Numerical simulation of the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea by a passive tracer

Abstract Inferred from the satellite and in situ hydrographic data from the 1990s and 2000s, the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) had a weakening trend over the past two decades. Associated with the weakened Kuroshio intrusion, the Kuroshio loop and eddy activity southwest of Taiwan became weaker, whereas the water above the salinity minimum became less saline in the northern SCS. The sea surface height southwest of Taiwan increased at a slower rate compared to other regions of the SCS because of the weakened Kuroshio intrusion. Simulations using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) Pacific model show that the strength of the Kuroshio intrusion into the SCS decreased from 1993 to 2010 with a negative trend, −0.24 sverdrups (Sv) yr−1 (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1), in the total Luzon Strait transport (LST). Although wind-induced Ekman transport through the Luzon Strait became weaker, the magnitude at 0.001 Sv yr−1 was too small to compensate for the negative trend of the LST. On the other hand, the piling up of the water induced by monsoon winds was an important mechanism for changing the pressure gradient across the Luzon Strait and eventually affecting the LST. The sea level gradient between the western Pacific and the SCS had a negative trend, −0.10 cm yr−1, corresponding to a negative trend in the geostrophic transport at −0.20 Sv yr−1. The Kuroshio transport east of Luzon Island also had a negative trend, which might also be linked to the weakening Kuroshio intrusion.

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Weakening of the Kuroshio Intrusion Into the South China Sea Under the Global Warming Hiatus

IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing ◽

10.1109/jstars.2016.2574941 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 5064-5070 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Chau-Ron Wu ◽

You-Lin Wang ◽

Yong-Fu Lin ◽

Tzu-Ling Chiang ◽

Chao-Chi Wu

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

South China Sea ◽

South China ◽

The South China Sea ◽

Kuroshio Intrusion ◽

The South ◽

China Sea ◽

Global Warming Hiatus ◽

Warming Hiatus ◽

The Kuroshio

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Interannual variability of the Kuroshio intrusion in the South China Sea

Journal of Oceanography ◽

10.1007/s10872-006-0076-0 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 559-575 ◽

Cited By ~ 130

Author(s):

Michael J. Caruso ◽

Glen G. Gawarkiewicz ◽

Robert C. Beardsley

Keyword(s):

South China Sea ◽

Interannual Variability ◽

South China ◽

The South China Sea ◽

Kuroshio Intrusion ◽

The South ◽

China Sea ◽

The Kuroshio

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The forcing mechanism leading to the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1029/2012jc007968 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 117 (C7) ◽

pp. n/a-n/a ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Chau-Ron Wu ◽

Yi-Chia Hsin

Keyword(s):

South China Sea ◽

South China ◽

The South China Sea ◽

Kuroshio Intrusion ◽

The South ◽

China Sea ◽

The Kuroshio

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Eddy-induced Heat Transport in the South China Sea

Journal of Physical Oceanography ◽

10.1175/jpo-d-20-0206.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ruibin Ding ◽

Jiliang Xuan ◽

Tao Zhang ◽

Lei Zhou ◽

Feng Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kinetic Energy ◽

South China Sea ◽

Heat Transport ◽

South China ◽

Eddy Kinetic Energy ◽

The South China Sea ◽

Kuroshio Intrusion ◽

The South ◽

China Sea ◽

The Kuroshio

AbstractEddy-induced heat transport (EHT) in the South China Sea (SCS) is important for the heat budget. However, knowledge of its variability is limited owing to discrepancies arising from the limitation of the down-gradient method and uncertainties arising from numerical models. Herein, we investigated the spatiotemporal variability and dynamics of EHT using a well-validated assimilated model. In particular, to the southeast of Vietnam (SEV) and west of Luzon Strait (WLS), significant values of annual mean EHT are observed and most EHT is confined in the upper 400 m. EHT also exhibits significant seasonality, and the largest EHT amplitude in autumn at SEV is mainly driven by the wind stress curl, while that in winter at WLS is mainly related to the Kuroshio intrusion. Energy budget analysis reveals that both the barotropic and baroclinic instabilities increase the eddy kinetic energy in autumn at SEV, whereas only the barotropic instability contributes to the eddy kinetic energy at WLS in winter. Specially, an up-gradient EHT is observed at WLS in all four seasons, characterized by the same directions between EHT and mean temperature gradient. The up-gradient EHT at WLS is induced by the baroclinic instability through an inverse energy transfer, which is generated by the interaction between the Kuroshio intrusion and topography below the surface layer. Moreover, the most significant up-gradient EHT in winter shows a wave-like southwestward propagating pattern in the subsurface layer.

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