Abstract

A field survey revealed a rare realization of upwelling event in the northwestern Hainan Island (UNWHI) on July 24, 2015. Model experiments suggest that the UNWHI is not locally generated, but can be treated as northward extension of the upwelling southwest off Hainan Island (USWHI) under favorable wind conditions. Therefore, presence of the USWHI is vital for the UNWHI occurrence. Tidal mixing is testified to be the primary driving force for the USWHI, whilst southerly winds plays an essential role in the induction of the UNWHI. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the UNWHI is not a stable, but intermittent coastal upwelling system. Shallow basin of the Beibu Gulf makes the interior circulation vulnerable to local monsoon changes. Given the favorable southerly winds, a cyclonic gyre northwest off Hainan Island will be induced and which, leads to northward coastal current and consequently, the UNWHI is to be formed due to the northward transport of the USWHI. Conversely, the UNWHI vanishes during northerly winds period, because the basin-scale anticyclonic gyre results in a southward current west off the Hainan Island and which, acts to push the upwelled water of the USWHI offshore and away from the northwestern Hainan Island. In addition, our diagnostics indicates that contributions from surface heat fluxes to the UNWHI occurrence is negligible. Besides, it also reminds us that application of a high-frequency, much closer to reality wind field is necessary for the coastal upwelling simulation.

Keywords: Upwelling; Northwestern Hainan island; Southerly winds; Tidal mixing; Beibu Gulf