A statistical analysis for the morphological parameters extracted from numerous seismic profiles, and a high-resolution seismic study of the southeastern slope of the Dongsha Islands (South China Sea) with water depth between approximately 500 and 3 100 m, has revealed the variation of morphological features due to the intrusion of igneous bodies and associated sedimentary processes. Three types of the continental slope are distinguished: (1) a rough and steep slope with multiple igneous bodies (Type 1), (2) a relatively smooth and gentle slope with the single igneous body (Type 2), and (3) a smooth and gentle slope without igneous bodies (Type 3). These igneous bodies, formed in the post-seafloor spreading of the South China Sea, are often characterized by high positive seismic amplitudes, and chaotic reflections with complex shapes. The igneous bodies in Type 1 separated the slope into two or more upper sub-sags and a lower main-sag, in which the sub-sags and main-sag could be filled with sediments transported by alongslope bottom currents at the same time. Whereas, the igneous body in Type 2 just separated the slope into an upper sub-sag and a lower main-sag, in which the sediments could be transported into the lower main-sag only after the upper sub-sag has been filled up. Type 3 represents a normal slope with common clinoform progradation. The modern slope morphologies in the study area are the results of adjustments of the continental slope due to the intrusion of igneous bodies and associated sedimentary processes. The distinctions among three types of modern slope morphologies indicate different depositional conditions and adjustments of slope morphologies.

A multi beam sonar survey is carried out in the continental slope of the Taixinan Basin to obtain submarine topographic and water column data. The data are processed to obtain water column images. Anomalous water column images, displaying plume characteristics, are found in gas hydrate enriched areas in the Taixinan Basin. This indicates the presence of natural gas resources in the Taixinan Basin. The multibeam sonar system is shown to provide an accurate and effective approach for detecting sub-sea gas hydrate.

The northeastern shelf margin of the South China Sea (SCS) is characterized by the development of large scale foresets complexes since Quaternary. Based on integral analysis of the seismic, well logging and paleontological data, successions since ~3.0 Ma can be defined as one composite sequence, consist of a set of regional transgressive to regressive sequences. They can be further divided into six 3rd order sequences (SQ0–SQ5) based on the Exxon sequence stratigraphic model. Since ~1.6 Ma, five sets of deltaic systems characterized by development of wedge-shaped foresets complexes or clinoforms had been identified. High-resolution seismic data and the thick foresets allowed further divided of sub-depositional sequences (4th order) of regression to transgression, which is basically consistent with published stacked benthic foram O-isotope records. Depositional systems identified in the study area include deltaic deposits (inner-shelf deltas and shelf-edge deltas), incised valleys, and slope slumping massive deposits. Since ~1.6 Ma, clinoforms prograded from the southern Panyu Lower Uplift toward the northern Baiyun Depression, shelf slope break migrated seaward, whereas the shelf edge of SQ0 migrated landward. The development of incised valleys in the continental shelf increased upward, especially intensive on the SB3 and SB2. The slumping massive deposits increased abruptly since SB2, which corresponds to the development of incised valleys. The evolution of depositional systems of continental slope mainly controlled by the combined influence of sea level changes, tectonic movements, sediment supply and climate changes. Since ~3.0 Ma, relative sea level of the northern SCS had been experienced transgression (~3.0 Ma BP) to regression (~1.6 Ma BP). The regional regression and maximum transgressions of the composite sequences were apparently enhanced by uplift or subsidence related to tectono-thermal events. In addition, climatic variations including monsoon intensification and the mid-Pleistocene transition may have enhanced sediment supply by increasing erosion rate and have an indispensable influence on the development of the incised valleys and 5 sets of deltaic systems since ~1.6 Ma.

Through analysis of the results of a verified high-fidelity numerical model, the intra-seasonal variations (ISVs) in the depth of the 22°C isotherm (D22) in the South China Sea (SCS) basin are investigated. The results show that the ISVs in the D22 exhibit distinct seasonality in the SCS. The ISVs in the D22 are quite significant, especially within a band along the northwestern boundary of the basin and at the southern end of the basin during boreal winter. In these areas, the ratio of the standard deviations (STDs) of intra-seasonal band to the STDs of total data could exceed 0.6. Although the ISVs in the D22 are detectable in the area affected by the Vietnam Offshore Current during boreal summer and autumn, these variations are sometimes overwhelmed by oscillations with other frequencies. An analysis of the causes of the ISVs in the D22 in the SCS indicates that sea surface fluxes and wind stirring are not the dominant external driving mechanisms of the phenomena described above. The ISVs in the D22 are thought to be induced mainly by the thermodynamic adjustment of the ocean itself and the associated instabilities. The energy of the northern and southern bands that display strong ISVs in the D22 may be derived from eddy kinetic energy, rather than eddy available potential energy. The diversity of the propagation of the ISVs in the D22 is very conspicuous within these two bands.

