近日，澳门大学蔡忠亚团队研究了大型边缘海环流状态转变的年代际气候控制。这一研究成果发表在2025年12月23日出版的《科学通报》杂志上。

边缘海作为过渡带，与公海和邻近的海岸系统紧密相连。它们的环流经常表现出强烈的振荡行为，影响热盐运输、养分循环和区域海洋-大气相互作用。然而，这些振荡的特征和潜在的动力学仍然没有得到充分的了解。

以南海独特的三层交替环流为例，研究组发现该系统在1993-2008年至2009-2018年期间经历了明显的机制转变。这种转变与太平洋年代际涛动的相变密切相关。其中，2009年前高层气旋环流增强，2009年后高层气旋环流减弱，中层反气旋环流则相反。2009年以后深层环流明显增强。这些状态转变是由地面风强迫、与太平洋的外部交换流和地形调制的内部垂直耦合的相互作用引起的。

上层环流的年代际趋势主要由风驱动。2009年前中层环流的减弱主要受上层压力转矩的影响，而2009年后中层环流的增强则主要受太平洋深层气流增强和深层环流增强相关的涡旋伸展的影响。研究结果阐明了气候变率下南海层状环流的振荡性质，突出了其在区域物质输送和海气相互作用中的调节作用。

附：英文原文

Title: Decadal climate control of circulation regime transitions in a large marginal sea

Author: Zhongya Cai a b, Jianping Gan b d e

Issue&Volume: 2025/12/23

Abstract: Marginal seas, as transitional zones, are closely connected to the open ocean and adjacent coastal systems. Their circulations often exhibit strong oscillatory behavior that shapes heat and salt transport, nutrient cycling, and regional ocean–atmosphere interactions. However, the characteristics and underlying dynamics of these oscillations remain insufficiently understood. Using the unique three-layer alternating circulation in the South China Sea as an example, we show that the system undergoes a pronounced regime transition from 1993–2008 to 2009–2018. This transition is closely linked to the phase change of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Specifically, upper-layer cyclonic circulation intensifies during the pre-2009 but weakens during the post-2009 period, while the middle-layer anticyclonic circulation exhibits the opposite pattern. In contrast, the deep-layer circulation strengthens substantially during the post-2009 period. These regime transitions arise from the interplay of surface wind forcing, the external exchanging current with the Pacific, and topographically modulated internal vertical coupling. The decadal trend of the upper-layer circulation is primarily wind-driven. The weakening of middle-layer circulation during pre-2009 is governed by pressure torque influenced by the upper-layer, whereas its post-2009 strengthening is attributed to vortex stretching associated with enhanced deep intrusion from the Pacific and a stronger deep-layer circulation. The findings clarify the oscillatory nature of South Chia Sea layered circulation under climate variability and highlight its role in regulating regional mass transport and ocean–atmosphere interaction.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2025.12.033

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2095927325012824