Satellite data analysis of the China Coastal Waters in the Seas surrounding Jeju Island, Korea

China Coastal Water (CCW) usually appears in the seas surrounding Jeju Island annually (June-October) and is very pronounced in August. The power spectrum density (PSD), sea level anomalies (SLAs), and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were found to peak annually and semiannually. The peaks at intervals of 80-, 60-, and 43-days are considered to be influenced by CCW and the Kuroshio Current. Generally, low-salinity water appears to the west of Jeju Island from June through October and gradually propagates to the east, where CCW meets the Tsushima Current. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of SLAs and SSTs indicated that the variance in SLAs and SSTs was 55.70 and 98.09% in the first mode, respectively. The PSD for the first mode of EOF analysis of SLAs was stronger in the western than in the eastern waters because of the influence of CCW. The PSD for the EOF analysis of SSTs was similar in all areas (the Yangtze Estuary and the waters to the west and east of Jeju Island), with a period of approximately 260 days.