Water Exchange Through the Upper and Middle Luzon Strait Using the Sigma–Pi Diagram

Abstract

Water exchange in the Luzon Strait (LS) is critical for layered circulation in the South China Sea (SCS); however, observational evidence of sandwich-like water exchange is scarce. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the meridional and zonal spatial patterns of water exchange in the upper and middle LS, along with its seasonal variations in a sigma–pi diagram using Argo profiles. As observed viewed from the perspective of SCS, inflow and outflow occur in the upper and middle layers, respectively. Upper-layer Kuroshio intrudes into the SCS primarily in the northern and central regions of the LS, extending along the continental shelf into the inner SCS. A significant middle-layer eastward outflow is evident at 26.7–27.56 kg/m³ (500–1,500 m) in the northern part of the strait, extending to 123°E. The Kuroshio intrusion intensifies during the winter, whereas the middle-layer outflow is most pronounced in the autumn.