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Physical processes causing the formation of hypoxia off the Changjiang estuary after Typhoon Chan-hom, 2015

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Abstract

Severe hypoxia was observed in the submarine canyon to the east of the Changjiang estuary in July 14, 2015, two days after typhoon Chan-hom. The oxygen concentration reached as low as 2.0 mg/L and occupied a water column of about 25 m. A ROMS model was configured to explore the underlying physical processes causing the formation of hypoxia. Chan-hom passed through the Changjiang estuary during the neap tide. The stratification was completely destroyed in the shallow nearshore region when typhoon passing. However, it was maintained in the deep canyon, though the surface mixed layer was largely deepened. The residual water in the deep canyon is considered to be the possible source of the later hypoxia. After Chan-hom departure, not only the low salinity plume water spread further off shore, but also the sea surface temperature (SST) rewarmed quickly. Both changes helped strengthen the stratification and facilitate the formation of hypoxia. It was found that the surface heat flux, especially the solar short wave radiation dominated the surface re-warming, the off shore advection of the warmer Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) also played a role. In addition to the residual water in the deep canyon, the Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) was found to flow into the deep canyon pre- and soon post- Chan-hom, which was considered to be the original source of the hypoxia water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Oceanography Laboratory/CIMST, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Yaru Guo, Zengrui Rong, Zhao Xu & Xiaodan Li

  2. Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China

    Zengrui Rong & Zhao Xu

  3. Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, China

    Bo Li

  4. Shanghai Marine Environmental Monitoring and Forecasting Center, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Pixue Li

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  1. Yaru Guo
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  2. Zengrui Rong
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  3. Bo Li
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  4. Zhao Xu
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  6. Xiaodan Li
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Correspondence to Zengrui Rong.

Additional information

Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC1402000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41406008, 41706022), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 201762032), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2014DQ023), and the SRF for ROCS, SEM[2014] No. 1685

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Guo, Y., Rong, Z., Li, B. et al. Physical processes causing the formation of hypoxia off the Changjiang estuary after Typhoon Chan-hom, 2015. J. Ocean. Limnol. 37, 1–17 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-019-7336-5

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