Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2012, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 18-27.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2012.01.018cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2012.01.018

Special Issue: 海洋大数据及应用

• Marine Hydrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Study on the hydrological characteristic parameters and flow field east of the Luzon Strait using Argo profiling floats

HE Jian-ling 1,2 , CAI Shu-qun 1   

  1. 1 . State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography SouthChinaSeaInstituteofOceanology , CAS , Guangzhou 510301, China ; 2. Graduate University of CAS , Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2010-07-22 Revised:2010-10-28 Online:2012-03-10 Published:2012-03-13

Abstract: The seasonal characteristics of water masses and the monthly variation of mixed layer depth are studied using Argo profiling floats in 2006 east of the Luzon Strait. The temperature-salinity relation indicates the seasonal variation of water masses is not obvious. Compare to those in summer and fall, the surface temperature is lower and the surface salinity is higher in spring and winter; they change little in deeper layers. Seasonal variation of the mixed layer depth is obvious; it is the deepest in winter with a value over 160 m, whilst it is the shallowest in summer with a value of 20 m. Based on the P -vector method, the current field in fall is calculated using Argo seasonal mean data between 2002 and 2009, Levitus data and Argo data in 2006, respectively. The wind-driven Ekman drift current is also computed. The result obtained by Argo seasonal mean data is significantly better than that by the Levitus data; the Argo data can show the structure of Kuroshio and eddies. The coupled current structure obtained by Argo data in 2006 and Ekman drift current is similar to that by the altimeter data, except that the velocity of the former is less, which may be related to the coarse and unevenly distribution of Argo profiling floats and the subsequent interpolation error. However, a three-dimensional structure of flow field could be obtained by the Argo data, whilst only the surface current field can be obtained by the altimeter data.

Key words: Argo, water mass analysis;mixed layer depth, P -vector method;Luzon Strait, current field

CLC Number: 

  • P731