Ocean Circulation and Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea (Springer Oceanography)

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. Contents 1 Overview of the Atmosphere and Hydrological Environment of the South China Sea 1.1 Three-Dimensional Structure of the South China Sea Circulation 1.1.1 General Characteristics of the South China Sea Circulation 1.1.2 Western Boundary Current of the South China Sea 1.1.3 South China Sea Warm Current and Northern Upwelling Current 1.1.4 Deep South China Sea Circulation 1.2 Dynamic and Thermal Effects of the South China Sea Circulation 1.2.1 South China Sea Throughflow 1.2.2 Influence of South China Sea Eddy 1.2.3 Impacts on Sea and Atmosphere References 2 The Characteristics of Large-Scale Circulation Dynamics in the South China Sea 2.1 Luzon Strait Water Exchange 2.1.1 Volume Transport in the Luzon Strait 2.1.2 Interannual Variation Characteristics of Water Flux at 120° E Section of the Luzon Strait 2.1.3 Possible Connection Between Water Exchange in the Luzon Strait and Coastal Kelvin Wave 2.2 South China Sea Through Flow 2.2.1 Variation Characteristics of the South China Sea Throughflow 2.2.2 The Dynamic Mechanism of the Variation in the South China Sea Through Flow 2.2.3 The Thermal Dynamics and Climate Effects of the South China Sea Throughflow on the South China Sea 2.3 South China Sea Western Boundary Current 2.3.1 Interannual Variation of the Western Boundary Current of the South China Sea 2.3.2 The Formation Mechanism of the West Boundary Current of the South China Sea 2.3.3 Vietnam Offshore Current 2.3.4 Response of Summer Cold Eddy to Monsoon on the Western Boundary of South China Sea 2.3.5 The Relationship Between the Intraseasonal Variation of SST and the Intraseasonal Variation of Wind Stress in Vietnam Nearshore in Summer 2.4 Southern South China Sea Circulation 2.4.1 Seasonal Succession of Circulation in the Southern South China Sea 2.4.2 Interannual Differences in Spring Hydrological Elements in the Southern South China Sea 2.5 Summary and Outlook References 3 The Northern Shelf and Slope Currents of the South China Sea 3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 The Continental Slope Current in the Northern South China Sea 3.1.2 Upwelling in Eastern Guangdong 3.1.3 Pearl River Diluted Water Plume 3.2 South China Sea Warm Current 3.2.1 Numerical Simulation of the South China Sea Warm Current 3.2.2 Momentum Balance of the South China Sea Warm Current 3.2.3 Vorticity Balance of the South China Sea Warm Current 3.2.4 The Source Driving Force of the South China Sea Warm Current 3.3 Upwelling of East Guangdong in South China Sea 3.3.1 The Spatial Distribution Characteristics of the East Guangdong Upwelling in the South China Sea 3.3.2 Response of Eastern Guangdong Upwelling to Variable Wind Field in the South China Sea 3.3.3 Contributions of Wind and Topography to the Upwelling in Eastern Guangdong, South China Sea 3.4 The Pearl River Diluted Water Plume 3.4.1 Seasonal Characteristics and Interannual Variability of the Pearl River Diluted Water 3.4.2 Rapid Response of the Pearl River Diluted Water and Its Front to Changes in Physical Driving Factors Such as Wind, Tide and Fresh Water Runoff 3.4.3 Impact of Diluted Water Expansion of the Pearl River Estuary on the Northern South China Sea Coastal Current 3.5 Summary and Outlook References 4 Middle and Deep Waters Mass and Circulation in the South China Sea 4.1 Intermediate Waters and Circulation in the South China Sea 4.1.1 Annual Average and Seasonal Variation Characteristics of the Intermediate Water in the South China Sea 4.1.2 Characteristics of Changes in South China Sea Intermediate Water on a Long-Time Scale 4.1.3 The Current Deflection Around Dongsha Islands 4.1.4 Summary 4.2 Deep Water Mass and Circulation in the South China Sea 4.2.1 Characteristics of Intermediate Circulation and Deep Circulation in the South China Sea Simulated by Various Models 4.2.2 Sensitivity Test of the Deep Circulation in the South China Sea to Topography 4.2.3 Diagnostic Model of the South China Sea Bottom Circulation in Condition of Tidal Mixing, Eddy-Induced Mixing and Topograph 4.3 Deep Meridional Overturning Circulation in the South China Sea 4.3.1 South China Sea Meridional Overturning Circulation Streamfunction Simulated by Multiple Models 4.3.2 Diagnostic Analysis of Meridional Overturning Circulation in the South China Sea Based on TRACMASS 4.3.3 High-Frequency Variability of the Deep Meridional Overturning Circulation in the South China Sea 4.4 Summary and Outlook References 5 Mesoscale Eddy and Mesoscale Process in the South China Sea 5.1 General Characteristics and Individual Case Studies of Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea 5.1.1 General Characteristics of Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea 5.1.2 Individual Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea Observed by Satellites and Cruise 5.2 Physical and Ecological Effects of Mesoscale Eddy in the South China Sea 5.2.1 Thermal and Dynamic Effects of Mesoscale Eddy 5.2.2 The Ecological Effect of Eddy 5.3 Near-Inertial Energy Characteristics of the South China Sea Under the Influence of Mesoscale Eddies 5.3.1 Near-Inertial Energy Characteristics of the Xisha Islands Under the Influence of Mesoscale Eddies and Typhoons 5.3.2 Strong Near-Inertial Oscillations Caused by the Onset of Monsoon and Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea 5.4 Summary and Prospect References 6 Air-Sea Interaction in the South China Sea 6.1 Variation Characteristics of Sea Surface Temperature for the South China Sea 6.1.1 Diurnal and Intra-seasonal Variations of Sea Surface Temperature for the South China Sea 6.1.2 Interannual and Longer Time Scales 6.1.3 Upper Mixing Layer/Barrier Layer and Sea Surface Temperature Change 6.2 The Sea-Atmosphere Interface and Boundary Layer in the South China Sea 6.2.1 Research on the Fluxes at the Sea-Air Interface 6.2.2 Temporal and Spatial Variation of the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer in the South China Sea 6.3 Characteristics and Analysis of Tropical Cyclone Activity in the South China Sea 6.3.1 Influencing Factors of Tropical Cyclone Formation in the South China Sea 6.3.2 Formation, Intensity and Track of Tropical Cyclones in the South China Sea 6.3.3 Interannual and Interdecadal Variability of Tropical Cyclone Formation Frequency Over the South China Sea 6.4 Intra-seasonal Signals of Upper Ocean and Atmospheric Anomalies in the South China Sea 6.4.1 Northward Propagation Characteristics of the South China Sea Intra-seasonal Oscillation 6.4.2 Sources of Intra-seasonal Oscillation in the South China Sea 6.4.3 The Basic Characteristics of ISO Affecting the South China Sea 6.5 Summary and Outlook References 7 South China Sea Observation and Data Assimilation 7.1 Ocean Observation in the South China Sea 7.1.1 Large-Scale Observation of Voyage 7.1.2 Offshore and Station Observation Network 7.2 South China Sea Mooring Observing Network 7.2.1 South China Sea Observation Database 7.3 South China Sea Data Assimilation and Reanalysis Products 7.3.1 Application of Optimal Interpolation Method to Assimilate SST 7.3.2 Application of Ensemble Karman Filter and Ensemble Karman Smooth Assimilation in the SCS 7.3.3 Redos Reanalysis Products 7.4 Summary and Outlook References