scholarly journals The Influence of Turbulent Mixing on the Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum Layer in the Northern South China Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenjing Shang ◽  
Changrong Liang ◽  
Guiying Chen ◽  
Yongli Gao
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
South China ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Luzon Strait ◽  
Nutrient Fluxes ◽  
Chl A ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum

Abstract. We present observations from deployments of a turbulent microstructure instrument and a CTD package in the northern South China Sea from April to May 2010. From these we determined the turbulent mixing (dissipation rate ε and diapycnal diffusivity κ), nutrients (phosphate, nitrate, and nitrite), nutrient fluxes, and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) in two transects (A and B). Transect A was located in region far away from the Luzon Strait where turbulent mixing in the upper 100 m was weak (κ~10−6–10−4 m2 s−1). Transect B was located in region near the Luzon Strait where the turbulent mixing in the upper 100 m was strong (κ~10−5–10−3 m2 s−1) due to the influence of the internal waves originating from the Luzon strait and the water intrusion from the western Pacific. In both transects, there was a thin subsurface chlorophyll maximum layer (SCML) (0.3–0.7 mg m−3) nested in the water column between ~50 and 100 m. The observations indicate that effects of turbulent mixing on the distributions of nutrient and Chl-a were different in different transects. In transect with weak turbulent mixing, nutrient fluxes induced by turbulent mixing transported nutrients to the SCML but not to the upper water. Nutrients were sufficient to maintain a local SCML phytoplankton population and the SCML remained compact. In transect with strong turbulent mixing, nutrient fluxes induced by turbulent mixing transported nutrients not only to the SCML but also to the upper water, which scatters the nutrients in the water column, and weakens and diffuses the SCML.

scholarly journals Impact of the Kuroshio intrusion on the nutrient inventory in the upper northern South China Sea: insights from an isopycnal mixing model

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 6419-6432 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Du ◽  
Z. Liu ◽  
M. Dai ◽  
S.-J. Kao ◽  
Z. Cao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
South China ◽  
Water Mass ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Mixing Model ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Kuroshio Intrusion ◽  
China Sea ◽  
The Kuroshio

Abstract. Based on four cruises covering a seasonal cycle in 2009–2011, we examined the impact of the Kuroshio intrusion, featured by extremely oligotrophic waters, on the nutrient inventory in the central northern South China Sea (NSCS). The nutrient inventory in the upper 100 m of the water column in the study area ranged from ∼200 to ∼290 mmol m−2 for N + N (nitrate plus nitrite), from ∼13 to ∼24 mmol m−2 for soluble reactive phosphate and from ∼210 to ∼430 mmol m−2 for silicic acid. The nutrient inventory showed a clear seasonal pattern with the highest value appearing in summer, while the N + N inventory in spring and winter had a reduction of ∼13 and ∼30%, respectively, relative to that in summer. To quantify the extent of the Kuroshio intrusion, an isopycnal mixing model was adopted to derive the proportional contribution of water masses from the SCS proper and the Kuroshio along individual isopycnal surfaces. The derived mixing ratio along the isopycnal plane was then employed to predict the genuine gradients of nutrients under the assumption of no biogeochemical alteration. These predicted nutrient concentrations, denoted as Nm, are solely determined by water mass mixing. Results showed that the nutrient inventory in the upper 100 m of the NSCS was overall negatively correlated to the Kuroshio water fraction, suggesting that the Kuroshio intrusion significantly influenced the nutrient distribution in the SCS and its seasonal variation. The difference between the observed nutrient concentrations and their corresponding Nm allowed us to further quantify the nutrient removal/addition associated with the biogeochemical processes on top of the water mass mixing. We revealed that the nutrients in the upper 100 m of the water column had a net consumption in both winter and spring but a net addition in fall.

scholarly journals Seasonal distributions and fluxes of <sup>210</sup>Pb and <sup>210</sup>Po in the northern South China Sea

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6813-6826 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-L. Wei ◽  
M.-C. Yi ◽  
S.-Y. Lin ◽  
L.-S. Wen ◽  
W.-H. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
South China Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
South China ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Secular Equilibrium ◽  
China Sea

Abstract. Vertical distributions of dissolved and particulate 210Pb and 210Po in the water column at the SouthEast Asian Time-series Study (SEATS, 18°00´ N and 116°00´ E) station in the northern South China Sea were determined from four cruises between January 2007 and June 2008. A large deficiency of 210Pb, 379 ± 43 × 103 dpm m−2, from the secular equilibrium was found within the 3500 m water column. On the other hand, a smaller deficiency of 210Po, 100 ± 21 × 103 dpm m−2, relative to 210Pb was found in the water column. Time-series data showed insignificant temporal variability of the 210Pb and 210Po profiles. To balance these deficiencies, the removal fluxes for 210Pb and 210Po via particle settling ranging from 45 to 51 dpm m−2d−1 and from 481 to 567 dpm m−2d−1, respectively, are expected at 3500 m. The 210Pb removal flux is comparable with, whereas the 210Po removal flux is much higher than, the flux directly measured by moored sediment traps. The discrepancy between the modeled 210Po flux and the measured flux suggests that sporadic events that enhance 210Po removal via sinking ballast may occur in the water column at the site.

