The South China Sea thermohaline structure and circulation

In this study, we used the Navy' s Master Oceanographic Observation Data Set(MOODS), consisting of 116019 temperature and 9617 salinity profiles, during 1968- 1984 to investigate the temporal and spatial variabilities of South China Sea thermohaline structures and circulation. For temperature, profiles were binned into 204 monthly data sets from 1968 to 1984 (17 years). For salinity, profiles were binned into 12 climatological monthly data sets due to the data paucity. A two-scale optimal interpolation method was used to establish a three-dimensional monthly-varying gridded data set from MOODS, covering the area of 5°-25°N and 105° - 125°E and the depth from the surface to 400 m. After the gridded data set had been established, both composite analysis and the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis (for temperature only) were used to identify the major thermohaline fratures including annual mean, monthly anomalies, and interannual thermal variabilities. The inverted monthly circulation pattern     

2001年春季东中国海三维环流的数值模拟

本文基于2001年4月东中国海区域实测水文资料,应用三维有限元模式FEOM(Finite Element Ocean Model)对东中国海三维环流系统进行了数值计算分析。模式水平网格系统采用单节点线性三角形网格,垂向使用z坐标,观测温、盐度场通过客观分析法插值得到初始条件,分别进行了诊断计算和强诊断计算,计算结果表明:(1)改进逆方法可以很好地反演研究区域流函数和流量分布,为数值模拟提供优质可靠的开边界条件。(2)有限元模式在网格自由度方面和对研究区域的完整覆盖方面优势明显,高分辨率的垂向z坐标也可以较好地拟合海底地形,从而得到较高分辨率的三维数值模拟结果。(3)通过诊断计算,模拟再现了东中国海春季环流的多涡结构,分辨出了台湾暖流、黄海沿岸流、黄海暖流等流系。(4)比较诊断与强诊断两个计算结果,它们在定性上较为一致,在定量上有些差别,总体分布强诊断计算结果更为合理。     

菲律宾海盆深层温盐结构与环流变化特征研究

基于ECCO2 (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean)、 GLORYS12V1 (Global Ocean Reanalysis and Simulations)、ORA-S5 (Ocean ReAnalysis)三种海洋再分析数据,对比研究了菲律宾海盆深层温盐及环流的季节和年际变化特征。结果表明:三种数据显示的海盆深层温盐季节变化特征基本一致,在3 000～4 000 m水深区域,海水呈春夏两季高温低盐而秋冬季低温高盐特性,4 000 m以下海水温盐季节变化很小;沿西边界,温度与内部有明显差异且季节变化幅度相对较大。沿西边界的输运季节变化特征表现为10月至次年4月输运向南,5—9月输运向北,并且在8月份达最大值;表明存在沿西边界的流动,即菲律宾海盆与南端西卡罗林海盆(West Caroline Basin)之间存在季节性水体交换。海盆深层海水温盐年际变化也十分显著,但不同数据显示的变化特征存在较大差异。EOF和相关分析显示,三种再分析数据的深层位温与ENSO均存在一定相关性,ECCO2的深层位温变化与ENSO的相关性最强。由于长期观测数据较少,再分析数据的结果难以验证,因此目前对年际变化特征的研究仍具有很大的不确定性。     

Hydrography and circulation south of Cyprus in late summer 1995 and in spring 1996

The hydrodynamical characteristics of the area south of Cyprus in the Levantine Sea were examined in late summer 1995 and in spring 1996. Analysis of the CTD data collected, provided a new dynamic picture of the Cyprus Basin and revealed the existence of the Cyprus Basin cyclonic eddy. The latter circulated to the south of Cyprus and exhibited marked seasonality. Production of Levantine Intermediate Water in the area of the latter eddy occurred. Occasionally, between the Cyprus Basin cyclonic eddy and the southern coast of Cyprus a warm current, the Cyprus coastal current appears to intrude from the east. In late summer 1995, the spatial fluctuations of the mid-Mediterranean jet, the main current of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, caused the splitting of the Cyprus Basin cyclonic eddy, into two smaller cyclonic ones. During spring 1996, however, the Cyprus Basin cyclonic eddy appears as a single large vortex, occupying the greater part of the area south of Cyprus, and flanked to the south by the Cyprus anticyclonic eddy.     

