THE DISTRIBUTION PATTERN AND EVOLUTION MECHANISM OF WINTER PALEOCURRENTS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA SINCE LATE PLEISTOCENE

This paper explores the distribution pattern and evolution mechanism of surface paleo-currents in winter since Late Pleistocene (120 kaBP) using U₃₇^k',combined with the marine environment records of the South China Sea (SCS). The results show that the surface paleocurrents in winter time are of significant difference between glacial and interglacial periods. In the glacial period, the cold currents were stronger and the surface movement was dominated by an anticlockwise circulation; In the interglacial period, however, the warm currents were stronger and the surface water movement showed a pattern of bilateral crossing current. The changes in the Kuroshio force played a key role in the nature and pattern of the surface currents of SCS.