Abstract
Satellite observations of sea level anomalies (SLA) from January 1993 to December 2012 are used to investigate the interannual to decadal changes of the boreal spring high SLA in the western South China Sea (SCS) using the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) method. We find that the SLA variability has two dominant modes. The Sea Level Changing Mode (SLCM) occurs mainly during La Niña years, with high SLA extension from west of Luzon to the eastern coast of Vietnam along the central basin of the SCS, and is likely induced by the increment of the ocean heat content. The Anticyclonic Eddy Mode (AEM) occurs mainly during El Niño years and appears to be triggered by the negative wind curl anomalies within the central SCS. In addition, the spring high SLA in the western SCS experienced a quasi-decadal change during 1993–2012; in other words, the AEM predominated during 1993–1998 and 2002–2005, while the La Niña-related SLCM prevailed during 1999–2001 and 2006–2012. Moreover, we suggest that the accelerated sea level rise in the SCS during 2005–2012 makes the SLCM the leading mode over the past two decades.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bayler E J, Liu Z Y. 2008. Basin-scale wind-forced dynamics of the seasonal southern South China Sea gyre. Journal of Geophysical Research, 113 (C7): C07014.
Björnsson H, Venegas S A. 1997. A manual for EOF and SVD analyses of climate data. CCGCR Report. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. p.23–27.
Cai S Q, Long X M, Wang S A. 2007. A model study of the summer Southeast Vietnam offshore current in the southern South China Sea. Continental Shelf Research, 27 (18): 2357–2372.
Carton J A, Chepurin G, Cao X H, Giese B. 2000. A simple ocean data assimilation analysis of the global upper ocean 1950-95. Part I: methodology. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 30 (2): 294–309.
Chao S Y, Shaw P T, Wu S Y. 1996. El Niño modulation of the South China Sea circulation. Progress in Oceanography, 38 (1): 51–93.
Chi P C, Chen Y, Lu S H. 1998. Wind-driven South China Sea deep basin warm-core/cool-core eddies. Journal of Oceanography, 54 (4): 347–360.
Chu P C, Chang C P. 1997. South China Sea warm pool in boreal spring. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 14 (2): 195–206.
Chu X Q, Xue H J, Qi Y Q, Chen G X, Mao Q W, Wang D X, Chai F. 2014. An exceptional anticyclonic eddy in the South China Sea i. 2010. Journal of Geophysical Research, 119 (2): 881–897.
Dieng H B, Cazenave A, Meyssignac B, Henry O, von Schuckmann K, Palanisamy H, Lemoine J M. 2014. effect of La Niña on the global mean sea level and north Pacific Ocean mass over 2005-2011. Journal of Geodetic Science, 4 (1), http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/jogs-2014-0003.
Fang G H, Chen H Y, Wei Z X, Wang Y G, Wang X Y, Li C Y. 2006. Trends and interannual variability of the South China Sea surface winds, surface height, and surface temperature in the recent decade. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111 (C11): C11S16.
Fang G H, Wang G, Fang Y, Fang W D. 2012. A review on the South China Sea western boundary current. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 31 (5): 1–10.
Fang W D, Fang G H, Shi P, Huang Q Z, Xie Q. 2002. Seasonal structures of upper layer circulation in the southern South China Sea from in situ observations. Journal of Geophysical Research, 107 (C11): 23-1-23-12.
Fang W D, Qiu F W, Guo P. 2014. Summer circulation variability in the South China Sea during 2006-2010. Journal of Marine Systems, 137: 47–54.
Gan J P, Qu T D. 2008. Coastal jet separation and associated flow variability in the southwest South China Sea. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 55 (1): 1–19.
He Z G, Zhang Y, Wang D X. 2013. Spring mesoscale high in the western South China Sea. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 32 (6): 1–5.
Ho C R, Zheng Q A, Soong Y S, Kuo N J, Hu J H. 2000. Seasonal variability of sea surface height in the South China Sea observed with TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105 (C6): 13981-13990.
Liu Q Y, Jiang X, Xie S P, Liu W T. 2004. A gap in the Indo-Pacific warm pool over the South China Sea in boreal winter: seasonal development and interannual variability. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109 (C7): C07012.
Liu Z Y, Yang H J, Liu Q Y. 2001. Regional dynamics of seasonal variability in the South China Sea. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 31 (1): 272–284.
McPhaden M J. 2008. Evolution of the 2006-2007 El Niño: the role of intraseasonal to interannual time scale dynamics. Advances in Geosciences, 14: 219–230.
Qiu F W, Fang W D, Fang Y, Guo P. 2012. Anomalous oceanic characteristics in the South China Sea associated with the large-scale forcing during 2006-2009. Journal of Marine Systems, 100-101: 9–18.
Qu T D, Mitsudera H, Yamagata T. 2000. Intrusion of the North Pacific waters into the South China Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105 (C3): 6415–6424.
Qu T D. 2001. Role of ocean dynamics in determining the mean seasonal cycle of the South China Sea surface temperature. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106 (C4): 6943–6955.
Swapna P, Gan J P, Lau A, Fung J. 2009. On the warm/cold regime shift in the South China Sea: observation and modeling study. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 56 (7): 1039–1056.
Wang B, Zhang Q. 2002. Pacific–East Asian teleconnection. Part II: how the Philippine Sea anomalous anticyclone is established during El Niño development. Journal of Climate, 15 (22): 3252–3265.
Wang G H, Chen D K, Su J L. 2006. Generation and life cycle of the dipole in the South China Sea summer circulation. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111 (C6): C06002.
Wang W Q, Wang C Z. 2006. Formation and decay of the spring warm pool in the South China Sea. Geophysical Research Letters, 33 (2): L02615.
Wu C R, Shaw P T, Chao S Y. 1998. Seasonal and interannual variations in the velocity field of the South China Sea. Journal of Oceanography, 54 (4): 361–372.
Xie S P, Xie Q, Wang D X, Liu W T. 2003. Summer upwelling in the South China Sea and its role in regional climate variations. Journal of Geophysical Research, 108 (C8): 3261.
Xiu P, Chai F, Shi L, Xue H J, Chao Y. 2010. A census of eddy activities in the South China Sea during 1993-2007. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115 (C3): C03012.
Yan Y F, Qi Y Q, Zhou W. 2010. Interannual heat content variability in the South China Sea and its response to ENSO. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 50 (3): 400–414.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41306026, 41176025, 41176031), the Scientific Research Foundation of the Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA (No. 2008014), the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Leading Science and Technology Projects (No. XDA1102030104), the Global Change and Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction (No. GASI-03-01-01-03), and the National Special Research Fund for Non-Profit Marine Sector (No. 201005005-2)
An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00343-017-7466-6.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Qiu, F., Fang, W., Pan, A. et al. Interannual to decadal variation of spring sea level anomaly in the western South China Sea. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 35, 79–88 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-016-5203-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-016-5203-1