• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.192-202
• /
• 2024

Ocean reanalysis data are extensively used in ocean circulation and climate research by integrating observational data with numerical models. This approach overcomes the spatial and temporal limitations of observational data and provides high-resolution gridded information that considers the physical interactions between ocean variables. In this study, I extended the previously produced 12-year (2011-2022) Northwest Pacific regional ocean reanalysis data to create a long-term reanalysis dataset (K-ORA22E) with a horizontal resolution of 1/24° spanning 30 years (1993-2022). These data were analyzed to diagnose long-term ocean climate change in the Korean marginal seas. Analysis of the K-ORA22E data revealed that the axis of the Kuroshio extension has shifted northward by approximately 6 km per year over the past 30 years, with a significant increase in sea surface temperature north of the Kuroshio axis. Among the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula, the East Sea exhibited the most significant temperature increase. In the East Sea, the temperature increase was more pronounced in the middle layer than in the surface layer, with the East Korea Warm Current showing a rate two to three times higher than the global average. In the central Yellow Sea, where the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water appears, temperatures increased over the long-term, but decreased along the west and south coasts of the Korean Peninsula. These spatial differences in long-term temperature changes appear to be closely related to the heat transport pathways of warm water from the Kuroshio Current. High-resolution regional ocean reanalysis data, such as the K-ORA22E produced in this study, are essential foundational data for understanding long-term variability in the Korean marginal seas and analyzing the impacts of climate change.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.83-99
• /
• 2005

To evaluate environmental charateristics of the South Sea and East China Sea on summer, water and sediment quality were measured in June 2001-2003. Surface layer was affceted by Warm water originated from the high temperature and salinity-Tsushima Warm Current, on the other hand, Yellow Sea Cold Water was spread to the bottom layer in the south-western part of the Jeju island, and salinity at stations near the Yangtze River was decreased below 29psu because of a enormous freshwater discharges. Thermocline-depth was formed at about 10m, and chlorophyll maximum layer was existed in and below the thermocline. COD(Chemical Oxygen Demand), TN(Total Nitrogen), and TP(Total Phosphorus) concentrations showed seawater quality grade II in surface layer of the most area, but concentrations of such as COD, Chl. a, TSS(Total Suspended Solid), and nutrients were greatly increased in the effect area of Yangtze River discharges. Correlations between dissolved inorganic nitrogen, Chl. a and salinity were negative patterns strongly, in contrast, those of inorganic phosphorus, COD and Chl. a were positive, which indicates that phytoplankton biomass and phosphorus are considered as important factors of organic matter distribution and algal growth, respectively. in the study area. The distribution of ignition loss, COD, and $H_2S$ of surface sediment were in the ranges of 2.61-8.81%, $0.64-11.86mgO_2/g-dry$, and ND-0.25 mgS/g-dry, respectively, with relatively high concentration in the eastern part of the study area. Therefore, to effective and sustainable use and management of this area, continuous monitoring and countermeasures about major input sources to the water and sediment, and prediction according to the environmental variation, are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.618-623
• /
• 1999

A relationship between SST (Sea Surface Temperature) fronts and formation of fishing grounds was examined using the data on fishing conditions obtained from 41 Korean purse-seiners during the period of 1991 to 1996. Good fishing grounds observed in the southern sea of Korea and the nothern area of the East China Sea were yearly found around the frontal zone and around the marginal area of Tsushima Current which was the periphery of fronts, Also, there were several fishing grounds, which are not related to the fronts. They can be classified into the following four types : The first type was found in the warm water pocket located in the western area of Cheju Island in winter. The second type was made in a intensive bending of isobathytherm with a higher temperature in the main stream of Tsushima Current between Cheju Island and the Goto Islands in winter. The third type was formed by the topographical vortex motion near the Tsushima Island in winter and spring. The fourth type was found at the area of the reflow Sea Warm Current in southwest sea of Korea between the costal front zone and the Yellow Bottom Cold Waters in summer and autumn.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.41-61
• /
• 1985

