Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope
Understanding the marine hydro-thermohaline environment is essential for terrestrial meteorology and the coastal ecosystem. Here, we provide insight into the hydro-thermohaline environment at the Qiongdongnan continental slope of the northern South China Sea and the mechanism controlling it, with fo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/9/1221 |
| _version_ | 1797486377666871296 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhiguo He Wenlin Hu Li Li Thomas Pähtz Jianlong Li |
| author_facet | Zhiguo He Wenlin Hu Li Li Thomas Pähtz Jianlong Li |
| author_sort | Zhiguo He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the marine hydro-thermohaline environment is essential for terrestrial meteorology and the coastal ecosystem. Here, we provide insight into the hydro-thermohaline environment at the Qiongdongnan continental slope of the northern South China Sea and the mechanism controlling it, with focus on its short-term characteristics. We employ a well-validated three-dimensional unstructured-grid-based Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) to analyze the spatial-temporal behavior of its hydro-thermohaline structures and to quantify the transport fluxes over a full tidal period. The analysis reveals a two-layer flow structure with directionally oppositely moving layers in the along-isobaths direction. Furthermore, transport patterns undergo periodic changes. During the spring tide, the downslope (along-isobaths) transport of water/heat/salt is approximately 119%/70%/120% higher (62%/62%/62% lower) than during the neap tide. From analyzing the different terms in the thermohaline balance equation, we find that the main dynamic factors controlling heat transport over a tidal period are the gravitational convention and the mean flow, while the salt transport is only dominated by the mean flow. The data of the short-term thermohaline evolution of the QDNS provided in this study may be of use for future studies of the northern SCS, including its marine ecology and marine fisheries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:32:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9758c57a5cd04973b0ef122420062f40 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:32:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-9758c57a5cd04973b0ef122420062f402023-11-23T17:06:44ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-09-01109122110.3390/jmse10091221Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan SlopeZhiguo He0Wenlin Hu1Li Li2Thomas Pähtz3Jianlong Li4Institute of Port, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, ChinaInstitute of Port, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, ChinaInstitute of Port, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, ChinaInstitute of Port, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, ChinaCollege of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaUnderstanding the marine hydro-thermohaline environment is essential for terrestrial meteorology and the coastal ecosystem. Here, we provide insight into the hydro-thermohaline environment at the Qiongdongnan continental slope of the northern South China Sea and the mechanism controlling it, with focus on its short-term characteristics. We employ a well-validated three-dimensional unstructured-grid-based Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) to analyze the spatial-temporal behavior of its hydro-thermohaline structures and to quantify the transport fluxes over a full tidal period. The analysis reveals a two-layer flow structure with directionally oppositely moving layers in the along-isobaths direction. Furthermore, transport patterns undergo periodic changes. During the spring tide, the downslope (along-isobaths) transport of water/heat/salt is approximately 119%/70%/120% higher (62%/62%/62% lower) than during the neap tide. From analyzing the different terms in the thermohaline balance equation, we find that the main dynamic factors controlling heat transport over a tidal period are the gravitational convention and the mean flow, while the salt transport is only dominated by the mean flow. The data of the short-term thermohaline evolution of the QDNS provided in this study may be of use for future studies of the northern SCS, including its marine ecology and marine fisheries.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/9/1221hydrodynamicthermohalinecontinental slopenorthern SCSheat transportsalt transport |
| spellingShingle | Zhiguo He Wenlin Hu Li Li Thomas Pähtz Jianlong Li Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope Journal of Marine Science and Engineering hydrodynamic thermohaline continental slope northern SCS heat transport salt transport |
| title | Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope |
| title_full | Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope |
| title_fullStr | Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope |
| title_short | Thermohaline Dynamics in the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea: A Case Study in the Qiongdongnan Slope |
| title_sort | thermohaline dynamics in the northern continental slope of the south china sea a case study in the qiongdongnan slope |
| topic | hydrodynamic thermohaline continental slope northern SCS heat transport salt transport |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/9/1221 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhiguohe thermohalinedynamicsinthenortherncontinentalslopeofthesouthchinaseaacasestudyintheqiongdongnanslope AT wenlinhu thermohalinedynamicsinthenortherncontinentalslopeofthesouthchinaseaacasestudyintheqiongdongnanslope AT lili thermohalinedynamicsinthenortherncontinentalslopeofthesouthchinaseaacasestudyintheqiongdongnanslope AT thomaspahtz thermohalinedynamicsinthenortherncontinentalslopeofthesouthchinaseaacasestudyintheqiongdongnanslope AT jianlongli thermohalinedynamicsinthenortherncontinentalslopeofthesouthchinaseaacasestudyintheqiongdongnanslope |