Upper pycnocline turbulence in the northern South China Sea

The first regional mapping of the averaged turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate aOE (c) E > (p) > in the upper pycnocline of the northern South China Sea is presented and discussed. At phi = 20A degrees N and to the north of this latitude, aOE (c) E > (p) > appears to be more than two times larger than that to the south of 20A degrees N. It is suggested that this asymmetry is associated with the predominant northwestward propagation and dissipation of the internal waves originated in the Luzon Strait area. An approximately linear relationship between aOE (c) E > (p) > and the available potential energy of the waves P (IW), suggests a characteristic time of the P (IW) dissipation of about 6 h.