Behaviour of the warm-water mass along the east coast of the Malay Peninsula

Abstract

A preliminary study was made on oceanographic conditions in the South China Sea, using the data collected over two monsoon seasons. In the northeast monsoon and the subsequent stagnant season, a narrow belt-like water mass of high temperature and low salinity was observed along the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. While in the southwest monsoon season, the existence of this water mass was not clear.

The presence of this narrow belt of water mass suggest the existence of a southward-flowing current which may play a role in transporting the water from the Gulf of Thailand to the coastal area of the Peninsula.