Northeast South China Sea Research Articles

Flow conditions of the Quaternary Deep-water Current reconstructed by sediment waves in the northeastern South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) plays a key role in maintaining the circulation in the Pacific and Indian oceans. After entering the northeast South China Sea from the Luzon Strait, the Pacific Deep Water transforms into the Deep-water Current (DWC) and flows westward. The upwelling of the DWC in the SCS could outflow into both the Indian and Pacific oceans. However, when and how this modern circulation was established in the SCS remains unclear. By using seismic reflection data tied to the Ocean Drilling Program wells in the northeastern SCS margin, we have discovered fields of previously unreported sediment waves, of which the onset dates back to ∼2.6 Ma. The sediment wave heights increased from 2.0 to 7.5 m, in association with spatial extent from 630 km2 to 800 km2 between ∼2.6 Ma and ∼ 0.7 Ma. After that, the wave heights and spatial extent reduced to ∼5.5 m and 700 km2, respectively. Considering the location, morphological features and water depth, we propose that these sediment waves were formed by the DWC. The morphological changes of the sediment waves are linked to energy increase and decrease of the DWC within ∼2.6–0.7 Ma and ∼ 0.7–0 Ma, respectively. We interpret the intensification as caused by the narrowing and uplifting of the Luzon Strait that is the sole deep-water gateway of the SCS, and speculate that the post-0.7 Ma weakening was probably related to the reduced Kuroshio Current intrusion due to the middle Pleistocene climate transition. This study proposes a novel model for the evolution of the Quaternary DWC hydrodynamics, fostering our understanding of the paleo-oceanographic links between the SCS and the Pacific Ocean.

The Impact of Special Marine Environments Such as the Kuroshio on Hydroacoustic Detection Equipment

In order to study the impact of acoustic propagation characteristics in the northeastern South China Sea, GEBCO08 global terrain grid data and Argo data were used to numerically simulate the acoustic transmission characteristics of two stations in the northeast South China Sea affected by the Kuroshio. The impact of different marine environments on acoustic transmission characteristics was analyzed. The results show that increasing the deployment depth of a sound source within a certain range will reduce the transmission loss; deploying a sound source near the axis of the surface acoustic channel or the deep-sea acoustic channel will also greatly increase the propagation distance of sound signals; and the presence of topography such as undersea mountains will increase the transmission loss.

The Mesozoic Subduction Zone over the Dongsha Waters of the South China Sea and Its Significance in Gas Hydrate Accumulation

The Mesozoic subduction zone over the Dongsha Waters (DSWs) of the South China Sea (SCS) is a part of the westward subduction of the ancient Pacific plate. Based on the comprehensive interpretation of deep reflection seismic profile data and polar magnetic anomaly data, and the zircon dating results of igneous rocks drilled from well LF35-1-1, the Mesozoic subduction zone in the northeast SCS is accurately identified, and a Mesozoic subduction model is proposed. The accretion wedges, trenches, and igneous rock zones together form the Mesozoic subduction zone. The evolution of the Mesozoic subduction zone can be divided into two stages: continental subduction during the Late Jurassic and continental collision during the late Cretaceous. The Mesozoic subduction zone controlled the structural pattern and evolution of the Chaoshan depression (CSD) during the Mesozoic and Neogene eras. The gas source of the hydrate comes from thermogenic gas, which is accompanied by mud diapir activity and migrates along the fault. The gas accumulates to form gas hydrates at the bottom of the stable domain; BSR can be seen above the mud diapir structure; that is, hydrate deposits are formed under the influence of mud diapir structures, belonging to a typical leakage type genesis model.

