This study aims to investigate the interconnection between the southern South China Sea (SSCS) and Java Sea (JS) by simulating seasonal circulations and associated transports using the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). The seasonal circulation was predominantly driven by monsoonal wind stress and water exchanges between the SSCS and the JS. During the boreal winter, cooler and saltier waters from the SSCS were advected into the JS, while during the boreal summer, cooler waters from the JS were advected into the SSCS, with the advection of fresher water onto the Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast in the SSCS being the new finding provided by this study. The various water transports were driven southward into the JS during the boreal winter and northward into the SSCS during the boreal summer. The various water transports estimated by ROMS peaked in May during the inflow months from the JS into the SSCS, which was attributed to the simulated anticyclonic eddy in the SSCS, which differed from previous studies that peaked between June and August. The annual mean volume, freshwater, heat, and salt transports were 0.96 Sv, 0.04 Sv, 0.10 PW, and 0.03 × 109 kg s−1, respectively, directed from the SSCS into the JS.
CTD data obtained from two oceanographic cruises during June and October 2012 were used to define the water mass characteristics and degree of stratification at the shallow Sunda shelf located at the southern South China Sea. The water masses during both cruises showed characteristics similar (southwest monsoon) to those observed in the adjacent regions. A clustering method was used in which three water masses were classified from the composite dataset. There are WM1 (T 29˚C-31˚C, S 32-33.5 psu, & σT, ~19.5-20.7 kg/m 3), WM2 (T 25˚C-29˚C, S 32.8-33.8 psu, & σT, ~22.3-23 kg/m 3) and WM3 (T 23˚C-25˚C, S 33.5-34.0, & σT ~22.3-23.3 kg/m 3). Even though the water masses found were characterized under southwest monsoon characteristics, the degrees of stratification obtained varied between these cruises. The stability of the stratification also plays roles in the distribution of the water masses in the water column. WM2 was found in thermocline layer and most dominant in June compared to in October. In June, WM3 was found under the thermocline layer and absent in October. The stable thermocline caused the denser WM3 cannot mixed with WM2. Higher temperatures and weaker winds during June may have caused the strong stratification, while decreasing temperature and stronger winds of an upcoming northeast monsoon enhanced the vertical mixing during October.
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