The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea

DONG Jihai; ZHONG Yisen

doi:10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

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DONG Jihai, ZHONG Yisen. The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(11): 8-18. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

Citation:

DONG Jihai, ZHONG Yisen. The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(11): 8-18. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

DONG Jihai, ZHONG Yisen. The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(11): 8-18. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

Citation:

DONG Jihai, ZHONG Yisen. The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(11): 8-18. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

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The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern South China Sea

doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1277-2

DONG Jihai^1
,,
ZHONG Yisen²

1.
School of Marine Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
2.
Institute of Oceanology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Received Date: 2018-03-29

Abstract

Abstract

The spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes (SMPs) in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) are analyzed based on a high-resolution simulation from 2009 to 2012. The simulation results show that the SMPs with a vertical relative vorticity that matches the local planetary vorticity are ubiquitous in the upper ocean of the northeastern SCS. The SMPs distribution shows an asymmetry due to centrifugal instability, with stronger positive vorticity than negative vorticity. Meanwhile, the SMPs demonstrate an obvious seasonal variation. The SMPs are strong and active in winter but weak and inactive in summer. An investigation of the SMPs generation mechanisms reveals that flow straining and mixed layer depth account for this seasonal variation. The strong flow straining and deep mixed layer depth in winter favor the SMP generation via frontogenesis and mixed layer instability.
- submesoscale processes,
- South China Sea,
- frontogenesis,
- mixed layer instability

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References(38)

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