Wind-induced Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

1-1-1996

Abstract

The Kerosbio flows north along the east coasts of the Philippines and Taiwan. Between these two land masses lies the Luzon Strait which connects the Pacific Ocean to the South China Sea. The Knroshio usually flows north past this strait, but at times part or all of it flow west through the strait into the South China Sea forming a loop current. It bas been suggested that the loop current forms when the northeast monsoon deflects the Kuroshio through the Luzon Strait. In this study, satellite-derived sea-surface temperature images are used to obserse the Kuroshio in the Luzon Strait region. Together with wind data from the region, these observations indicate a loop-current development process which is largely determined by an integrated supercritical wind stress parameter. The loop current grows when a four-day average of the local wind-stress component directed to the south exceeds 0.08 Nm-2. When this average wind-stress component drops below the critical value, the Kuroshio returns to its northward path.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Oceanography

Volume

52

Issue

6

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