Kuroshio variation and its impact on the South China Sea, in Regional Oceanography of the South China Sea

Abstract

The Kuroshio works as a wall to separate waters between the western Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea (SCS). Using satellite remote sensing data, drifters and numerical modeling outputs, we found that the wall-like Kuroshio can be interrupted when it encounters the Luzon Strait. The possible mechanisms are summarized as follows: (1) strong westward jet caused by anticyclonic and cyclonic eddy pair east of the Luzon Strait, (2) Kuroshio–eddy interaction while a cyclonic eddy is located east of Taiwan, (3) Kuroshio–eddy interaction while a cyclonic eddy moved from east of Luzon Island toward the Luzon Strait and (4) the westward Ekman transport in the Luzon Strait by the northeast monsoon.