The Climatic Characteristics of Surface Salinity in the South China Sea and the Adjacent Northwest Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Based on the high-resolution SODA oceanographic hydrological reanalysis data, analyzing the climatic characteristics of the surface salinity in the South China Sea and the adjacent Northwest Pacific Ocean during the new climatic baseline period from 1981 to 2010 in this paper. The results showed that: Sea surface salinity (SSS) in the research area could be obviously divided into two areas, the South China Sea and the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The SSS in the South China Sea was lower than that in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The annual amplitude of SSS in the South China Sea varied in different sea areas, but it was smaller and almost same in the Northwest Pacific Ocean area. The inter-monthly variations of SSS were the same at continental shelf side and the sea area near the island in the South China Sea, however differences existed with that in the central of the South China Sea. The inter-monthly variation of SSS in the Northwest Pacific Ocean varied from low latitude to high latitude and the salinity field showed “high-low-high” distribution. According to the climatic characteristics of salinity, the research area could be divided into five climatic zones. Among them, the South China Sea was divided into areas A and B, and the Northwest Pacific Ocean was divided into areas C, D, and E. As water invading from the Northwest Pacific Ocean to the South China Sea area that caused a higher salinity in area B than in area A. The northern equatorial current influenced on the Northwest Pacific Ocean, that caused the salinity in area D lower than in areas C and E.