Tswen Yung Tang

Monsoon-forced chlorophyll distribution and primary production in the South China Sea: Observations and a numerical study

Although the South China Sea (SCS) exchanges water constantly with the western Philippine Sea, its nutricline is much shallower and its chlorophyll level in surface waters is twice as high. Analysis of CZCS-SeaWiFS data and shipboard data reveals a strong seasonality of chlorophyll in the SCS in three upwelling regions. A three-dimensional numerical model with coupled physics and biogeochemistry is developed to study the effect of monsoonal forcing on nutrient upwelling and phytoplankton growth in the SCS. The model has a horizontal resolution of 0.41 in the domain 2–24.81N and 99–124.61E and 21 layers in the vertical. The circulation is driven by monthly climatological winds. The nitrogen-based ecosystem model has four compartments: dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus. The chlorophyll-to-phytoplankton ratio depends on light and DIN availability. The biological equations and parameters are taken from previous modeling studies of the Sargasso Sea. The model simulates the nitrate profile, the strong subsurface chlorophyll maximum, and the primary production in the central basin with reasonable success. It also generates intense chlorophyll patches in the monsoon-driven upwelling regions northwest of Luzon and north of the Sunda Shelf in winter and off the east coast of Vietnam in summer. The results are in reasonable agreement with shipboard observations and CZCS-SeaWiFS data. The primary production derived from SeaWiFS data shows a strong peak in winter and weak peak in summer with an annual mean of 354 mg C m � 2 d � 1 for the whole basin. The modeled primary production displays seasonal variation resembling the trend derived from SeaWiFS data, but the magnitude (280 mg C m � 2 d � 1 ) is smaller by 20%. The model also predicts an export fraction of 12% from the primary production in the euphotic zone. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internal tide and nonlinear internal wave behavior at the continental slope in the northern south China Sea

A field program to measure acoustic propagation characteristics and physical oceanography was undertaken in April and May 2001 in the northern South China Sea. Fluctuating ocean properties were measured with 21 moorings in water of 350- to 71-m depth near the continental slope. The sea floor at the site is gradually sloped at depths less than 90 m, but the deeper area is steppy, having gradual slopes over large areas that are near critical for diurnal internal waves and steep steps between those areas that account for much of the depth change. Large-amplitude nonlinear internal gravity waves incident on the site from the east were observed to change amplitude, horizontal length scale, and energy when shoaling. Beginning as relatively narrow solitary waves of depression, these waves continued onto the shelf much broadened in horizontal scale, where they were trailed by numerous waves of elevation (alternatively described as oscillations) that first appeared in the continental slope region. Internal gravity waves of both diurnal and semidiurnal tidal frequencies (internal tides) were also observed to propagate into shallow water from deeper water, with the diurnal waves dominating. The internal tides were at times sufficiently nonlinear to break down into bores and groups of high-frequency nonlinear internal waves.

Upper-ocean currents around Taiwan

Abstract Current velocity, measured by Shipboard Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (Sb-ADCP) during 1991–2000, was used to study the upper-ocean ( The composite and moored currents revealed a branch of the Kuroshio that intruded steadily and persistently into the South China Sea. Part of the intruded Kuroshio flowed out of the South China Sea through the northern Luzon Strait and re-united with the main stream Kuroshio. The Kuroshio had two velocity maximum cores southeast of Taiwan, but gradually combined into one as the Kuroshio flowed north. The Kuroshio was deflected by the I-Lan Ridge east of Taiwan and the zonal-running shelf break northeast of Taiwan. At the shelf break, the Kuroshio split, with one branch intruding onto the shelf. West of the Luzon Strait, the Kuroshio intruded into the South China Sea. Some water flowed northward into the Taiwan Strait and re-joined the Kuroshio. Currents in the Taiwan Strait flowed primarily in a northward direction, except for the southward current near the coast of Mainland China. North of the Taiwan Strait, a branch of the northward flow followed the northern coast of Taiwan to join the Kuroshio. The composite current varied consistently from season to season. There was generally poor correlation between currents and local winds, especially in the deep-water regime. Remote forces were important in the currents around Taiwan.

