Upper ocean response to intense typhoons in the South China Sea

In this study, the upper ocean physical response to intense (Category 4) typhoons passages were investigated by mutli-satellite observed data. Sequential microwave sea surface temperature merged from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) sensors were used to detect the physical responses (surface cooling) to these typhoons. Sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) merged from Jason-2 and ENVISAT satellite altimeter data was used to detect the location of where the cyclone eddy/circulation took place. Aforementioned parameters of all intense super-typhoons took place/passed over South China Sea (SCS) during 2003-2009 were collected to complete a systematical analysis focused on upper ocean physical response to intense typhoons in the SCS. Comparison between these parameters suggests a scenario that cooling response took place within SCS show a similar property of typhoon cases took place at open ocean (e.g. western North Pacific). Typhoon intensity and upper ocean dynamics dominate the distribution of maximum cooling responses in the SCS. This result implies that the upper ocean dynamical conditions should be taken into account for further understanding the generation mechanism of cooling response to a typhoon passed over the SCS.