Abstract
An inverse reduced-gravity model is used to simulate the deep South China Sea (SCS) circulation. A set of experiments are conducted using this model to study the influence of the Luzon overflow through the two inlets on the deep circulation in the northern SCS. Model results suggest that the relative contribution of these inlets largely depends on the magnitude of the input transport of the overflow, but the northern inlet is more efficient than the southern inlet in driving the deep circulation in the northern SCS. When all of the Luzon overflow occurs through the northern inlet the deep circulation in the northern SCS is enhanced. Conversely, when all of the Luzon overflow occurs through the southern inlet the circulation in the northern SCS is weakened. A Lagrangian trajectory model is also developed and applied to these cases. The Lagrangian results indicate that the location of the Luzon overflow likely has impacts upon the sediment transport into the northern SCS.
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Acknowledgements
The topography data is available at http://ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/global/global.hmtl. The GDEM Version 3.0 is available at https://esme.bu.edu/download. We thank the mooring group for their support in the mooring operation.
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The Foundation of China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association under contract No. DY135-E2-2-02; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 91428206, 41976028 and 41806019.
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Zhou, M., Chen, C., Yan, Y. et al. Influence of two inlets of the Luzon overflow on the deep circulation in the northern South China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 39, 13–20 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-020-1621-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-020-1621-1