over SCS.The latent heating rate increased more than twofold during the monsoon period and provided favorable conditions for the upward transportation of energy from the ocean,giving rise to the possibility of inducing large-scale interactions.