Quick Search:       Advanced Search
WANG Hui,WANG Dakui,LIU Guimei,WU Huiding,LI Ming. 2012. Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, (1):1-15
Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea
Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea
Received:March 12, 2011  Revised:July 30, 2011
DOI:10.1007/s13131-012-0170-7
Key words:South China Sea  eddy kinetic energy  baroclinic instability  vertical shear
中文关键词:  South China Sea  eddy kinetic energy  baroclinic instability  vertical shear
基金项目:The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No. 41076011, 40531006, 41106024 and 40976014; and the National Basic Research Program of China under contract No. 2011CB403600.
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
WANG Hui College of Environment Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, State Oceanic Administration, Beijing 100081, China 
 
WANG Dakui Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, State Oceanic Administration, Beijing 100081, China
Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland 21613, USA 
dwang@umces.edu 
LIU Guimei Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, State Oceanic Administration, Beijing 100081, China  
WU Huiding Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, State Oceanic Administration, Beijing 100081, China  
LI Ming Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland 21613, USA  
Hits: 791
Download times: 726
Abstract:
      Mesoscale eddy activity and its modulation mechanism in the South China Sea (SCS) are investigated with newly reprocessed satellite altimetry observations and hydrographic data. The eddy kinetic energy (EKE) level of basin-wide averages show a distinct seasonal cycle with the maximum in August-December and the minimum in February-May. Furthermore, the seasonal pattern of EKE in the basin is dominated by region offshore of central Vietnam (OCV), southwest of Taiwan Island (SWT), and southwest of Luzon (SWL), which are also the breeding grounds of mesoscale eddies in the SCS. Instability theory analysis suggests that the seasonal cycle of EKE is modulated by the baroclinic instability of the mean flow. High eddy growth rate (EGR) is found in the active eddy regions. Vertical velocity shear in the upper 50-500 m is crucial for the growth of baroclinic instability, leading to seasonal EKE evolution in the SCS.
中文摘要:
      Mesoscale eddy activity and its modulation mechanism in the South China Sea (SCS) are investigated with newly reprocessed satellite altimetry observations and hydrographic data. The eddy kinetic energy (EKE) level of basin-wide averages show a distinct seasonal cycle with the maximum in August-December and the minimum in February-May. Furthermore, the seasonal pattern of EKE in the basin is dominated by region offshore of central Vietnam (OCV), southwest of Taiwan Island (SWT), and southwest of Luzon (SWL), which are also the breeding grounds of mesoscale eddies in the SCS. Instability theory analysis suggests that the seasonal cycle of EKE is modulated by the baroclinic instability of the mean flow. High eddy growth rate (EGR) is found in the active eddy regions. Vertical velocity shear in the upper 50-500 m is crucial for the growth of baroclinic instability, leading to seasonal EKE evolution in the SCS.
HTML View Full Text   View/Add Comment  Download reader
Close