The formation and fate of internal waves in the South China Sea

Internal gravity waves, the subsurface analogue of the familiar surface gravity waves that break on beaches, are ubiquitous in the ocean. Because of their strong vertical and horizontal currents, and the turbulent mixing caused by their breaking, they affect a panoply of ocean processes, such as the supply of nutrients for photosynthesis, sediment and pollutant transport and acoustic transmission; they also pose hazards for man-made structures in the ocean. Generated primarily by the wind and the tides, internal waves can travel thousands of kilometres from their sources before breaking, making it challenging to observe them and to include them in numerical climate models, which are sensitive to their effects. For over a decade, studies have targeted the South China Sea, where the oceans’ most powerful known internal waves are generated in the Luzon Strait and steepen dramatically as they propagate west. Confusion has persisted regarding their mechanism of generation, variability and energy budget, however, owing to the lack of in situ data from the Luzon Strait, where extreme flow conditions make measurements difficult. Here we use new observations and numerical models to (1) show that the waves begin as sinusoidal disturbances rather than arising from sharp hydraulic phenomena, (2) reveal the existence of >200-metre-high breaking internal waves in the region of generation that give rise to turbulence levels >10,000 times that in the open ocean, (3) determine that the Kuroshio western boundary current noticeably refracts the internal wave field emanating from the Luzon Strait, and (4) demonstrate a factor-of-two agreement between modelled and observed energy fluxes, which allows us to produce an observationally supported energy budget of the region. Together, these findings give a cradle-to-grave picture of internal waves on a basin scale, which will support further improvements of their representation in numerical climate predictions.

The flow pattern north of Taiwan and the migration of the Kuroshio

Abstract The migration of the Kuroshio and mesoscale flow pattern north of Taiwan were studied using the historical ship-board acoustic Doppler current profiler (Sb-ADCP) current velocity and hydrographic measurements, moored current velocity, water temperature and salinity time series, snapshot current velocity observations and infrared images. The Kuroshio migrated both seasonally and intra-seasonally, with the former being more pronounced. The flow pattern north of Taiwan was significantly impacted by the seasonal migration of the Kuroshio. In summer the Kuroshio generally moved away from the shelf, colliding with the zonally running shelf breaks of the East China Sea (ECS) and splitting into an eastward mainstream and a northwestward branch current. Southwest of the branch current, a counterclockwise circulation was found along the edge of the shelf northeast of Taiwan, through which the subsurface Kuroshio water intruded forming a cold dome. In winter the Kuroshio moved close to and sometimes onto the northern shelf of Taiwan. The intrusion of the Kuroshio dominated the flow pattern in the region, causing the disappearance or obscuration of the counterclockwise circulation and cold dome. A sharp horizontal temperature front accompanying the horizontal velocity front was found on the northern shelf of Taiwan, through which the current flowed mainly northward against the winter monsoon. Intra-seasonal variations in flow patterns north of Taiwan and the intra-seasonal migration of the Kuroshio were also studied. In summer the counterclockwise circulation and cold dome migrated shoreward/seaward with the intra-seasonal migration of the Kuroshio. In winter the Kuroshio either intruded onto the shelf just off the northern tip of Taiwan or slightly further north. The resulting flow patterns north of Taiwan varied with the path of the intruding Kuroshio. Though the impact of the Taiwan Strait outflow on the flow pattern north of Taiwan was not negligible, it was not as great as the impact of the Kuroshio. Conversely, the intrusion of the Kuroshio strongly influenced the Taiwan Strait outflow. In summer counterclockwise circulation blocked the Taiwan Strait outflow and directly interacted with the Kuroshio. In winter the outflow joined with the on-shelf Kuroshio north of Taiwan.

Cross-shelf and along-shelf nutrient fluxes derived from flow fields and chemical hydrography observed in the southern East China Sea off northern Taiwan

Cross-shelf exchange of nutrients (N, P and Si) off northeastern Taiwan and along-shelf transports just north of the Taiwan Strait was assessed using chemical hydrography and velocity fields observed in August 1994 (summer) and March 1997 (winter). The summer survey was conducted along the periphery of a triangle. The velocity field was determined by phase-averaged current velocities measured with ship-borne ADCP on two rounds separated by 3.5 cycles of the dominant M2 tide. Nutrient distributions were derived from phase-averaged hydrographic data. Although the inflowing and outflowing volume transports were mismatched by 14% largely due to poorly estimated surface flow that carried little nutrients, the inputs and outputs of nutrients agreed within 2–5%. Such consistency lends support to the adopted approach for estimating nutrient fluxes. The winter survey, which provided observations on two transects, one along-shelf and one cross-shelf, was conducted using two ships separated by 1/2 cycle of the M2 tide. Results from the two ships allowed determination of the phase-averaged flow fields and chemical hydrography. The two surveys indicated that the Kuroshio upwelling provided rather constant nutrient fluxes to the shelf, which were comparable to the total nutrient influxes from slope waters to the Mid and South Atlantic Bight and considerably larger than the riverine sources. Significant amounts of nutrients from the shelf leaked back into the surface layer of the Kuroshio, replenishing its impoverished nutrient reserves. Along-shelf nutrient fluxes from the Taiwan Strait changed drastically between seasons, ranging from less than half to more than double the Kuroshio inputs. In the light of the variability of the shelf environment, more observations are needed to better determine the mean condition of this transport.