Crustal Structure of the Northeast South China Sea Rifted Margin

AbstractWe investigate the crustal structure of the Northeastern (NE) South China Sea (SCS) rifted margin to constrain its crustal thickness and basement nature with implications for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic evolution of the SCS. First‐order interfaces interpreted from seismic reflection data were integrated into a 3D gravity inversion scheme to determine Moho depth and crustal thickness variations. A joint inversion of seismic and gravity data allowed us to determine crustal density variations along 2D profiles. The distal margin of the NE SCS is divided into two distinct crustal domains: the Southern Rift System (SRS), and the Southern High (SH). The SRS shows an extremely thinned crust on top of which thick Cenozoic sequences are observed. It is separated from the oceanic crust (∼6–8 km thick) by the SH, a comparatively thicker crustal domain (∼10–15 km thick) with significant magmatic additions. The distal NE SCS margin formed during the Cenozoic rifting of the SCS. The SH likely corresponds to a polygenic piece of crust, recording polyphase magmatic activity since the Mesozoic, with potentially significant activity during Cenozoic post‐rift time. The NE SCS margin is conjugate to Palawan whose basement is considered to be part of the exotic Luconia microcontinent that collided with Eurasia during the Late Cretaceous. Basement similarities between Palawan and the SH are highlighted, suggesting that the latter might also be part of Luconia. Our results suggest that the docking/suture zone between Eurasia and Luconia might have acted as a preferred zone for the Cenozoic rift development.

Regional Abyssal Vorticity Balance in the Northeast South China Sea: External and Internal Dynamics of Abyssal Circulation

Abstract Abyssal vorticity balance in the northeast South China Sea was assessed for over a year based on observations from 28 current- and pressure-recording inverted echo sounders distributed west of the Luzon Strait. The regional first-order balance was dominated by the planetary vorticity flux and bottom pressure torque, which reflect the external and internal dynamics of abyssal circulation. Vertical motion considerably contributed to the planetary vorticity flux, whereas the contribution of horizontal motion was negligible. Positive and negative planetary vorticity fluxes dominate the areas along the eastern and western boundaries, indicating upward and downward vertical transport, respectively. The opposite planetary vorticity fluxes in the different areas were accompanied by different current patterns; regional anticyclonic and cyclonic characteristics appeared near the western and eastern boundaries, respectively, owing to the deep topography as the abyssal current followed the boundary. The planetary vorticity flux near the eastern boundary was substantial in spring and autumn; in contrast, along the western boundary it was enhanced only in spring. Deep eddies played important roles in planetary vorticity flux and regional vorticity balance. The results of this study reveal the formation dynamics of abyssal circulation in the South China Sea as well as its spatiotemporal distributions, providing a more detailed description of abyssal circulation. Significance Statement The deep South China Sea (SCS) is a nearly enclosed basin characterized by cyclonic abyssal circulation. Based on the observations from 28 current- and pressure-recording inverted echo sounders distributed west of the Luzon Strait, the vorticity balance in the deep SCS was clarified. The planetary vorticity flux and bottom pressure torque maintain a first-order balance of vorticity, which acts as the external and internal dynamics of the abyssal circulation. The study describes the temporal variability and spatial distribution of vorticity terms in the deep ocean west of the Luzon Strait, which may contribute to a more detailed understanding of abyssal circulation formation and its evolution.

The largest CPIES array in the marginal sea: abundant dynamics in the northeast South China Sea

The largest CPIES array in the marginal sea: abundant dynamics in the northeast South China Sea

Prediction of the Low-Frequency Ambient Noise Level in the Northeast South China Sea Based on a Gated Recurrent Unit Network Model

Prediction of the Low-Frequency Ambient Noise Level in the Northeast South China Sea Based on a Gated Recurrent Unit Network Model

Provenance of Aerosol Black Carbon over Northeast Indian Ocean and South China Sea and Implications for Oceanic Black Carbon Cycling.

