Jet-like features of Jiulongjiang River plume discharging into the west Taiwan Strait

Abstract

In-situ data from the summer cruise of 2010 in the west Taiwan Strait are used to study the spatial distribution of the Jiulongjiang River plume (JRP). The results show that in the 2 m layer, the JRP debouches into the west Taiwan Strait in the form of jets, with one branch through the Xiamen Bay (Xiamen JRP) and another through the channel between Jinmen and Weitou (JinWei JRP). Driven by the summer southwesterly monsoon, the upwelling-related Dongshan low temperature and high salinity water flows northeastward in the form of a jet as well. To a certain degree, the Dongshan low temperature and high salinity jet restricts the Xiamen JRP from spreading further offshore and drags the JinWei JRP northeastward at the same time. Meanwhile, a terrestrial dissolved organic matter (DOM) distribution model on the basis of molecular collision theory in thermodynamics and statistical physics is applied to analyze the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) turbidity data. The correlation coefficient of the theoretical model to the MODIS turbidity data reaches 0.96 (significant at a 95% level of confidence). The result clarifies the dynamic mechanism for the turbidity distribution characteristics. It is the salinity in macro-scale that plays a decisive role in the turbidity variability in the coastal water. This suggests that the satellite-derived turbidity data can be used as an indicator to show the spreading patterns of the JRP. Based on the turbidity data from 2003 to 2011, we conclude that there are four main spreading patterns of the JRP.