Picoplankton composition related to thermohaline circulation: The Albanian boundary zone (southern Adriatic) in late spring

Picoplankton distribution at the boundary zone of the southern Adriatic in May 2009 on a 75 km long shelf-continental slope transect was assessed by combining epifluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and high-performance liquid chromatography data with hydrographic observations. The picoplankton distribution was greatly influenced by the hydrographic conditions prevailing in the southern Adriatic because of the influence of the Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) and East Adriatic Current (EAC) forcing. Heterotrophic bacteria numerically dominated the picoplankton community through the entire transect with no significant accumulation. By contrast, picophytoplankton accumulated in the 50–75 m layer, forming a pronounced deep chlorophyll maximum. Synechococcus dominated the photosynthetic picoplankton, whereas picoeukaryotes were the least abundant. The intrusion of warm LIW observed in the layer between 100 and 350 m was followed by Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus peaks (10 × 10³ cells mL⁻¹ and 90 × 10³ cells mL⁻¹, respectively), as well as by the appearance of two Synechococcus ecotypes. Most picoeukaryotes were observed at the offshore stations, where geostrophic current calculation revealed the strongest EAC influence. A strong EAC spread over the central and eastern basin created a barrier for Prochlorococcus, whereas the picoeukaryote maxima coincided with the core of the EAC, suggesting its persistence to hydrological instabilities.     

On freshwater-dependent bifurcations in box models of the interhemispheric thermohaline circulation

Conceptual box models of the interhemispheric thermohaline circulation are studied with respect to bifurcations. Freshwater fluxes are the main control parameters of the system: they determine the stable states and transitions between stable states of the large-scale thermohaline circulation. In this study of interhemispheric box models both numerical and analytical methods are used to investigate transition mechanisms of the thermohaline circulation. The box model examined first is an interhemispheric four-box model. It is shown that the two bifurcations where the present THC can become unstable, the saddle-node and the Hopf bifurcation, depend in a different way on hemispheric freshwater fluxes. A reduction of the model variables leads to the conclusion that two fixed freshwater fluxes between three surface boxes are the model feature responsible for the bifurcation behaviour found. The significance of the Hopf bifurcation for the stability of the thermohaline circulation is discussed.     

温盐环流稳定性以及年代际变率的研究进展

对近期国内外有关温盐环流的模拟研究作了综合评述,着重介绍温盐环流的稳定性、多平衡态及其转化以及年代际变率问题的研究进展。     

南海中尺度涡温盐结构的季节特征及形成机制

本文利用最新的涡旋数据集和ARMOR3D数据,研究了南海中尺度涡温盐结构的季节特征及形成机制。合成分析的结果表明,在冬季,涡旋引起温度异常的水平分布在50米以浅表现为类似偶极型分布,而在50m以深则趋向于中心对称分布;在夏季,温度异常的水平分布均表现为中心对称的特征。涡旋引起盐度异常的水平分布也具有类似的季节特征,但是偶极型中的不对称性相对较弱。在垂向上,涡旋所致的温度异常表现为单层结构,而盐度异常则为三层结构。进一步的分析表明,涡旋所致温盐异常的垂向分布特征与背景温盐的垂向分层有关;而在50m以浅,温盐异常的水平分布的不对称特征主要由背景温盐场的水平平流所致。     

2015年春季南海北部陆架海域网采浮游植物群落结构及其与环境因子关系

根据2015年春季南海北部陆架海域的调查数据,分析了网采浮游植物群落结构特征及其与环境因子的关系。结果显示:共鉴定出浮游植物4门378种(含变种与变型),其中硅藻门209种,甲藻门157种,蓝藻门9种,着色鞭毛藻门3种。该海区的主要优势种有翼鼻状藻Proboscia alata、翼鼻状藻纤细变型Proboscia alata f. gracillima、佛氏海毛藻Thalassiothrix frauenfeldii、尖刺拟菱形藻Pseudo-nitzschia pungens、短角弯角藻Eucompia zoodiacus和洛氏角毛藻Chaetoceros lorenzianus等,各断面优势种差异较大,仅佛氏海毛藻在4个断面成为优势种。浮游植物丰度范围为(0.63~1 430.04)×10⁴个/m³,平均为76.20×10⁴个/m³,丰度较高的站点主要集中在湛江断面D近岸站位和汕头断面H。春季南海北部浮游植物Shannon-Wiener多样性指数为1.06~5.56,均值为3.99。冗余分析显示,影响南海北部陆架海域浮游植物群落结构的主要环境因子为水温、盐度和活性磷酸盐。南海北部陆架海域浮游植物基本呈现近岸高离岸低的分布特点,水温和盐度是影响其分布的主要环境因子。     

Characteristics of the surface mixed layer depths in the northern South China Sea in spring

The nature and characteristics of the mixed layer depth (MLD) remain uncertain in the northern South China Sea. Using in situ data, we examined the quality of different MLD definitions, investigated the spatial and diurnal variation in the MLD, and examined the mechanisms of mixed layer development during March 23–31, 2014. We made distinct calculations of the MLD; of which two are (a) the depths between two different temperatures (0.2, 0.6 °C) and (b) the depths between two density differences (0.125, 0.25 kg/m³); and the fifth calculation is a depth derived from the optimal linear fitness method. We found that the optimal linear fitness MLD was the best definition for our study region ,and that it deepened from the shelf to the slope. Twenty-four-hour diurnal variation in the MLDs and mixing layers was observed when the ship was moored. Mixing layers were characterized by turbulent dissipation rates. We found that the mixed layer underwent a ‘stable-decaying–developing’ process. During the stable period, the MLD was close to that of the mixing layer, but during the decay/development periods, the MLDs were larger/smaller than those of the mixing layers. We suggest that both velocity shear and buoyancy flux were important in mixed layer development. We quantitatively examined the mechanisms of mixing in the shelf region, with air–sea net heat flux determined to be the major factor, rather than wind speed or current velocity.     

