Implication of the South China Sea Throughflow for the Interannual Variability of the Regional Upper-Ocean Heat Content

In this study the interannual variability of the upper-ocean heat content in the South China Sea (SCS) was revisited using simple ocean data assimilation (SODA) combined with objective analyzed data sets that included the horizontal and vertical structures. The results confirmed that the upper-ocean heat content in the SCS is lower than normal during the mature phase of El Nino events, and two super El Nino events, 1982/1983 and 1997/1998 were also included. The variability of the heat content was consistent with the variability of the dynamic height anomalies. The SCS throughflow (SCSTF) plays an important role in regulating the interannual variability of the heat content, especially during the mature phase of El Nino events.