The observed characteristics of lower atmospheric ducts over the South China Sea(SCS) were analyzed based on Global Position Systerm(GPS) radiosonde data collected four times daily during autumn open cruises from 2006 to 2012.Duct occurrence,thickness,and strength over the SCS were about 40%,150-m thick,and 8 M units,respectively,which were larger than during the summer monsoon period.Most ducts occurred at heights <1 500 m and these ducts easily trap electromagnetic wave clusters with wavelengths <2 m.Diurnal variation of the SCS ducts appeared evident.They occurred more often at midnight at higher altitudes(about 1 100 m),with a thickest layer of about 145 m and less frequently during the evening at lower altitudes(about 800 m),with a thinnest layer of about 125 m.Moreover,ducts during the daytime at a mean height of about 900 m,with the greatest strength of about 10 M units.Furthermore,all duct variables observed over the SCS in autumn decreased from north to south.These findings are useful not only in the design of radar and communication systems,but also for evaluating possible effects of anomalous propagation on meteorological radar and military applications. The observed characteristics of lower atmospheric ducts over the South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed based on Global Position Systerm (GPS) radiosonde data collected four times daily during autumn open cruises from 2006 to 2012. Duct occurrence, thickness, and strength over the SCS were about 40%, 150-m thick, and 8 M units, respectively, which were larger than during the summer monsoon period. Host ducts occurred at heights <1 500 m and these ducts easily trapped electromagnetic wave clusters with with wavelengths <2 m. Diurnal variation of the SCS ducts appears evident. They occurred more often at midnight at higher altitudes (about 1 100 m), with a thickest layer of about 145 m and less frequently during the evening at lower altitudes (about 800 m), with a thinnest layer of about 125 m. Moreover, ducts during the daytime at a mean height of about 900 m, with the greatest strength of about 10 M units. Hottermore, all duct variables observed over the SCS in autumn decreased from north to south.These findings ar e useful not only in the design of radar and communication systems, but also for evaluating possible effects of anomalous propagation on meteorological radar and military applications.