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Case study on the three-dimensional structure of meso-scale eddy in the South China Sea based on a high-resolution model

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Abstract

Meso-scale eddies are important features in the South China Sea (SCS). The eddies with diameters of 50–200 km can greatly impact the transport of heat, momentum, and tracers. A high-resolution wave-tide-circulation coupled model was developed to simulate the meso-scale eddy in the SCS in this study. The aim of this study is to examine the model ability to simulate the meso-scale eddy in the SCS without data assimilations The simulated Sea Surface Height (SSH) anomalies agree with the observed the AVISO SSH anomalies well. The simulated subsurface temperature profiles agree with the CTD observation data from the ROSE (Responses of Marine Hazards to climate change in the Western Pacific) project. The simulated upper-ocean currents also agree with the main circulation based on observations. A warm eddy is identified in winter in the northern SCS. The position and domain of the simulated eddy are confirmed by the observed sea surface height data from the AVISO. The result shows that the model has the ability to simulate the meso-scale eddy in the SCS without data assimilation. The three-dimensional structure of the meso-scale eddy in the SCS is analyzed using the model result. It is found that the eddy center is tilted vertically, which agrees with the observation. It is also found that the velocity center of the eddy does not coincide with the temperature center of the eddy. The result shows that the model has the ability to simulate the meso-scale eddy in the SCS without data assimilations. Further study on the forming mechanism and the three-dimensional structure of the meso-scale eddies will be carried out using the model result and cruise observation data in the near future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Qingdao, 266061, China

    Changshui Xia, Guansuo Wang, Xunqiang Yin & Jingsong Guo

  2. Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Ansan, 426-744, Republic of Korea

    KyungTae Jung

Authors
  1. Changshui Xia
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  2. KyungTae Jung
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  3. Guansuo Wang
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  4. Xunqiang Yin
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  5. Jingsong Guo
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Correspondence to Changshui Xia.

Additional information

Foundation item: The National Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China under contract No. 2014CB745004; China-Korea Cooperation Project on the development of oceanic monitoring and prediction system on nuclear safety; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No. 41206025; NSFC—Shandong Joint Fund for Marine Science Research Centers under contract No. U1406404. The research was partially supported by China-Korea Joint Ocean Research Center.

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Xia, C., Jung, K., Wang, G. et al. Case study on the three-dimensional structure of meso-scale eddy in the South China Sea based on a high-resolution model. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 35, 29–38 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-016-0805-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-016-0805-1

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