Solitons northeast of Tung-Sha Island during the ASIAEX pilot studies

In a recent study, satellite images have shown that internal solitons are active in the northern South China Sea (SCS). During the Asian Seas International Acoustic Experiment (ASIAEX) pilot studies, current profiler and thermistor chain moorings were deployed in the spring of 1999 and 2000 to investigate internal solitons northeast of Tung-Sha Island on the continental slope of the northern SCS. Most of the observed internal solitons were first baroclinic mode depression waves. The largest horizontal current velocity, vertical displacement, and temperature variation induced by the internal solitons were around 240 cm/s, 106 m, and 11/spl deg/C, respectively, while the estimated nonlinear phase speed was primarily westward at 152 /spl plusmn/ 4 cm/s. The observed internal solitons could be categorized as four types. The first type is the incoming wave from deep water and can be described reasonably well with the KdV equation. The second and third types are in the transition zone before and close to the turning point (where the upper and lower layer depths are equal), respectively. These two types of solitons were generally near the wave-breaking stage. The fourth type of soliton is a second baroclinic mode and probably was locally generated. The time evolutions are asymmetric, especially at the middle depths. A temperature kink following the main pulse of the soliton is often seen. Higher order nonlinear and shallow topographic effects could be the primary cause for these features. The appearance/disappearance of internal solitons coincides mostly with spring/neap tide. The internal soliton is irregularly seen during the neap tide period and its amplitude is generally small. The time interval between two leading solitons is generally around 12 h. The first baroclinic mode of the semidiurnal tide has a larger amplitude than the diurnal tide and could redistribute its energy into the soliton.

Connectivity of the Taiwan, Cheju and Korea Straits

Insight into the circulation of the East China Sea and origin of the Tsushima Current are investigated through direct, concurrent measurements of velocities through the Taiwan, Cheju, and Korea Straits. Current data are obtained from six bottom-mounted acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) arrayed along a section spanning the Korea Strait, a single bottom-moored ADCP in the Cheju Strait, and four bottom-moored ADCPs along a section spanning the Taiwan Strait. Mass transports are computed for the October–December, 1999 time period. In addition, temperature and salt transports are examined in conjunction with climatological values of temperature and salinity. Average volume transport is 0.14 Sverdrups (Sv) through the Taiwan Strait, 0:59 Sv for the Cheju Strait, and 3:17 Sv for the Korea Strait. Salt and temperature transport through the Korea Strait and into the Japan/East Sea are 110:48 � 10 6 kg=s and 0:24 � 10 15 watts (W), respectively. Heat loss in the East China Sea is approximately 200 W=m 2 : Winds affect the transports in each of the straits. Most noticeable wind effects are observed in the Taiwan Strait where strong north wind events force flow into the South China Sea. The main source for the Tsushima Current and its flow into the Japan/East Sea is clearly the Kuroshio for fall, 1999. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

The Breaking and Scattering of the Internal Tide on a Continental Slope

AbstractA strong internal tide is generated in the Luzon Strait that radiates westward to impact the continental shelf of the South China Sea. Mooring data in 1500-m depth on the continental slope show a fortnightly averaged incoming tidal flux of 12 kW m−1, and a mooring on a broad plateau on the slope finds a similar flux as an upper bound. Of this, 5.5 kW m−1 is in the diurnal tide and 3.5 kW m−1 is in the semidiurnal tide, with the remainder in higher-frequency motions. Turbulence dissipation may be as high as 3 kW m−1. Local generation is estimated from a linear model to be less than 1 kW m−1. The continental slope is supercritical with respect to the diurnal tide, implying that there may be significant back reflection into the basin. Comparing the low-mode energy of a horizontal standing wave at the mooring to the energy flux indicates that perhaps one-third of the incoming diurnal tidal energy is reflected. Conversely, the slope is subcritical with respect to the semidiurnal tide, and the observed ...

A case study of internal solitary wave propagation during ASIAEX 2001

During the recent Asian Seas International Acoustics Experiment (ASIAEX), extensive current meter moorings were deployed around the continental shelf-break area in the northeastern South China Sea. Thirteen RADARSAT SAR images were collected during the field test to integrate with the in situ measurements from the moorings, ship-board sensors, and conductivity/temperatire/depth (CTD) casts. Besides providing a synoptic view of the entire region, satellite imagery is very useful for tracking the internal waves, locating surface fronts, and identifying mesoscale features. During ASIAEX in May 2001, many large internal waves were observed at the test area and were the major oceanic features studied for acoustic volume interaction. Based on the internal wave distribution maps compiled from satellite data, the wave crests can be as long as 200 km with an amplitude of 100 m. Environmental parameters have been calculated based on extensive CTD casts data near the ASIAEX area. Nonlinear internal wave models have been applied to integrate and assimilate both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and mooring data. Using SAR data in deep water as an initial condition, numerical simulations produced the wave evolution on the continental shelf and compared reasonably well with the mooring measurements at the downstream station. The shoaling, turning, and dissipation of large internal waves at the shelf break have been studied and are very important issues for acoustic propagation.