Xi, H.; Zhang, Z., and Lu, Y., 2020. A quasi-decadal oscillation of sea-level variation in the South China Sea. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(2), 228–237. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

To investigate the sea-level variation (SLV) in the South China Sea (SCS), independent multisource datasets, including observations from satellite altimetry and satellite gravity missions, sea-level reconstruction data, tide gauge data, and ocean model and oceanographic temperature and salinity observation, are used. Fast Fourier transform analysis indicates that the SLV and its steric component appear to exhibit significant quasi-decadal oscillation. Cross wavelet and wavelet coherence analysis show that high common power and significant antiphase coherence appear between the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and steric SLV at the decadal scale. High common power also exists between the sunspot cycles and the steric SLV, but with in-phase coherence. Further analysis shows that the impacts of both PDO and sunspot activity on the sea surface temperature are more significant than those on the sea surface salinity. As a result, the quasi-decadal oscillation in the SLV of the SCS is associated with PDO and with the solar activity represented by the sunspot. It is useful to understand the mechanism of the rising sea level.