Seasonal West-East Seesaw of M2 Internal Tides From the Luzon Strait

Satellite altimetry sea surface height (SSH) measurements from 1993 to 2017 are used to investigate the seasonal variability of mode-1 M-2 internal tides from the Luzon Strait. The 25 years of SSH data are divided into four seasonal subsets, from which four seasonal internal tide models are constructed following the same mapping procedure. Climatological seasonal hydrography in the World Ocean Atlas 2013 is used to calculate two seasonally variable parameters required in the mapping procedure: Wavelength and the transfer function from the SSH amplitude to depth-integrated energy flux. The M-2 internal tides from the Luzon Strait are extracted using propagation direction determined in plane wave analysis. The satellite results show that the westward and eastward M-2 internal tides both demonstrate significant seasonal variation. The westward and eastward internal tides seesaw seasonally: The westward internal tides strengthen (weaken) in summer and fall (winter and spring); while the eastward internal tides strengthen (weaken) in winter and spring (summer and fall). We suggest that the seasonal seesaw is mainly determined by ocean stratification and the Kuroshio Current; however, further studies are needed to quantify their relative contributions.

Automated summary

Satellite altimetry sea surface height measurements spanning from 1993 to 2017 were used to analyze the seasonal variability of mode-1 M-2 internal tides in the Luzon Strait. Through the mapping procedure and utilizing climatological seasonal hydrography data, four seasonal internal tide models were constructed. The results show that both the westward and eastward M-2 internal tides exhibit significant seasonal variation, with a seesaw pattern between the two directions. This seasonal seesaw is likely influenced by ocean stratification and the Kuroshio Current, but further research is needed to quantify their relative contributions.