QNUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF INTERRELATION BETWEEN THE KUROSHIO AND THE CURRENT OF THE NORTHERN SOUTH-CHINA-SEA

The interrelation between the Kuroshio and the current of South China Sea (SCS) has been studied based on the results given by a Pacific cir culation model. The results show that in the southern Bash Channel (BC ), some water of the Kuroshio enters SCS during most part of a year, a part of the water moves anticyclonically and comes back into the Kuro shio again; another part flows westward (W-ward) together with the nor th flank of the cyclonic eddy in the northern SCS. In June, this cyclo nic eddy is absent, the water entering SCS only flows anticyclonically and feeds into the Pacific, the W-ward current is not visible. Apart from the cases in September and October, there always exists a ridge c orresponding to a high surface elevation which stretches into SCS thro ugh BC. Some water flows along the isopleth of the ridge, so the flowi ng path presents an anticylonical meander. In September and October, t he ridge does not spread into SCS due to the Kuroshio shifting northea stward, there is also no current moving anticyclonically. Numerical re sults also show that no direct branch of the Kuroshio flows N-ward int o the Taiwan Strait through BC. These results are verified partly by c urrent observations.