Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2013, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (6): 22-27.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2013.06.004cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2013.06.004

• Marine Hydrography • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The characteristics of internal solitary waves at Liuhua in the northern South China Sea

SHI Xin-gang1, LIU Yao-hua1, LAN Zhi-gang1, SONG Ji-wen1, HE Qi1, LEI Fang-hui2, WANG Jun-qin2, HUANG Bi-gui2, ZHU Xue-ming3   

  1. 1. China National Offshore Oil Corporation Information Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100027, China; 2. China National Offshore Oil Corporation Research Institute, Beijing 100027, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Research on Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, Beijing 100081, China
  • Received:2012-08-02 Revised:2012-11-30 Online:2013-12-20 Published:2014-01-21

Abstract:

Using the observed data from a submerged buoy system at Liuhua in the northern South China Sea in April 2011, the characteristics of internal solitary waves (ISWs) have been studied by analyzing the isotherms and current fields near the thermocline. It is found that the ISWs mainly came from the strait between Luzon and Fuga islands, generated during the spring tide period, and that the propagation direction of the ISWs was 292° mostly. Most of the ISWs were Type a, appeared regularly at 0 o’clock almost everyday, and the average period was 24 hours. In addition, an ISW with the maximum amplitude during the observation was analyzed. It appeared at 1 o’clock on April 21st. It was a typical first-mode depression wave, and its amplitude, period, velocity, direction and half wave width were 80.9 m, 24 min, 1.29 m·s-1, 298°, and 129.4 m, respectively.

Key words: Internal solitary waves, Liuhua, South China Sea

CLC Number: 

  • P731.24