On generation source sites of internal waves in the Luzon Strait

This effort aims to determine the generation Source sites in the Luzon Strait for energetic, long-crest, transbasin internal waves (IW) observed in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). The roles of islands distributed on eastern side of the strait, Kuroshio, submarine ridges, shoaling thermocline, and strait configuration played in the IW generation are examined using the cruise data analysis, satellite data interpretation, and dynamical analysis. The islands and channels on eastern side of the strait are excluded from a list of possible IW source sites owing to their unmatched horizontal dimensions to the scale of IW crest line length, and the relative low Reynolds number. The Kuroshio has a potential to be a radiator for the long-crest IW disturbances, meanwhile, the Kuroshio west (east) wing absorbs the eastward (westward) propagating IW disturbance. Namely, the Kuroshio blockades the outside west-cast propagating IW disturbances. The 3-D configuration of the Luzon Strait is characterized by a Sudden, more than one order widening of the cross-section areas at the outlets on both sides, providing a favorable condition for 1W type initial disturbance formation. In the Luzon Strait, the thermocline is featured by a westward shoaling all the year around, providing the dynamical conditions for the amplitude growth (declination) to the westward (eastward) propagating IW type disturbance. Thus, to the west slope of western Submarine ridge at the western outlet of the Luzon Strait is a high possibility source sites for energetic, long-crest, transbasin IWs in the NSCS. The interpretation results of satellite SAR images during a 13 a period from 1995 to 2007 provide the convincing evidence for the conclusions.