The seasonal variability of an air-sea heat flux in the northern South China Sea

The seasonal variabilities of a latent-heat flux (LHF), a sensible-heat flux (SHF) and net surface heat flux are examined in the northern South China Sea (NSCS), including their spatial characteristics, using the in situ data collected by ship from 2006 to 2007. The spatial distribution of LHF in the NSCS is mostly controlled by wind in summer and autumn owing to the lower vertical gradient of air humidity, but is influenced by both wind and near-surface air humidity vertical gradient in spring and winter. The largest area-averaged LHF is in autumn, with the value of 197.25 W/m(2), followed by that in winter; the third and the forth are in summer and spring, respectively. The net heat flux is positive in spring and summer, so the NSCS absorbs heat; and the solar shortwave radiation plays the most important role in the surface heat budget. In autumn and winter, the net heat flux is negative in most of the observation region, so the NSCS loses heat; and the LHF plays the most important role in the surface heat budget. The net heating is mainly a result of the offsetting between heating due to the shortwave radiation and cooling due to the LHF and the upward (outgoing) long wave radiation, since the role of SHF is negligible. The ratio of the magnitudes of the three terms (shortwave radiation to LHF to long-wave radiation) averaged over the entire year is roughly 3:2:1, and the role of SHF is the smallest.