Studies of the South China Sea Circulation and Thermal Structure Using a Three Dimensional Numerical Model

Studies of the South China Sea Circulation and Thermal Structure Using a Three Dimensional Numerical Model PDF

Author: Nathan L. Edmons

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13:

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The seasonal ocean circulation and thermal structure in the South China Sea (SCS) were studied numerically using the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) with 20 km horizontal resolution and 23 sigma levels conforming to a realistic bottom topography. A sixteen month control run was performed using climatological monthly mean wind stresses and restoring type salt and heat fluxes as surface forcing terms and observational oceanic inflow/outflow at the open boundaries. The seasonally averaged effects of isolated forcing terms are presented and analyzed from the following experiments: 1) non-linear effects removed, 2) wind effects removed, 3) open boundary inflow/outflow set to zero, and 4) open boundary inflow/outflow doubled. This procedure allowed analysis of spatial and temporal contributions of the isolated parameter to the general hydrology of the SCS and some of its specific features. A coastal jet is identified and analyzed, as are a mesoscale topographic gyre and several counter currents. Non-linearity is shown to be important to the energy and volume transport of baroclinic eddy features, but otherwise insignificant. Boundary transport from open lateral boundaries is determined to be of considerable importance to summer circulation and thermal structure, with little effect found for the winter monsoon hydrology. In general, monsoonal circulation patterns and upwelling phenomena are determined and forced by the wind, while boundary transport effects play a secondary role in determining the magnitude of the circulation velocities.

Ocean Circulation and Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea

Ocean Circulation and Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea PDF

Author: Dongxiao Wang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-10-28

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 9811962626

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This book summarizes achievements of the study on circulation and air–sea interaction and development of the ocean observation network in the South China Sea in the last 20 years, thus serving as a comprehensive reference book to understand the dynamic environment in the SCS. It consists of seven chapters, briefly reviewing our understanding of the SCS circulation and air–sea interaction in chapter 1, then describing in detail the upper layer circulation from large scale (SCS through flow, SCS western boundary current, etc.), to meso- and submeso-scale in Chapters 2 and 5, dilute river plume and coastal upwelling over the shelf in Chapter 3, deep ocean circulation in Chapter 4, tropical cyclone activities and air–sea flux at the interface in Chapter 6, and the construction of the observation network and database in Chapter 7. Besides the basic features of these physical processes, the book also discusses their variations and fundamental dynamics. Thus, it is written in a way that meets the different information demands from researchers working in various marine related fields.

The South China Sea Thermohaline Structure and Circulation

The South China Sea Thermohaline Structure and Circulation PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13:

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In this study, the authors used the Navy's Master Oceanographic Observation Data Set (MOODS), consisting of 116,019 temperature and 9,617 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 degrees to 25 degrees N and 105 degrees to 125 degrees E and the depth from the surface to 400 m. After the gridded data set had been established, both composite analysis and Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis (for temperature only) were used to identify the major thermohaline features, including annual mean, monthly anomalies, and interannual thermal variabilities. The inverted monthly circulation pattern using the P-vector method also is discussed.

Investigating Seafloors and Oceans

Investigating Seafloors and Oceans PDF

Author: Antony Joseph

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2016-12-08

Total Pages: 612

ISBN-13: 0128093633

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Investigating Seafloors and Oceans: From Mud Volcanoes to Giant Squid offers a bottom-to-top tour of the world’s oceans, exposing the secrets hidden therein from a variety of scientific perspectives. Opening with a discussion of the earth’s formation, hot spots, ridges, plate tectonics, submarine trenches, and cold seeps, the text goes on to address such topics as the role of oceans in the origin of life, tidal bore, thermal effects, ecosystem services, marine creatures, and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical resources. This unique reference provides insight into a wide array of questions that researchers continue to ask about the vast study of oceans and the seafloor. It is a one-of-a-kind examination of oceans that offers important perspectives for researchers, practitioners, and academics in all marine-related fields. Includes chapters addressing various scientific disciplines, offering the opportunity for readers to gain insights on diverse topics in the study of oceans Provides scientific discussion on thermo-tolerant microbial life in sub-seafloor hot sediments and vent fields, as well as the origin of life debates and the puzzles revolving around how life originated Includes detailed information on the origin of dreaded episodes, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, internal waves and tidal bores Contains information on the contribution of the oceans in terms of providing useful nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products

The South China Sea Thermohaline Structure and Circulation

The South China Sea Thermohaline Structure and Circulation PDF

Author: Binbing Ma

Publisher:

Published: 1998-09-01

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 9781423557159

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The minimum curvature with spline method was used to establish a three-dimensional monthly-varying gridded data from the Navy's Master Oceanographic Observation Data Set (approximate 189,000 profiles), covering the area of 5 deg N - 25 deg N and 105 deg E - 125 deg E and from the surface to 400 m depth. For temperature, profiles were binned into 204 monthly data sets from 1968 to 1984 (17 years). Because of the paucity of salinity data, salinity profiles were binned into 12 climatological monthly data sets, and the monthly climatological mean was computed. After the gridded data set had been established, both composite analysis and the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis were used to identity the major thermohaline features. The first EOF mode accounts for 26.7% of the variance and represents the seasonal variation. The second EOF mode accounts for 17.7% of the variance and represents the interannual SCS warning/cooling phases. Furthermore, the P-vector method was used to invert three-dimensional velocity fields from the analyzed temperature and salinity data. Important dynamical processes, including th Kuroshio intrusion, the western boundary current (counter-current), the cross basin current (undercounter-current), the mesoscale eddies, and the basin gyre are identified.