The purse-seine fishery is very important in the coastal fishery of Korea and the main fish species of this fishery are mackerals and also the main fishing grounds are Tushima Current region, To investigate the relationship between the fishing grounds of mackerels and oceanographic condition, the distribution of mean catches of mackerals of each size (1974~1982) was firstly examined and the oceanographic observation carried out in eastern and western area of Cheju island, being main fishing grounds, in July and October, 1983. The results are as follows: The main fishing grounds of mackerals were also in the Tsushima Current region in southern sea of Korea and the season of the good catches are in May and September to October. The small and medium size of mackerals of which the body lengths are 27 cm to 31 cm, about 2-3 ages, occupied about 90% but the smaller size mackerals of which body lenth is 22 cm (1 age)were about 40 to 70% in February to March. The locations of seasonal fishing grounds could founded by 15$^{\circ}C$ isotherm which indicates the Tsushima Current Water. With trace of this isotherm it was founded that the fishing grounds near the Korean Strait than that of south of Cheju island moves faster northward and/or later southward. The main fishing grounds eastward and westward of Cheju island were the front areas formed between the Tsushima Current Water and the southern coastal water of Korea or Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water. And also the distributions of transparences, water colors and the penetration of sun light of this fishing grounds were similar to that of the temperature, the salinity or volume of planktonic organism.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2022

Although tropical cyclones with wind speeds weaker than 17 ms^-1 (weak tropical cyclones: WTCs) can cause significant damage, particularly over the Seoul metropolitan area, only a few studies have focused on WTC activity over South Korea. In this study, we found that WTC activity is likely associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). During the negative phases of the PDO, landfall frequency of WTCs increased significantly compared to the positive phases at 95% confidence level. When related to the negative phases of the PDO, a positive relative vorticity anomaly is found in the northern sector of the western North Pacific while a negative relative vorticity anomaly and enhanced vertical wind shear prevail in the southern sector of the WNP. These factors are favorable for the northward shift of the genesis location of tropical cyclones on average, thereby reducing the total lifetime of WTCs. Moreover, a high-pressure anomaly over the Japanese islands would shift a tropical cyclone track westward in addition to the landfall location. Consequently, the effects of the topographical friction and the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water on a tropical cyclone may increase. These conditions could result in a weaker lifetime maximum intensity and landfall intensity, ultimately resulting in WTCs becoming more frequent over South Korea during the negative phases of the PDO.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.247-260
• /
• 2010

A recent dramatic increase of natural hazards in the Korean peninsular (KP) due to typhoons have raised necessities for the accurate typhoon prediction. Ieodo ocean research station (IORS) has been constructed in June 2003 at the open ocean where typhoons pass frequently, aiming to observe typhoons before the landfall to the KP and hence to improve the prediction skill. This paper investigates the importance of measurements at the IORS in the typhoon research and forecast. Analysis of the best track data in the N. W. Pacific shows that about one typhoon passes over the IORS per year on the average and 54% of the KP-landfall typhoons during 59 years (1950-2008) passed by the IORS within the range of the 150-km radius. The data observed during the event of typhoons reveals that the IORS can provide useful information for the typhoon prediction prior to the landfall (mainland: before 8-10 hrs, Jeju Island: before 4-6 hrs), which may contribute to improving the typhoon prediction skill and conducting the disaster prevention during the landfall. Since 2003, nine typhoons have influenced the IORS by strong winds above 17m/s. Among them, the typhoon Maemi (0314) was the strongest and brought the largest damages in Korea. The various oceanic and atmospheric observation data at the IORS suggest that the Maemi (0314) has kept the strong intensity until the landfall as passing over warm ocean currents, while the Ewiniar (0603) has weakened rapidly as passing over the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water (YSBCW), mainly due to the storm's self-induced surface cooling. It is revealed that the IORS is located in the best place for monitering the patterns of the warm currents and the YSBCW which varies in time and space.