Seasonal variability of chlorophyll a fronts in the Luzon Strait based on satellite observations Available to Purchase

Fronts are important sources of variability in the South China Sea basin, and they play significant roles in controlling bio-physical interactions in the Luzon Strait. We evaluated seasonality of chlorophyll a (chl-a) fronts in the Luzon Strait (LS) based on satellite observations from September 1997 to October 2007. Monthly-mean chl-a concentration at the front was highest in winter (0.8 mg m⁻³) and lowest in summer (0.3 mg m⁻³). Additionally, both the probability of frontal occurrence and the seasonal cycle of the gradient between offshore and nearshore chl-a showed that the chl-a front in the LS was the strongest in winter and weakest in summer. Pseudo wind stress played the most important role in shaping the spatial distribution of chl-a concentration, indicating that wind-driven upwelling is the mechanism involved.