The conveyor of the source water that feeds into the Taiwan Strait (TS), particularly from the south, is investigated using historical CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) data and a North Pacific Ocean and East Asian seas coupled model. The modeled currents and drifter trajectories suggest that the Kuroshio Branch Water (KBW) rarely flows directly into the TS from the Luzon Strait (LS) in winter; instead the massive westward movement of the Kuroshio conveys high salinity water to the southeastern TS through a loop-like route. In summer, the modeled flow fields suggest that the Kuroshio surface currents hardly intrude into the TS directly from the LS. Observations and model results show that the monsoon-driven northeastward-flowing currents in the northern South China Sea transport relatively low salinity water through the entire TS.
