Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites
The impacts of El Niño on sea surface salinity (SSS) in the South China Sea (SCS) are investigated using satellite observations, in-situ data, and reanalysis products. Here, we show that positive SSS anomalies cover most of the SCS during the mature phase of El Niño. The physical processes controlli...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6a6a |
| _version_ | 1797747035768619008 |
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| author | Jifeng Qi Yan Du Jianwei Chi Daling Li Yi Delei Li Baoshu Yin |
| author_facet | Jifeng Qi Yan Du Jianwei Chi Daling Li Yi Delei Li Baoshu Yin |
| author_sort | Jifeng Qi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The impacts of El Niño on sea surface salinity (SSS) in the South China Sea (SCS) are investigated using satellite observations, in-situ data, and reanalysis products. Here, we show that positive SSS anomalies cover most of the SCS during the mature phase of El Niño. The physical processes controlling these positive SSS anomalies are different from region to region, and the differences are especially obvious between the northern and southern SCS. In the northern SCS, the positive SSS anomalies are primarily caused by horizontal advection in response to an enhanced Kuroshio intrusion through the Luzon Strait, while changes in surface freshwater fluxes act to reduce SSS. In the southern SCS, the positive SSS anomalies are largely due to reduced surface freshwater fluxes, with ocean dynamics playing a secondary role. An anomalous anticyclone associated with El Niño is mainly responsible for the reduction of surface freshwater fluxes in the southern SCS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:45:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b64541ee0fb14b40a70f15cf8ff45141 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:45:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-b64541ee0fb14b40a70f15cf8ff451412023-08-09T15:28:53ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262022-01-0117505404010.1088/1748-9326/ac6a6aImpacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellitesJifeng Qi0Yan Du1Jianwei Chi2Daling Li Yi3Delei Li4Baoshu Yin5CAS Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) , Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) , Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) , Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China; International Pacific Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai’i , Honolulu, HI, United States of AmericaCAS Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Qingdao, People’s Republic of ChinaThe impacts of El Niño on sea surface salinity (SSS) in the South China Sea (SCS) are investigated using satellite observations, in-situ data, and reanalysis products. Here, we show that positive SSS anomalies cover most of the SCS during the mature phase of El Niño. The physical processes controlling these positive SSS anomalies are different from region to region, and the differences are especially obvious between the northern and southern SCS. In the northern SCS, the positive SSS anomalies are primarily caused by horizontal advection in response to an enhanced Kuroshio intrusion through the Luzon Strait, while changes in surface freshwater fluxes act to reduce SSS. In the southern SCS, the positive SSS anomalies are largely due to reduced surface freshwater fluxes, with ocean dynamics playing a secondary role. An anomalous anticyclone associated with El Niño is mainly responsible for the reduction of surface freshwater fluxes in the southern SCS.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6a6aEl NiñoSouth China Seasea surface salinityinterannual variability |
| spellingShingle | Jifeng Qi Yan Du Jianwei Chi Daling Li Yi Delei Li Baoshu Yin Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites Environmental Research Letters El Niño South China Sea sea surface salinity interannual variability |
| title | Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| title_full | Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| title_short | Impacts of El Niño on the South China Sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| title_sort | impacts of el nino on the south china sea surface salinity as seen from satellites |
| topic | El Niño South China Sea sea surface salinity interannual variability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6a6a |
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