Intercomparison of three South China Sea circulation models

Three numerical oceanic circulation models:POM(Princeton ocean model), MICOM(Miami isopycnal coordinates ocean model) and GFDL model, which adopt sigma coordinate, isopycnal coordinate and depth coordinate respectively,are used in the South China Sea(SCS) circulation modeling. Model domain has the same topography, grid resolution,initial conditions and surface boundary conditions. The maximum ocean depth is set as 1000 m. Grid resolution is 0.5°×0.5°.Initial conditions are supplied by climatological temperature and salinity data in January. Climatological wind stress, surface temperature and salinity are used as surface forcing. Lateral boundaries take enclosed boundary conditions artificially. Focusing on the common point of different ocean circulation models, the circulation pattern in winter and summer, sea surface height in the northern SCS, seasonal cycle of the mixed layer thickness in the southem SCS,barotropic stream function in winter are selected to carry out intercomparison. In winter, a strong cyclonic gyre occupies the whole SCS. In summer, a strong anticyclonic gyre occupies the southern SCS and a weak cyclonic gyre occupies the northern SCS. The thickness of the mixed layer shows bimodal features in the southern SCS. Sea surface height anomaly(SSHA) in the northern SCS has an eastward propagating feature, in agreement with the remote sensing observation. Barotropic stream functions indicate that the circulation of the upper ocean is mainly forced by inputting of wind stress curl under closed boundary conditions. In addition, three models also show distinct differences. The basinscale circulation fiom MICOM is distinct. Output of POM has more mesoscale eddies than others. GFDL model seems good at simulating westward intensification.