scholarly journals Features of Intraseasonal Variability Observed in the Upper-Layer Current in the Northern South China Sea

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Xu ◽  
Yeqiang Shu ◽  
Dongxiao Wang ◽  
Ju Chen ◽  
Jinghong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Intraseasonal Variability ◽  
Mesoscale Eddy ◽  
Luzon Strait ◽  
Altimeter Data ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Spatial Differences ◽  
Long Time

This study reveals the features of the strong intraseasonal variability (ISV) of the upper-layer current in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) based on four long-time mooring observations and altimeter data. The ISV of the upper-layer current in the NSCS consists of two dominant periods of 10–65 days and 65–110 days. The ISV with period of 10–65 days is much strong in the Luzon Strait and decays rapidly westward along the slope. The ISV with the period of 65–110 days is relatively strong along the slope with two high cores at 115 and 119°E, whereas it is weak in the Luzon Strait. The 10–65-day ISV can propagate directly from the western Pacific into the NSCS for most of the time. However, due to its long wavelength, the 65–110-day ISV propagates into the NSCS indirectly, possibly similar to the wave diffraction phenomenon. The spatial differences between the two main frequency bands are primarily due to the baroclinic and barotropic instabilities. The spatial distribution of the upper-layer ISV is closely associated with the mesoscale eddy radius of the NSCS. The eddy radius is directly proportional to the strength of 65–110-day ISV, but it is inversely proportional to the strength of 10–65-day ISV.

scholarly journals Asian Winter Monsoon Imprint on the Water Column Structure at the Northern South China Sea Coast

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yancheng Zhang ◽  
Kai Zhu ◽  
Chao Huang ◽  
Deming Kong ◽  
Yuxin He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
South China ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Monsoon Circulation ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Effective Manner

Coastal regions of the northern South China Sea (SCS) strongly interact with the Asian monsoon circulation (AMC). Thus, variations of sea surface temperature (SST) here are newly suggested to document AMC changes in an effective manner, but additional physical parameters of oceanic conditions, probably also in relation to the AMC system, remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) from a well-dated sediment core YJ, retrieved at the northern SCS coast, to further scrutinize the intrinsic response of water column to winter AMC strength. It shows that within the time frame of past ∼1,000 years, the tetraether index of lipids with 86 carbon atoms (TEX86) and published alkenone (U37K′) temperature records together confirm a reduced thermal gradient during the Little Ice Age (LIA), in comparison to that during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA). Considering concurrent variations of the branched and isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) and the ratio of archaeol to caldarchaeol (ACE), for example, with decreased values (&lt;∼0.3) for the former and relatively high values for the latter at the LIA, indicative of stratification and salinity changes, respectively, these multiple lines of evidence thereby call for well mixing of onsite water at site YJ correspondingly. Our results suggest that winter AMC strength is a critical factor for mixing subsurface waters and modifying thermal/saline conditions at the northern SCS coasts through the last millennium and also, perhaps, on longer timescales.

Spatial structure of turbulent mixing of an anticyclonic mesoscale eddy in the northern South China Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 69-81
Author(s):  
Yongfeng Qi ◽  
Chenjing Shang ◽  
Huabin Mao ◽  
Chunhua Qiu ◽  
Changrong Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Spatial Structure ◽  
South China ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Mesoscale Eddy ◽  
China Sea

scholarly journals Spatial distribution of turbulent mixing in the upper ocean of the South China Sea

Ocean Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Dong Shang ◽  
Chang-Rong Liang ◽  
Gui-Ying Chen
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
South China Sea ◽  
Water Column ◽  
South China ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Dissipation Rate ◽  
Luzon Strait ◽  
The West ◽  
Dissipation Rates ◽  
Diapycnal Diffusivity

Abstract. The spatial distribution of the dissipation rate (ε) and diapycnal diffusivity (κ) in the upper ocean of the South China Sea (SCS) is presented from a measurement program conducted from 26 April to 23 May 2010. In the vertical distribution, the dissipation rates below the surface mixed layer were predominantly high in the thermocline where shear and stratification were strong. In the regional distribution, high dissipation rates and diapycnal diffusivities were observed in the region to the west of the Luzon Strait, with an average dissipation rate and diapycnal diffusivity of 8.3  ×  10−9 W kg−1 and 2.7  ×  10−5 m2 s−1, respectively, almost 1 order of magnitude higher than those in the central and southern SCS. In the region to the west of the Luzon Strait, the water column was characterized by strong shear and weak stratification. Elevated dissipation rates (ε > 10−7 W kg−1) and diapycnal diffusivities (κ > 10−4 m2 s−1), induced by shear instability, occurred in the water column. In the central and southern SCS, the water column was characterized by strong stratification and weak shear and the turbulent mixing was weak. Internal waves and internal tides generated near the Luzon Strait are expected to make a dominant contribution to the strong turbulent mixing and shear in the region to the west of the Luzon Strait. The observed dissipation rates were found to scale positively with the shear and stratification, which were consistent with the MacKinnon–Gregg model used for the continental shelf but different from the Gregg–Henyey scaling used for the open ocean.

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