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General Session 1: Physical oceanic processes: Dynamics and physical-biological-biogeochemical interactions |
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The cross-isobaths flow and its dynamic implication on the continental currents in the Northern South China Sea
Tuesday 10th @ 0920-0935
Multi-function Hall
Dongxiao Wang* , South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Yeqiang Shu, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Bo Hong, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Qiang Wang, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Jinglong Yao, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Presenter Email: dxwang@scsio.ac.cn
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| Along-isobaths barotropic pressure gradient in the Northern South China Sea (NSCS) determines the distribution of the cross-isobaths flow. The temperature distribution dominates the along-isobaths density gradient and determines the along-isobaths sea surface height gradient. The joint effect of baroclinicity and relief (JEBAR) is the dominant forcing of the across- shelf transport in the shelf break area. The major mass source of the SCS warm current (SCSWC) is the onshore-veered slope current. It is the JEBAR effect that supplies the necessary negative vorticity to maintain the slope current flowing across the isobaths and veering to the right hand to feed the SCSWC. Large-scale currents and has an important contribution to the upwelling intensity, which is comparable with the wind-driven upwelling at surface and has a stronger contribution to the upwelling intensity than the local wind does at bottom in the near-shore shelf region. The spatial distribution of the upwelling intensity in the NSCS is controlled by the alongshore topography in terms of both bottom Ekman transport and Ekman pumping. |
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