Deep water circulation in the Luzon Strait. Issue 2 (7th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Wei; Zhou, Chun; Tian, Jiwei; Yang, Qingxuan; Wang, Bin; Xie, Lingling; Qu, Tangdong
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 119:Issue 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 790
• Page End: 804
• Publication Date: 2014-02-07
• Subjects: Oceanography -- Periodicals; 551.4605
• DOI: 10.1002/2013JC009587
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-9275

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Deep water circulation in the Luzon Strait, which connects the Pacific deep circulation with the South China Sea throughflow, is investigated using a set of oceanographic observations combined with results from three numerical experiments. Both the in situ observations and the model show a deep water overflow in the Luzon Strait. Their results suggest that the deep Pacific water first flows into the Luzon Strait through the Bashi Channel (1.2 Sv, 1 Sv = 1 × 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) and the Taltung Canyon (0.4 Sv), then turns southward along the Luzon Trough, and finally enters the South China Sea primarily through two gaps in the Heng‐Chun Ridge. Overall, the mean transport of the Luzon Strait overflow is about 1.5 Sv. Results from numerical experiments suggest that strong diapycnal mixing in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait, which sustains the baroclinic pressure gradient across the Luzon Strait, is the primary driving mechanism of the deep circulation in the Luzon Strait.</p> </abstract>