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Seasonal variability of thermal fronts in the northern South China Sea from satellite data
Author(s) -
Wang Dongxiao,
Liu Yun,
Qi Yiquan,
Shi Ping
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2001gl013306
Subject(s) - oceanography , seasonality , intrusion , climatology , spring (device) , estuary , front (military) , sea surface temperature , geology , china sea , satellite , aerospace engineering , engineering , mechanical engineering , statistics , mathematics , geochemistry
The 8‐year (1991–1998) Pathfinder sea surface temperature data have been applied here to produce the objectively derived seasonality of the oceanic thermal fronts in the northern South China Sea from 17°N to 25°N. Several fronts have been clearly distinguished, namely, Fujian and Guangdong Coastal Water, Pear River Estuary Coastal, Taiwan Bank, Kuroshio Intrusion, Hainan Island East Coast and Tonkin Gulf Coastal fronts. The frontal patterns in winter, spring and summer are quite similar, whereas individual fronts display different modes of seasonal variability due to different mechanisms favoring those fronts.