Abstract
Based on direct current measurements from two separated cruises in October 2008-January 2009 and July-August 2009, we obtained a valuable deep current observation of the Luzon Strait (LS). Rectified wavelet power spectra analysis (RWPSA) and the geostrophic current calculation are used to study the deep current. We find that the deep current differs in different seasons. The current is strongest in autumn (October-November) and weaker in summer (July-August) and in winter (December-January). The cyclonic and anti-cyclonic meander with different subtidal current directions plays an important role in the seasonal difference of the deep current in the LS. The observed seasonal difference of the deep current in the LS is connected with the deep current observed at the western boundary of the northern Philippine Basin and is also linked with the overflow near the central Bashi Channel and Luzon Trough. The RWPSA of the long observation suggests the dominant periods of 8 d, 19 d in the deep current. The dynamical cause of the resulting velocity distribution at 1850 and 1760 m is the pressure field and bottom topography steering. The observed deep current agrees well with the geostrophic current calculation.
Highlights
The cyclonic and anti-cyclonic meander with different subtidal current directions plays an important role in the seasonal difference of the deep current in the Luzon Strait (LS)
Based on the direct current measurements at mooring station N2-1 from October 2008 to January 2009 and at station N2-2 from July to August 2009, we present a very valuable dataset of deep current observations in the LS
The hydrographic data obtained at station N2-2 from July 4 to 11, 2009 is used to compute the velocity vector distribution at 1850 and 1760 m and verify the direct current measurements
Summary
Based on the ADCP deployed at the mooring station N2 (20 ̊40.441'N, 120 ̊38.324'E) of the LS in depths of 50 - 300 m between July 7, 2009 and April 10, 2011, and the TDs at around 340 and 365 m between July 9, 2009 and July 9, 2011, a longer period variation of the Kuroshio into the LS was investigated [16] Their observations suggested long-period variation in the upper layer of the LS and identified two types of dominant periods. The present study represents the first investigation of the deep current in the LS over a long period (a total of 122 d from two separated cruises) using a direct measurement. The Characteristics of Deep Currents in the Luzon Strait during the Two Cruises
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