Premium
Deep water circulation in the Luzon Strait
Author(s) -
Zhao Wei,
Zhou Chun,
Tian Jiwei,
Yang Qingxuan,
Wang Bin,
Xie Lingling,
Qu Tangdong
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2013jc009587
Subject(s) - geology , throughflow , oceanography , trough (economics) , deep water , ridge , channel (broadcasting) , canyon , climatology , geomorphology , paleontology , engineering , soil science , electrical engineering , economics , macroeconomics
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 × 10 6 m 3 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.