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Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environment Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Hui Wang

  2. Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Dakui Wang

  3. Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, State Oceanic Administration, Beijing, 100081, China

    Hui Wang, Dakui Wang, Guimei Liu & Huiding Wu

  4. Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, 21613, USA

    Dakui Wang & Ming Li

Authors
  1. Hui Wang
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  2. Dakui Wang
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  3. Guimei Liu
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  4. Huiding Wu
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  5. Ming Li
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Correspondence to Dakui Wang.

Additional information

Foundation item: 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.

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Wang, H., Wang, D., Liu, G. et al. Seasonal variation of eddy kinetic energy in the South China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 31, 1–15 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-012-0170-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-012-0170-7

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