Gengxin Chen

Mesoscale eddies in the South China Sea: Mean properties, spatiotemporal variability, and impact on thermohaline structure

We investigated mean properties and the spatiotemporal variability of eddies in the South China Sea (SCS) by analyzing more than 7000 eddies corresponding to 827 eddy tracks, identified using the winding angle method and 17 years of satellite altimetry data. Eddies are mainly generated in a northeast-southwest direction and southwest of Luzon Strait. There is no significant difference between the numbers of two types of eddies (anticyclonic and cyclonic) in most regions. The mean radius and lifetime of eddies are 132 km and 8.8 weeks, respectively, both depending on where the eddies are formed. Anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies tend to deform during their lifetimes in different ways. Furthermore, eddy propagation and evolution characteristics are examined. In the northern SCS, eddies mainly propagate southwestward along the continental slope with velocities of 5.0-9.0 cm s(-1), while in the central SCS, eddies tend to move with slight divergence but still in a quasi-westward direction with velocities of 2.0-6.4 cm s(-1). Eddy propagation in the western basin to the east of Vietnam is quite random, with no uniform propagate direction. Investigation of 38 long-lived eddies shows that eddies have a swift growing phase during the first 12 weeks and then a slow decaying phase that affects the eddy radii and eddy energy densities. Nevertheless, vorticity has less variability. In addition, the effect of eddies on the thermocline and halocline is analyzed using 763 Argo temperature profile data. Cyclonic eddies drive the thermocline shallower and thinner and significantly strengthen the thermocline intensity, whereas anticyclonic eddies cause the thermocline to deepen and thicken and weaken the thermocline intensity to a certain degree. The halocline impacted by cyclonic eddies is also shallower and thinner than that impacted by anticyclonic eddies. Finally, eddy temporal variations are examined at seasonal and interannual scales. Eddy activity is sensitive to the wind stress curl and in the northern SCS it is also related with the strength of the background flows.

An exceptional anticyclonic eddy in the South China Sea in 2010

The highest sea level near the Xisha Islands in recent 20 years occurred during August 2010. Satellite altimeter data indicated that the extreme event was largely due to an anticyclonic eddy, whose amplitude exceeded 20 cm and size exceeded 400 km on 11 August 2010. Cruise observations showed the eddy raised the center temperature by 7.7 degrees C at 75 m and vertically extended to 500 m. Eddy tracking showed it had a life span of more than 8 months and propagated far from the south of Xisha Islands. Such strong and long-lasting eddy that moved northward for such a long distance was observed for the first time in the South China Sea (SCS). Observational data from CTD/XBT and the reconstructed three-dimensional temperature and salinity were used to explore the eddys features and vertical structure. Our analyses show the 2010 summer monsoon and current in the western boundary of the SCS were largely altered after the 09/10 El Nino event. From May onward, the wind blew northward and strengthened over the northwestern SCS. Such wind drove a strong northward current along the western boundary, which carried the eddy northward by advection from May to July. Energy budget showed, during the eddy northward propagation, the boundary current passed energy to the eddy, which led to the continuing growth of the eddy in both strength and size.

Eddy heat and salt transports in the South China Sea and their seasonal modulations

This study describes characteristics of eddy (turbulent) heat and salt transports, in the basin-scale circulation as well as in the embedded mesoscale eddy found in the South China Sea (SCS). We first showed the features of turbulent heat and salt transports in mesoscale eddies using sea level anomaly (SLA) data, in situ hydrographic data, and 375 Argo profiles. We found that the transports were horizontally variable due to asymmetric distributions of temperature and salinity anomalies and that they were vertically correlated with the thermocline and halocline depths in the eddies. An existing barrier layer caused the halocline and eddy salt transport to be relatively shallow. We then analyzed the transports in the basin-scale circulation using an eddy diffusivity method and the sea surface height data, the Argo profiles, and the climatological hydrographic data. We found that relatively large poleward eddy heat transports occurred to the east of Vietnam (EOV) in summer and to the west of the Luzon Islands (WOL) in winter, while a large equatorward heat transport was located to the west of the Luzon Strait (WLS) in winter. The eddy salt transports were mostly similar to the heat transports but in the equatorward direction due to the fact that the mean salinity in the upper layer in the SCS tended to decrease toward the equator. Using a 21/2-layer reduced-gravity model, we conducted a baroclinic instability study and showed that the baroclinic instability was critical to the seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) and thus the eddy transports. EOV, WLS, and WOL were regions with strong baroclinic instability, and, thus, with intensified eddy transports in the SCS. The combined effects of vertical velocity shear, latitude, and stratification determined the intensity of the baroclinic instability, which intensified the eddy transports EOV during summer and WLS and WOL during winter.

