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A possible generation mechanism of the strong current over the northwestern shelf of the South China Sea

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Abstract

Continuous observation in late April 2005 on the northwestern shelf of the South China Sea reveals vigorous strong currents, the maximum velocity of which exceeds 3.8 m/s. The strong currents occurred around spring tide period, when the internal tide waves were also expected to be vigorous. Analysis shows that the major peaks of the current power spectrum are in low frequency band. Using a numerical method applied to the actual ocean stratification, we find that the amplitude profiles of the strong current are similar to that of the currents induced by some low-mode internal waves (at diurnal or semi-diurnal frequency). It indicates that the temporal and spatial features of strong currents were possibly induced by low frequency internal waves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key laboratory of Data Analysis and Applications (LDAA), Key laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling (MASNUM), First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, 266061, China

    Gang Wang, Fangli Qiao & Dejun Dai

  2. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Yijun Hou

Authors
  1. Gang Wang
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  2. Fangli Qiao
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  3. Dejun Dai
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  4. Yijun Hou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fangli Qiao.

Additional information

Foundation item: the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41006018 and 40730842, The National Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China under contract No. 2011CB403502, the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program) of China under contract No. 2008AA09A402, Open Fund of the Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Chinese Academy of Sciences under contract No. KLOCAW0905.

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Wang, G., Qiao, F., Dai, D. et al. A possible generation mechanism of the strong current over the northwestern shelf of the South China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 30, 27–32 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-011-0116-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-011-0116-5

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