The Island Rule, derived from the Sverdrup theory, is widely used to estimate and analyze water transport through a strait. Previous studies presented single- or multi-island rules with either lateral or bottom friction. In this paper, an analytical model of wind-driven circulation is assumed based on linear dynamics. Considering both lateral and bottom friction, the analytic solutions of the transport streamfunction around the islands are derived and the volume transport through the channel is presented. The results are similar to those of Wajsowicz, but the frictional constants represent different values. The analytic solution shows that the relationship between the lateral frictional and bottom frictional dissipation is complex in terms of the frictional constants. To understand the interaction between the two friction types, lateral and bottom friction values were randomly chosen on a barotropic beta plane. The result shows an approximately linear relationship between the lateral and bottom friction in consisting of the combined frictional constants. We studied the effect of the channel width on the transport through the channel. The results show that the friction enhances the flow under some widths, which is similar to the flow behavior when only the lateral friction is considered. We also compared the transport through the channel at different depths and founded that the deeper the water, the smaller the transport reduction ratio when the horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient and the bottom drag coefficient remained constants. To further present the combined role of lateral frictional and bottom frictional dissipation, we compared our model with the model of Wajsowicz for two islands, where only the lateral or bottom friction were considered, with different channel widths. The results showed that the effect of the lateral friction is greater than the bottom friction when the channel is narrow, especially in the Munk boundary layer thickness. When the channel is much wider than the Munk boundary layer thickness, the role of the bottom friction is greater than that of the lateral friction. The model was applied to the Indonesian throughflow and yielded a reduction of approximately 20% in the transport.

Four trawl-resistant bottom mounts, with acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) embedded, were deployed in the Karimata Strait from November 2008 to June 2015 as part of the South China Sea-Indonesian Seas Transport/Exchange and Impact on Seasonal Fish Migration (SITE) Program, to estimate the volume and property transport between the South China Sea and Indonesian seas via the strait. The observed current data reveal that the volume transport through the Karimata Strait exhibits significant seasonal variation. The winter-averaged (from December to February) transport is –1.99 Sv (1 Sv=1×10⁶ m³/s), while in the boreal summer (from June to August), the average transport is 0.69 Sv. Moreover, the average transport from January 2009 to December 2014 is –0.74 Sv (the positive/negative value indicates northward/southward transport). May and September are the transition period. In May, the currents in the Karimata Strait turn northward, consistent with the local monsoon. In September, the southeasterly trade wind is still present over the strait, driving surface water northward, whereas the bottom flow reverses direction, possibly because of the pressure gradient across the strait from north to south.

Besides the Indonesian throughflow (ITF), the South China Sea throughflow (SCSTF) also contributes to the water transport from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. However, this South China Sea (SCS) branch at the Karimata Strait is poorly observed until 2007, even though its importance has been suggested by numerical studies for decades. In this paper, we review the nearly 10-year field measurement in the Karimata Strait by the execution of the projects of “SCS-Indonesian Seas Transport/Exchange (SITE) and Impacts on Seasonal Fish Migration” and “The Transport, Internal Waves and Mixing in the Indonesian Throughflow regions (TIMIT) and Impacts on Marine Ecosystem”, which extend the observations from the western Indonesian seas to the east to include the main channels of the ITF, is introduced. Some major achievements from these projects are summarized.

This study investigates the temperature inversion phenomenon in the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary (ZRE) using hydrological data collected in a summer cruise during July 6–17, 2015. The results suggest that temperature inversion occurred primarily near the salinity front, with an average temperature difference (ΔT) of 0.42°C between the inversion layer and the underlying water. The inversion layer was approximately 4 m thick on average, with an upper boundary at a depth of 1–6 m and a lower boundary at a depth of 3–10 m. Different mechanisms and dynamic processes were responsible for temperature inversion in different parts of the study area. (1) At the salinity front in the west of the ZRE, the measurements collected by CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) showed that the low-salinity water mass on the inner side of the front was approximately 2°C cooler than the high-salinity water mass on the outer side. Temperature inversion occurred when the cooler low-salinity water overlapped the warmer high-salinity water near the front due to the driving force of the background flow. (2) Inversion layers occurred at the mouth of the Taiping waterway as a result of varying horizontal flow between two different water masses under the effects of tides and runoff. (3) To the southwest of Hong Kong, temperature inversion occurred due to the interaction of upwelling and the salinity front.

The trends of the sea surface temperature (SST) and SST fronts in the South China Sea (SCS) are analyzed during 2003–2017 using high-resolution satellite data. The linear trend of the basin averaged SST is 0.31°C per decade, with the strongest warming identified in southeastern Vietnam. Although the rate of warming is comparable in summer and winter for the entire basin, the corresponding spatial patterns of the linear trend are substantially different between them. The SST trend to the west of the Luzon Strait is characterized by rapid warming in summer, exceeding approximately 0.6°C per decade, but the trend is insignificant in winter. The strongest warming trend occurs in the southeast of Vietnam in winter, with much less pronounced warming in summer. A positive trend of SST fronts is identified for the coast of China and is associated with increasing wind stress. The increasing trend of SST fronts is also found in the east of Vietnam. Large-scale circulation, such as El Niño, can influence the trends of the SST and SST fronts. A significant correlation is found between the SST anomaly and Niño3.4 index, and the ENSO signal leads by eight months. The basin averaged SST linear trends increase after the El Niño event (2009–2010), which is, at least, due to the rapid warming rate causing by the enhanced northeasterly wind. Peaks of positive anomalous SST and negatively anomalous SST fronts are found to co-occur with the strong El Niño events.

In this study, subsurface eddies near the Vietnam coast of the South China Sea were observed with in situ observations, including Argo, CTD, XBT and some processed and quality controlled data. Based on temperature profiles from four Argo floats near the coast of Vietnam, a subsurface warm eddy was identified in spring and summer. The multi-year Argo and Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Programme (GTSPP) data were merged on a seasonal basis based on the data interpolating variational analysis (DIVA) method to reconstruct the three-dimensional temperature structure. There is a warm eddy in the central subsurface at 12.5°N, 111°E below 300 m depth in spring, which does not exist in autumn and is weak in winter and summer. From CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas (CARS) and Generalized Digital Environment Model (GDEM) reanalysis data, this subsurface warm eddy is also verified in spring.