Seasonal-to-Interannual Time-Scale Dynamics of the Equatorial Undercurrent in the Indian Ocean*

AbstractThis paper investigates the structure and dynamics of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) of the Indian Ocean by analyzing in situ observations and reanalysis data and performing ocean model experiments using an ocean general circulation model and a linear continuously stratified ocean model. The results show that the EUC regularly occurs in each boreal winter and spring, particularly during February and April, consistent with existing studies. The EUC generally has a core depth near the 20°C isotherm and can be present across the equatorial basin. The EUC reappears during summer–fall of most years, with core depth located at different longitudes and depths. In the western basin, the EUC results primarily from equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves directly forced by equatorial easterly winds. In the central and eastern basin, however, reflected Rossby waves from the eastern boundary play a crucial role. While the first two baroclinic modes make the largest contribution, intermediate modes 3–8 are also ...

Intraseasonal variability of upwelling in the equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean

By analyzing satellite observations and conducting a series of ocean general circulation model experiments, this study examines the physical processes that determine intraseasonal variability (ISV) of the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) upwelling for the 2001–2011 period. The ISV of EIO upwelling—as indicated by sea level, thermocline depth, and sea surface temperature (SST)—is predominantly forced by atmospheric intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs), and shows larger amplitudes during winter-spring season (November–April) when atmospheric ISOs are stronger than summer-fall (May–October). The chlorophyll (Chl-a) concentration, another indicator of upwelling, however reveals its largest intraseasonal variability during May–October, when the mean thermocline is shallow and seasonal upwelling occurs. For both winter-spring and summer-fall seasons, the ISV of EIO sea level and thermocline depth is dominated by remote forcing from the equatorial Indian Ocean wind stress, which drives Kelvin waves that propagate along the equator and subsequently along the Sumatra-Java coasts. Local wind forcing within the EIO plays a secondary role. The ISV of SST, however, is dominated by upwelling induced by remote equatorial wind only during summer-fall, with less contribution from surface heat fluxes for this season. During winter-spring, the ISV of SST results primarily from shortwave radiation and turbulent heat flux induced by wind speed associated with the ISOs, and local forcing dominates the SST variability. In this season, the mean thermocline is deep in the warm pool and thus thermocline variability decouples from the ISV of SST. Only in summer-fall when the mean thermocline is shallow, upwelling has important impact on SST.

Interannual Variability of Equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean Upwelling: Local versus Remote Forcing*

AbstractThe equatorial eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) upwelling occurs in the Indian Ocean warm pool, differing from the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic upwelling that occurs in the cold tongue. By analyzing observations and performing ocean model experiments, this paper quantifies the remote versus local forcing in causing interannual variability of the equatorial EIO upwelling from 2001 to 2011 and elucidates the associated processes. For all seasons, interannual variability of thermocline depth in the EIO, as an indicator of upwelling, is dominated by remote forcing from equatorial Indian Ocean winds, which drive Kelvin waves that propagate along the equator and subsequently along the Sumatra–Java coasts. Upwelling has prominent signatures in sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration but only in boreal summer–fall (May–October). Local forcing plays a larger role than remote forcing in producing interannual SST anomaly (SSTA). During boreal summer–fall, when the mean thermocline is relat...

