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Thermal variations in the S outh C hina S ea associated with the eastern and central P acific E l N iño events and their mechanisms
Author(s) -
Liu QinYan,
Wang Dongxiao,
Wang Xin,
Shu Yeqiang,
Xie Qiang,
Chen Ju
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2014jc010429
Subject(s) - sea surface temperature , thermocline , climatology , advection , forcing (mathematics) , pacific decadal oscillation , environmental science , geology , atmospheric sciences , physics , thermodynamics
In this study, we investigate the interannual variability of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the South China Sea (SCS) associated with two types of El Niño, namely, the eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño and the central Pacific (CP) El Niño. First, double warm peaks can occur during both types of El Niño events in the SCS. However, the strong warm basin mode can only develop in the EP El Niño, while the warm semibasin mode exists during the CP El Niño. Associated with an anomalous positive (negative) net surface heat flux in the EP (CP) El Niño, along with a shallower thermocline with weaker (stronger) northeasterly wind anomalies, the SST anomalies become warmer (cooler) in the developing autumn. Over the background of cooling SST in autumn of CP El Niño, therefore, only a weak warming can occur in the subsequent years, which is limited in the western boundary area under the forcing of warm ocean advection. Second, the SST oscillation periods are different in these two types of El Niño. The SST evolution in the EP El Niño is negative‐positive with a quasi‐biennial oscillation, but that in the CP El Niño is positive‐negative‐positive‐negative with an annual oscillation. It seems that the double cooling in the CP El Niño is phase‐locked to the late autumn season.