Study of the propagation direction of the internal waves in the South China Sea using satellite images

Abstract

Internal wave propagation carries considerable vertical shear which can lead to turbulence and mixing. Based on the analysis of more than 2 500 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical satellite images, the internal wave propagation in the whole South China Sea was investigated systematically. The results show that (1) in the northeastern South China Sea, most internal waves propagate westward from the Luzon Strait and are diffracted by coral reefs near the Dongsha Islands. Some impinge onto the shelf and a few are reflected; (2) in the northwestern South China Sea, most internal waves are generated at the shelf and propagate northwestward or westward to the coast; (3) in the western South China Sea, most internal waves propagate westward to the Vietnamese coast, except a few propagate southward to the deep sea; and (4) in the southern South China Sea, most internal waves propagate southwestward to the coast. Some propagate southeastward to the coast of Kalimantan Island, and a few propagate southeastward because of the influence of the Mekong River.