Observed deep energetic eddies by seamount wake.

Despite numerous surface eddies are observed in the ocean, deep eddies (a type of eddies which have no footprints at the sea surface) are much less reported in the literature due to the scarcity of their observation. In this letter, from recently collected current and temperature data by mooring arrays, a deep energetic and baroclinic eddy is detected in the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) with its intensity, size, polarity and structure being characterized. It remarkably deepens isotherm at deep layers by the amplitude of ~120 m and induces a maximal velocity amplitude about 0.18 m/s, which is far larger than the median velocity (0.02 m/s). The deep eddy is generated in a wake when a steering flow in the upper layer passes a seamount, induced by a surface cyclonic eddy. More observations suggest that the deep eddy should not be an episode in the area. Deep eddies significantly increase the velocity intensity and enhance the mixing in the deep ocean, also have potential implication for deep-sea sediments transport.

Characteristics, vertical structures, and heat/salt transports of mesoscale eddies in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean

Satellite altimetry sea surface height measurements reveal high mesoscale eddy activity in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO). In this study, the characteristics of mesoscale eddies in the SETIO are investigated by analyzing 564 cyclonic eddy (CE) tracks and 695 anticyclonic eddy (AE) tracks identified from a new version of satellite altimetry data with a daily temporal resolution. The mean radius, lifespan, propagation speed, and distance of CEs (AEs) are 149 (153) km, 50 (46) days, 15.3 (16.6) cm s21, and 651 (648) km, respectively. Some significant differences exist in the eddy statistical characteristics between the new-version daily altimeter data and the former weekly data. Mean vertical structures of anomalous potential temperature, salinity, geostrophic current, as well as heat and salt transports of the composite eddies, are estimated by analyzing Argo profile data matched to altimeter-detected eddies. The composite analysis shows that eddy-induced ocean anomalies are mainly confined in the upper 300 dbar. In the eddy core, CE (AE) could induce a cooling (warming) of 2 degrees C between 60 and 180 dbar and maximum positive (negative) salinity anomalies of 0.1 (-0.3) psu in the upper 50 (110) dbar. The meridional heat transport induced by the composite CE (AE) is southward (northward), whereas the salt transport of CE (AE) is northward (southward). Most of the meridional heat and salt transports are carried in the upper 300 dbar.

Physical and biological controls on the summer chlorophyll bloom to the east of Vietnam

The contributions of physical and biological processes to the chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) bloom to the east of Vietnam in summer are examined. The offshore jet redistributes Chl-a concentration by transporting high Chl-waters from the continental margin to the east of Vietnam. The jet also contributes to high concentrations of nutrients and zooplankton biomass that lead to a dynamic balance between increased nutrients and grazing pressure for phytoplankton growth. As a consequence, the net biological processes reduce the Chl-a concentrations in the broader offshore region, but they also maintain the filaments with higher Chl-a stretching away from the coast due to the reduced grazing pressure.

Strong Intraseasonal Variability of Meridional Currents near 5°N in the Eastern Indian Ocean: Characteristics and Causes

AbstractThis paper reports on strong, intraseasonal, upper-ocean meridional currents observed in the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal (BOB) and the equator and elucidates the underlying physical processes responsible for them. In situ measurements from a subsurface mooring at 5°N, 90.5°E reveal strong intraseasonal variability of the meridional current with an amplitude of ~0.4 m s−1 and a typical period of 30–50 days in the upper 150 m, which by far exceeds the magnitudes of the mean flow and seasonal cycle. Such prominent intraseasonal variability is, however, not seen in zonal current at the same location. Further analysis suggests that the observed intraseasonal flows are closely associated with westward-propagating eddylike sea surface height anomalies (SSHAs) along 5°N. The eddylike SSHAs are largely manifestations of symmetric Rossby waves, which result primarily from intraseasonal wind stress forcing in the equatorial waveguide and reflection of the equatorial Kelvin waves at the eastern bou...