We addressed the mesoscale structure variation of the central South China Sea （SCS） with the measurements by a long-lived Argo float and a high-resolution ATLAS buoy during 1998-2002. T-S diagram indicates cooling and freshening events in 2000 and 2001 with lower salinity （0.5-0.8） and lower temperature （1-1.7℃）. Significant decrease in the net heat flux and increase in the precipitation suggest that the cooling and freshening is due to extra forcing by the atmosphere. Additional to large year-to-year changes, intraseasonal variability is moderate in the research area. The axis of the maximum intraseasonal temperature and salinity signals are mainly located on the thermocline, Typically, amplitude and period of intraseasonal temperature is about 2℃ and 40-60 days, and that of salinity is 0.34）.5 and 35-60 days. Rapidly-changing winds, heat flux, and precipitation are critical in controlling the intraseasonal fluctuations of the mixed layer of the area. Studies on heat and freshwater balance in the mixed-layer further suggest that horizontal advection plays an important role in intraseasonal fluctuation in the upper ocean. In addition, the energetic mesoscale propagation radiated from the east boundary is linked to the intraseasonal variability in winter.
Variation in intermediate water salinity in the South China Sea (SCS) between the 1960s and 1980s was studied using historical hydrographic data. The results demonstrate that the water was significantly fresher in the 1980s than in the 1960s, indicating that vertical mixing at intermediate water depth was reduced in the 1980s. This was partially because of the change of the SCS meridional overturning circulation (MOC) connecting local intermediate water with deep water. Data assimilation showed a 0.5Sv (1 Sv=10 6m 3/s) reduction in the strength of the MOC, which is about one third of the mean SCS MOC. Because the SCS MOC is linked to the Pacific Ocean, such an interdecadal variation in the intermediate water SCS may reflect anthropogenic climate change in the world ocean.
