The dynamics of marginal seas is complex in terms of carbon dioxide absorption and release. This thesis analyzes data collected in the southern Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea. In order to deduct the influence of temperature on the fCO2, fCO2 is normalized to the average water temperature (fCO2 mean). In the spring of 2008, in the Taiwan Strait, when salinity was smaller than approximately 33.8, measured fCO2 mean and salinity had a negative correlation; but when the salinity was higher than approximately 33.8, the correlation was positive. When salinity was smaller than apprx. 33.8, fCO2 cal. mean correlated slightly negatively to chlorophyll. This indicates that the low fCO2 cal. was not only caused by the increase of the CO2 solubility at lower temperatures, but also by the biotic photosynthesis. On the contrary, when the salinity was higher than apprx. 33.8, fCO2 cal. mean and the chlorophyll held positive correlation. It indicates that the influence of photosynthesis was reduced. In this case, the primary factor of fCO2 cal. change was due to the mixing of the high normalized dissolved inorganic carbon (NDIC=35¡ÑDIC/S) China Coastal Current with low NDIC seawater. With a raise of seawater temperature, then a decrease of the CO2 solubility, seawater became a source of carbon dioxide. In the summer of 2008, the northern South China Sea was influenced by Pearl River plume, resulting in lower fCO2 and salinity. The fCO2 of the China coast was influenced not only by the Pearl River plume, but also by the Jiulong River plume and upwelling.
The Taiwan Strait water mass mainly contains the South China Sea water, a Kuroshio branch and the China Coast Current. During an El Niño year, the monsoon weakens, so that the volume of Kuroshio entering the South China Sea increases. However, for La Niña years, the monsoon strengthens, therefore the volume of the Kuroshio entering the South China Sea decreases. As a result, the Taiwan Strait water changes interannually due to different mixture of seawater of the Kuroshio and the South China Sea. The southern Taiwan Strait could be divided into the Penghu Channel and the western strait. During an El Niño summer, the Penghu Channel is occupied by waters with high temperature, salinity and pH, but low NDIC and nutrients. This is because more Kuroshio waters enter the South China Sea, then move northward to the southern Taiwan Strait.
The hydrology in the Penghu Channel in normal years shows different result from season to season. In the summer, the Penghu Channel contains low temperature, salinity and pH water. In winter, waters with high salinity and pH, but low AOU, NDIC and nutrients prevail. This indicates that less Kuroshio waters enter the South China Sea in summer than in winter. The hydrology of the Penghu Channel changes decidedly from season to season in a normal year but spring, summer and fall have no clear change in the El Niño period, because more Kuroshio waters enter the South China Sea in summer. The wind effect during the El Niño period becomes weakened, have the hydrology during summer monsoon is similar to the hydrology in spring and summer. The waters of the Penghu Channel reach the highest pH, but the lowest AOU, NDIC and nutrients in winter. Older waters from upwelling move to the north in the western Strait during spring and fall in a normal year. However, during the El Niño period, possibly due to the weaker monsoon, such upwelling signal is reduced. Waters of the western strait in winter have higher temperature, salinity and pH, but lower NDIC during the El Niño period compared to a normal year. This indicates that the El Niño influences not only the Penghu Channel but also the entire southern Taiwan Strait in winter.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0910109-162332 |
| Date | 10 September 2009 |
| Creators | Huang, Ting-Hsuan |
| Contributors | Shu-Lun Wang, David Der-Duen Sheu, Sen Jan, Su-Cheng Pai, Chen-Tung Arthur Chen |
| Publisher | NSYSU |
| Source Sets | NSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Language | Cholon |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0910109-162332 |
| Rights | withheld, Copyright information available at source archive |
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