Aerosol black carbon (BC) is a short-lived climate pollutant. The poorly constrained provenance of tropical marine aerosol BC hinders the mechanistic understanding of extreme climate events and oceanic carbon cycling. Here, we collected PM2.5 samples during research cruise NORC2016-10 through South China Sea (SCS) and Northeast Indian Ocean (NEIO) and measured the dual-carbon isotope compositions (δ13C-Δ14C) of BC using hydrogen pyrolysis technique. Aerosol BC exhibits six different δ13C-Δ14C isotopic spaces (i.e., isotope provinces). Liquid fossil fuel combustion, from shipping emissions and adjacent land, is the predominant source of BC over isotope provinces "SCS close to Chinese Mainland" (53.5%), "Malacca Strait" (53.4%), and "Open NEIO" (40.7%). C3 biomass burning is the major contributor to BC over isotope provinces "NEIO close to Southeast Asia" (55.8%), "Open NEIO" (41.3%), and "Open SCS" (40.0%). Coal combustion and C4 biomass burning show higher contributions to BC over "Sunda Strait" and "Open SCS" than the others. Overall, NEIO near the Bay of Bengal, Malacca Strait, and north SCS are three hot spots of fossil fuel-derived BC; the first two areas are also hot spots of biomass-derived BC. The comparable δ13C-Δ14C between BC in aerosol and dissolved BC in surface seawater may suggest atmospheric BC deposition as a potential source of oceanic dissolved BC.

Biodiversity exploration of Formosa Ridge cold seep in the South China Sea using an eDNA metabarcoding approach

The Formosa Ridge, also named Site F, is an active cold seep marine ecosystem site that has been studied since it was discovered on the continental slope of the northeast South China Sea (SCS). However, few studies have focused on the eukaryotic diversity at Site F. Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology is a non-invasive method applied in biodiversity surveys with a high species detection probability. In the present study, we identified multi-trophic biodiversity using eDNA metabarcoding combined with multiple ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) markers. We detected 142 phytoplankton, 90 invertebrates, and 64 fish species by amplifying the 18S rRNA gene V4 region, the 18S rRNA gene V9 region, and the 12S rRNA gene. The results elucidated dissimilar trends of different assemblages with depth. The diversity of phytoplankton and invertebrate assemblages markedly decreased with depth, whereas little change was observed within the fish assemblage. We comprehensively assessed the relationship between the three assemblages and environmental factors (temperature, salinity, depth, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a). These factors strongly impacted on phytoplankton and invertebrates, but only slightly on fish. We inferred the finding might be due to fish having a strong migration capacity and wide distribution. This study indicates that eDNA metabarcoding with multiple markers is a powerful tool for marine biodiversity research that is able to provide technical support and knowledge for resource management and biodiversity protection efforts.

The effect of southwest monsoon on the meso-scale biogeographic patterns of the bacteria in the northeast of South China Sea

Complicated physical systems and strong seasonal monsoons are features of the north-east South China Sea (SCS). To understand how monsoon-driven changes affect the bacterial community structure and distribution in the surface water from shelf to slope in the northeast SCS (NESCS), we collected water samples during the intermonsoon (Spring, 2021) and Southwest monsoon (May, 2021) respectively. In our research, we found that α diversity of bacteria did not differ significantly during intermonsoon and monsoon periods, nor did it differ significantly between shelf and slope. However, bacterial community were well differentiated between groups (Shelf-I, Slope-I, Shelf-M, and Slope-M). In both seasons, there was a significant geographical distance decay relationship, but the monsoon did not change the biogeographic pattern of bacteria. Finally, all environmental factors in both seasons, except salinity, have a significant impact on bacteria, and the correlation is enhanced during the monsoon.

Observation of Abyssal Circulation to the West of the Luzon Strait, South China Sea