The circulation in the southern Huanghai Sea and northern East China Sea in June 1999

On the basis of hydrographic data and current measurement (the mooring system, vessel-mounted ADCP and toward ADCP) data obtained in June 1999, the circulations in the southern Huang-hai Sea (HS) and northern East China Sea (ECS) are computed by using the modified inverse method. The Kuroshio flows northeastward through eastern part of the investigated region and has the main core at Section PN, a northward flow at the easternmost part of Section PN, a weaker anti-cyclonic eddy between these two northward flows, and a weak cyclonic eddy at the western part of Section PN. The above current structure is one type of the current structures at Section PN in ECS. The net northward volume transport (VT) of the Kuroshio and the offshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current (TWCOB) through Section PN is about 26.2×106m3/s in June 1999. The VT of the inshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current (TWCIB) through the investigated region is about 0.4×106m3/s. The Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) has much effect on the currents over the     

Variability of thermohaline fields in the East China Sea

Characteristic features of the water structure and dynamics in the East China Sea, which is the zone of the formation of the Kuroshio Current, are studied from a database of mean multiannual hydrological and meteorological characteristics gathered for more than a half-century period and the data of expeditionary observations in this region. Characteristic distinctions between the waters in different regions of the current zone are shown. It was found that the formation of the structure of the water in the current zone is affected by the variability of the water exchange via the straits of the Ryukyu Islands and by the supply of the shelf waters against the background of the climatic variability.     

Ocean circulation and exchanges through the northern Bering Sea—1979–2001 model results

We have developed and run a model with sufficiently high resolution (9 km and 45 levels) and a large enough spatial domain to allow for realistic representation of flow through the narrow and shallow straits in the northern Bering Sea. This is potentially important for quantification of long-term mean and time-dependent ocean circulation, and water mass and property exchanges between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Over a 23 year interval (1979–2001), mean transport through Bering Strait is estimated to be 0.65 Sv. Comparison of our model results with published observations indicates that ocean circulation is not only variable at seasonal to interdecadal scales but it is also responsive to short-term atmospheric forcing. One of such events occurred during the winter of 2000–2001 with reversed oceanic flow in some areas and much reduced sea-ice cover. Analyses of eddy kinetic energy fields identify some high biological productivity regions of the Chirikov Basin coincident with persistent high energy (up to 2700 cm² s⁻² in the surface layer and up to 2600 cm² s⁻² at mid-depth) throughout the annual cycle. Model output in the Bering Strait region is validated against several time series of moored observations of water mass properties. Comparison with shipboard observations of near-bottom salinity from late winter through autumn indicates that the model reasonably represents the major water-mass properties in the region. The modeled vertical water-column structure in the northern Bering Sea allows increased understanding of the mechanisms of water transformation and transport northward through Bering Strait into the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. We conclude that the long-term model results for the northern Bering Sea provide important insights into the ocean circulation and fluxes and they are a useful frame of reference for limited observations that are short-term and/or cover only a small geographic region.     

The three-layer model of the thermohaline structure in the shallow seas

——A three-layer model of the thermohaline structure is developed on the basis of the two -layer model of thermocline. The model is able to simulate the depth,thickness and intensity of both thermocline and halocline, and the temperature and salinity of both upper layer and lower layer in the shallow seas.Camparison of simulation with data is favorable.Detailed analysis is made on a variety of factors affecting the intensity of the thermocline.     

Internal tide and nonlinear internal wave behavior at the continental slope in the northern south China Sea

A field program to measure acoustic propagation characteristics and physical oceanography was undertaken in April and May 2001 in the northern South China Sea. Fluctuating ocean properties were measured with 21 moorings in water of 350- to 71-m depth near the continental slope. The sea floor at the site is gradually sloped at depths less than 90 m, but the deeper area is steppy, having gradual slopes over large areas that are near critical for diurnal internal waves and steep steps between those areas that account for much of the depth change. Large-amplitude nonlinear internal gravity waves incident on the site from the east were observed to change amplitude, horizontal length scale, and energy when shoaling. Beginning as relatively narrow solitary waves of depression, these waves continued onto the shelf much broadened in horizontal scale, where they were trailed by numerous waves of elevation (alternatively described as oscillations) that first appeared in the continental slope region. Internal gravity waves of both diurnal and semidiurnal tidal frequencies (internal tides) were also observed to propagate into shallow water from deeper water, with the diurnal waves dominating. The internal tides were at times sufficiently nonlinear to break down into bores and groups of high-frequency nonlinear internal waves.