Simulation of meridional overturning in the upper layer of the South China Sea with an idealized bottom topography

The large-scale upper circulations and merid-ional overturning in the upper layer of the South China Sea (SCS) with idealized bottom topography in winter and sum-mer are investigated. Simulations with the GFDL general circulation model are carried out under the conditions of open or enclosed boundary regarding transport in the Luzon Strait. The intrusion area of Kuroshio, its impact on the me-ridional overturning in the upper layer of the SCS and sea-sonal characteristic of this impact are explored, respectively. The model is forced by climatological wind stress and relaxed to monthly mean climatological temperature and salinity. The resultant meridional overturning is non-enclosed, with transporting from north to south in the surface and return-ing to north at the depth of about 500 m in winter, about 200 m in summer, with amplitudes of 105 m3/s. It shows the transporting path of intermediate water of the SCS and of-fers an idealized reference for further study on dynamics of wind-driven and thermohaline circulation of the SCS.