Abstract South China Sea (SCS) abyssal circulation largely contributes to water renewal, energy budget, and sedimentary processes in the deep ocean. The three-dimensional abyssal circulation west of the Luzon Strait (LS) in the northern SCS was investigated using an array comprising 27 current- and pressure-recording inverted echo sounders. Over 400 days of measurements from June 2018 to July 2019 showed a narrow and strong (∼70 km, ∼2.3 cm s−1 at 2500 dbar) northward current near the steep eastern boundary, while a wide and weak (∼180 km, ∼1.5 cm s−1 at 2500 dbar) southwestward current lies along the subdued western boundary. The circulation showed conspicuous cyclonic patterns with a volume transport of ∼1.21 ± 0.93 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) and ∼1.59 ± 0.95 Sv below 2500 dbar along the eastern and western boundaries, respectively. The current near the LS was strong in late autumn and early winter but weak in late winter and spring, following the seasonal variation of LS deep-water overflow. However, the southwestward current in the interior SCS was stronger in summer and early autumn but weaker in late winter and early spring. The different seasonal patterns identified near the LS and the interior SCS are attributed to the propagation of seasonal variation. The weak current along the western boundary in August 2018 and February 2019 was dominated by LS deep-water overflow with a time lag of ∼7.5 months. Although eddies in the upper ocean may also contribute to such variation through pressure work, the effect is minor. Significance Statement Cyclonic circulation in the deep South China Sea (SCS) largely contributes to water renewal, energy budget, and sedimentary processes and influences the transport of dissolved elements, minerals, and pollutants. As an important part of the SCS throughflow, an in-depth analysis of the SCS abyssal circulation may also contribute to understanding Indonesian Throughflow and global climate change. The three-dimensional abyssal circulation west of the Luzon Strait was investigated using large-scale data from June 2018 to July 2019, which provided unprecedented coverage of abyssal circulation in the northeast SCS. The study provides important observational evidence for the existence of SCS abyssal cyclonic circulation. Detailed spatiotemporal structure of abyssal circulation and its variations are presented, and related dynamic processes are discussed.

Enhanced Diapycnal Mixing in the Deep Ocean Around the Island of Taiwan

AbstractThe deep ocean to the east and south of Taiwan Island‒including the Okinawa Trough, Ryukyu Arc, Philippine Sea, Luzon Strait, and the northeast South China Sea‒is one of the most prominent mixing hotspots of the global ocean. The high‐resolution seismic reflection technique can provide detailed views of the water's finestructure and near‐transient turbulent mixing therein. Using legacy data from two seismic cruises, we present the finestructure and quantify turbulent mixing within the thermocline and sub‐thermocline (100–1,000 m depths) to the east and south offshore Taiwan. We derive dissipation rate ε and diapycnal diffusivity Kρ by analyzing the inertial convective turbulence regime of horizontal slope spectra from the seismically auto‐tracked wave‐fields. Dissipation and diffusivities are locally enhanced close to the topography exceeding 10−6 W⋅kg−1 and 10−2 m2⋅s−1, and gradually decrease to 10−9 W⋅kg−1 and 10−4‒10−5 m2⋅s−1 beyond tens of kilometers. The mean diffusivity distribution pattern suggests that a large fraction of the energy dissipates close to the topography and a significant fraction is radiated into the open ocean. Both the tides and west boundary current drive the significantly enhanced mixing close to the topography of ridges, isolated islands and continental slopes. Kuroshio and eddy activities are responsible for the local anomalously enhanced mixing patches far away from the topography. Comparisons among seismic results, numerical simulations and eddy analyses suggest that the energy cascades downward from large‐scale motions to small‐scale turbulence via multiple mechanisms of tide‐topography interaction, flow‐topography interaction, and frontal instability around the island of Taiwan.

Intrusion of Fukushima-derived radiocesium into the East China sea and the Northeast South China Sea in 2011–2015

To investigate the potential long-term impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident (FDNPPA) on the South China Sea (SCS) and the East China Sea (ECS), radiocesium isotopes 134Cs and 137Cs in seawater from 2011 to 2015 were measured. The highest activities of 134Cs and 137Cs in seawater were 0.73 Bq/m3 and 3.34 Bq/m3, respectively. The results demonstrated that FDNPPA-derived radiocesium intruded into the Northeast SCS and the ECS in 2013 and reached a maximum in 2014. The intrusion occurred within the upper 100 m and contributed ≤72.5% of the total 137Cs in the seawater of the SCS and ECS. The formation, subduction, and transport of subtropical mode water (STMW)/central mode water (CMW) trapped FDNPPA-derived radiocesium in the ocean interior and transported it southwestward from the high-latitude open ocean to the low-latitude western boundary area. Then, the FDNPPA-derived radiocesium entered the Northeast SCS and the ECS by the intrusion of the subsurface high-salinity water of the Kuroshio Current into the Northeast SCS and the ECS.

