Observations of near surface current at the Luzon Strait in winter

One hundred and ninety-one Argos satellite-tracked drifters deployed at the Luzon Strait in winter during 1991 to 2004 were ana- lyzed to understand the near surface current in northern South China Sea (SCS). Several major track patterns of these drifters have been found. There are: (1)shelf slope landing way (SLW) ; (2)deep basin way (DBW) ;(3) weak loop current pattern; (4) northward movement directly driven by the Kuroshio. These observations show the effects of the basin scale gyre circulation, mesoscale eddies and the Kuroshio on the drifters' ovement.