Physical dynamics and biogeochemistry of the Pearl River plume

Dai, Minhan; Gan, Jianping; Han, Aiqin; Kung, Hsiang-te; Yin, Zhipeng

doi:10.1017/cbo9781139136853.017

Cited by 32 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In summer, the NSCS shelf is influenced by a strong river plume originating from the Pearl River, a world major river system with a total water discharge of 3.26 × 10 11 m 3 yr −1 and ∼80% taking place in the wet season (Cao et al, ; Guo et al, ). The pathway of the summer Pearl River plume is largely controlled by the shelf circulation pattern resulting in dispersion toward the north and east (Dai et al, ; Gan et al, ). Coastal upwelling frequently occurs along the coast driven by the southwest monsoon in summer.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon Under Complex Circulation Schemes on a Large Continental Shelf: The Northern South China Sea

et al. 2017

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We examined the distribution and seasonality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) based on a large data set collected from the northern South China Sea (NSCS) shelf under complex circulation schemes influenced by river plume, coastal upwelling, and downwelling. The highest surface values of ∼117 μmol L−1 were observed nearshore in summer suggesting high DOC supplies from the river inputs, whereas the lowest surface values of ∼62 μmol L−1 were on the outer shelf in winter due to entrainment of DOC‐poor subsurface water under strengthened vertical mixing. While the summer coastal upwelling brought lower DOC from offshore depth to the nearshore surface, the winter coastal downwelling delivered higher surface DOC to the midshelf deep waters from the inner shelf fueled by the China Coastal Current (CCC) transporting relatively high DOC from the East China Sea to the NSCS. The intensified winter downwelling generated a cross‐shelf DOC transport of 3.1 × 1012 g C over a large shelf area, which induced a significant depression of the NSCS DOC inventory in winter relative to in autumn. In addition to the variable physical controls, net biological production of DOC was semiquantified in both the river plume (2.8 ± 3.0 μmol L−1) and coastal upwelling (3.1 ± 1.3 μmol L−1) in summer. We demonstrated that the NSCS shelf had various origins of DOC including riverine inputs, inter‐shelf transport and in situ production. Via cross‐shelf transport, the accumulated DOC would be exported to and stored in the deep ocean, suggesting that continental shelves are a potentially effective carbon sink.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon Under Complex Circulation Schemes on a Large Continental Shelf: The Northern South China Sea

et al. 2017

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“…36 The Pearl River Plume, discharging into the northern SCS and dispersing northeastward in summer but southwestward in winter, also significantly modulates the material distribution on the northern SCS shelf. 37 The surface sediments across the northern SCS continental shelf show grain size gradations, from gravel inshore to silt offshore. 38 The grading analysis of sediment samples at transect A in the northern SCS shelf show that particles less than 63 μm in diameter account for ∼61−95% of the total weight.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotopic Composition and Distribution of Plutonium in Northern South China Sea Sediments Revealed Continuous Release and Transport of Pu from the Marshall Islands

Wang

Zheng²,

Dai

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The (239+240)Pu activities and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios in sediments of the northern South China Sea and its adjacent Pearl River Estuary were determined to examine the spatial and temporal variations of Pu inputs. We clarified that Pu in the study area is sourced from a combination of global fallout and close-in fallout from the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands where above-ground nuclear weapons testing was carried out during the period of 1952-1958. The latter source dominated the Pu input in the 1950s, as evidenced by elevated (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (>0.30) in a dated sediment core. Even after the 1950s, the Pacific Proving Grounds was still a dominant Pu source due to continuous transport of remobilized Pu from the Marshall Islands, about 4500 km away, along the North Equatorial Current followed by the transport of the Kuroshio current and its extension into the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait. Using a simple two end-member mixing model, we have quantified the contributions of Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds to the northern South China Sea shelf and the Pearl River Estuary are 68% ± 1% and 30% ± 5%, respectively. This study also confirmed that there were no clear signals of Pu from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident impacting the South China Sea.

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“…Free exchange of water can only take place at its southeastern boundary between it and the open SCS. The Pearl River (Zhujiang), with one of the larger annual discharges (326 km 3 yr À 1 ) among the rivers of the world, accounts for most of the terrestrial inputs to the NoSoCS and it reaches its peak flow in the summer (Dai et al, 2014;Guo et al, 2008;Wong et al, 2007a).…”

Section: The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatology of physical hydrographic and biological characteristics of the Northern South China Sea Shelf-sea (NoSoCS) and adjacent waters: Observations from satellite remote sensing

Pan

Wong

Tai

et al. 2015

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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Physical dynamics and biogeochemistry of the Pearl River plume

Cited by 32 publications

References 39 publications

Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon Under Complex Circulation Schemes on a Large Continental Shelf: The Northern South China Sea

Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon Under Complex Circulation Schemes on a Large Continental Shelf: The Northern South China Sea

Isotopic Composition and Distribution of Plutonium in Northern South China Sea Sediments Revealed Continuous Release and Transport of Pu from the Marshall Islands

Climatology of physical hydrographic and biological characteristics of the Northern South China Sea Shelf-sea (NoSoCS) and adjacent waters: Observations from satellite remote sensing

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