Large-scale scours formed by supercritical turbidity currents along the full length of a submarine canyon, northeast South China Sea

High-resolution multibeam bathymetric and seismic data enables a detailed morphological investigation of a submarine canyon (West Penghu Canyon) on the northeastern South China Sea margin, where twenty-three (23) scours are observed along the canyon thalweg. These scours form narrow topographic depressions in plan view and show asymmetrical morphologies in cross-section. The identified scours can be further divided into two groups (Types A and B) based on their sizes and relative locations. They are separated by a slope break at a water depth of ~2850 m. Type A scours (S1-S18) occur upslope from the slope break, whereas Type B scours (S19-S23) lie downslope from this same break. The scours are interpreted as net-erosional cyclic steps associated with turbidity currents flowing through the West Penghu Canyon; the currents that form Type A scours reflect higher V, Q, and Δel compared to the currents forming Type B scours. A change in slope gradient and loss of lateral confinement are proposed to control the change from Type A to Type B scours. Furthermore, Coriolis force influences the flow direction of turbidity currents, leading to the preferential development and larger incision depths of scours towards the southwestern flank of the West Penghu Canyon. Our results contribute to a better understanding on the origin of scours in submarine canyons across the world.

Long-term ambient noise statistics in the northeast South China Sea.

This paper reports on the long-term statistics of ambient noise (50-2000 Hz) in the northeast South China Sea. The data were collected from July 2016 to March 2018. The long-term statistics, seasonal, and diel variations of ambient noise are analyzed. There are significant seasonal variations from 500 to 2000 Hz. The ambient noise level at 1000 Hz is 6-10 dB higher in winter than in summer. There is only a small difference between the day and night comparison (less than 1.6 dB). The results are significant to evaluate and improve the performance of underwater acoustic systems in this area.

Retrieving Phytoplankton Size Class from the Absorption Coefficient and Chlorophyll A Concentration Based on Support Vector Machine

The phytoplankton size class (PSC) plays an important role in biogeochemical processes in the ocean. In this study, a regional model of PSCs is proposed to retrieve vertical PSCs from the total minus water absorption coefficient (at-w(λ)) and Chlorophyll a concentration (Chla). The PSC model is developed by first reconstructing phytoplankton absorption and Chla from at-w(λ), and then extracting PSC from them using the support vector machine (SVM). In situ bio-optical data collected in the South China Sea from 2006 to 2013 were used to train the SVM. The proposed PSC model was subsequently validated using an independent PSC dataset from the Northeast South China Sea Cruise in 2015. The results indicate that the PSC model performed better than the three components model, with a value of r2 between 0.35 and 0.66, and the absolute percentage difference between 56% and 181%. On the whole, our PSC model shows a remarkable utility in terms of inferring vertical PSCs from the South China Sea.

Occurrence of Different Forms and Implications of Compound Specific Sterols in Continental Sediments of the Northeast South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the most productive and accumulative marginal shelves of organic carbon in the world. To expound the transformation and preservation of organic carbon in the Northeast SCS, where abundant oil and gas resources have been reported, compound specific sterols in free (FR), base hydrolytic (BH), and acid hydrolytic (AH) forms were analyzed in surface and columnar sediments in May, 2016. The results showed that the total contents of sterols detected ranged from 0.15 to 3.74 ppm dry weight in the surface sediments, and gradually decreased from 3.41 to 0.17 ppm dry weight from surface to deep sediments, in which cholesterol (27Δ5) was the most abundant component. Sterols mainly existed in the BH form (54.51%–74.20%), followed by the FR form (25.50%–45.49%) and then the AH form (0–3.77%) in turn, in the surface sediments. BH and FR sterols accounted for 0–49.08% and 50.92%–100% in the columnar sediments, while AH sterols were undetectable. The contents of specific sterols indicated that, the primary source of marine organic carbon was about 5 times as much as that from terrestrial input. More and more FR sterols transformed into BH sterols with increasing sedimentary depth, and BH sterols absolutely dominated in sediment depths under 25 cm. The forms of Sterols C27 were maintained at a relative consistence state, but Sterols C28 to C30 degraded gradually during the sedimentation process. It was suggested that the stability of sterols, based on the chemical structures, might be the primary factor controlling their degradation and preservation in deeper sediments. These results would help to understand the organic carbon (OC) transformation in a hydrate formation area in a marginal sea.

Long-Term Characterization of Sea Conditions in the East China Sea Using Significant Wave Height and Wind Speed

In this study, the statistical characterization of sea conditions in the East China Sea (ECS) is investigated by analyzing a significant wave height and wind speed data at a 6-hour interval for 30 years (1980–2009), which was simulated and computed using the WAVEWATCH III (WW3) model. The monthly variations of these parameters showed that the significant wave height and wind speed have minimum values of 0.73 m and 5.15 m s−1 and 1.73 m and 8.24 m s−1 in the month of May and December, respectively. The annual, seasonal, and monthly mean sea state characterizations showed that the slight sea generally prevailed in the ECS and had nearly the highest occurrence in all seasons and months. Additionally, the moderate sea prevailed in the winter months of December and January, while the smooth (wavelets) sea prevailed in May. Furthermore, the spatial variation of sea states showed that the calm and smooth sea had the largest occurrences in the northern ECS. The slight sea occurred mostly (above 30%) in parts of the ECS and the surrounding locations, while higher occurrences of the rough and very rough seas were distributed in waters between the southwest ECS and the northeast South China Sea (SCS). The occurrences of the phenomenal sea conditions are insignificant and are distributed in the northwest Pacific and its upper region, which includes the Southern Kyushu-Palau Ridge and Ryukyu Trench.

Geophysical constraints on the lithospheric structure in the northeastern South China Sea and its implications for the South China Sea geodynamics

An E-W oriented OBS2015-2 wide-angle refraction profile was shot in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) between previous refraction profiles T1 and T2 in order to better understand the variability of the crustal composition and the role of specific tectonic features. P-wave velocity models established from forward and inversion modeling imaged a 12 to 15 km-thick thinned continental crust and a high velocity layer (HVL) in the lower crust which is interpreted as magmatic underplating. Profile OBS2015-2 cut across the Taiwan transfer zone (TTZ), which separates two consecutive rifted segments of different orientations in the northeastern SCS. The TTZ is a well-defined upper crustal feature characterized by a HVL with different thickness on both sides. We have defined the southward limit of the thinned continental domain with the typical oceanic domain as a continent-ocean boundary (COB). The COB between the drilling area of IODP legs 367–368 to the Manila trench is characterized by a sharp contrast between the low amplitude, irregular shape magnetic anomalies and the high amplitude, elongated shape magnetic anomalies, which are associated with the thinned continental domain and the oceanic domain, respectively. We further extend the COB into the 400 to 500 km wide unfolded Manila slab located east of the Manila trench by using mid-slab dVp tomographic velocities to define the boundary between subducted oceanic and thinned continental crust. The location of the reconstructed northeast SCS COB appears to step northwards toward Taiwan across a 400 km N-S segment, providing new constraints on SCS geodynamics at the end of spreading and Taiwan pre-collisional configuration.

Radioactive status of seawater and its assessment in the northeast South China Sea and the Luzon Strait and its adjacent areas from 2011 to 2014

To understand the impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident (FNA), 137Cs, 134Cs, 90Sr, and gross beta were analyzed in the northeast South China Sea (NSCS), the Luzon Strait (LS) and its adjacent areas. 137Cs, 90Sr, and gross beta values in the NSCS were similar to those prior to the FNA. 90Sr and 137Cs in the LS and its adjacent areas were consistent with those in the NSCS. The high 137Cs-peak values occurred at depth of 150 m whereas the high 90Sr-peak values occurred at depth of 0.5 m. The 137Cs and gross beta mean values in Cruise I were higher than those in Cruise II whereas the 90Sr mean value was just the reverse. 134Cs in all seawater were below the minimum detectable activity. The past and present data since the 1970s suggested 137Cs and 90Sr in the study areas still originated from global fallout and the FNA influence were negligible.