• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.157-170
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• 2002

To examine the structure and distribution of the Keum River plume produced by continuous river discharge we carried out three-dimensional numerical model experiments with or without Coriolis force and tide. When Coriolis force is included but tide is not the model plume forms the clockwise circulation north of southern channel in the developing stage. As the plume expansion progresses the center of circulation moves to the southwest, with fuming the discharging axis of low-salinity water to the southwest from the mouth of southern channel. These results are explained mainly in terms of barotropic geostrophy by surface slope maintained with accumulated low-salinity(buoyant) water in front of the estuary mouth due to of offshore strong salinity front. When the M$_2$ tide is included the model plume extends farther to the northwest, forming large tongue-like salinity distribution. The tidally averaged surface flows of the offshore plume are mainly in geostrophic balance. These changes in plume distribution are explained in terms of low-salinity water advection by tidal excursion and active tidal mixing; the former supplies low salinity water to the north off the estuary mouth and the later increases mean sea level along the plume and surface salinity in northern shallow coastal area. The main features of observed Keum River plume(Lee et al., 1999; Choi et al., 1999), which showed the northwestward deflection of the plume axis and northward deepening of the plume thickness from the estuary mouth region, are well reproduced by the model in which tide is included.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 1995

CTD, light transmission and tidal current data obtained off the Keum estuary in August, 1991 and 1992 were analyzed to look into the plume movement and the vertical structure of the plume changing with tidal currents. When the river plume was developed by a localized torrential downpour, the initial plume showed a surface lens of low salinity in the section south of the Yeon-Do. The axis of surface lens moved with tidal currents which flows mainly northeastward and southwestward tn the study area and the excursion of the lens axis reached 7 km. The plume during the ebb period showed a symmetric lens structure of low salinity which extends vertically to 3 m below the surface. During the flood period the plume deepened to 6 m below the surface in its northen side forming a sharp salinity front, which results in an asymmetric lens. We suggest that the salinity front with deepened plume moved to the north repeatedly, resulting in temperature increase and salinity decrease in the northern region off the estuary. When the river discharged continuously the large volume over 20 days, the plume forming surface lens extended to the Sybidongpa-Do and deflected to the north.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1999

Hydrographic survey was carried out in the mid-eastern Yellow Sea from Keum River to Taean Peninsula in order to study the motion of the freshwater from the Keum River during July 07-12, 1997 when a large volume of freshwater was discharged from the Keum River weir. The low-salinity (less than 30.0 psu) plume was distributed over the large area between the Keum River and Ochong Island, 60 km northwest off the Keum River mouth. A band of relatively low saline water, originating from the Keum River, was also observed to the north of Ochong Island. The strong haline front had advanced from near Sibidongpa Island to Ochong Island, 25 km northwest of Sibidongpa Island, for 48 hours. A northwestward flow of a speed greater than 0.2 m/s was observed in the surface plume layer to the north of Sibidongpa Island where the water column was strongly stratified. The observed mean flow and the change of the frontal position are interpreted as resulting from the spreading of the Keum River plume. These results suggest that the discharge from the Keum River plays an important role in the coastal circulation of the mid-eastern Yellow Sea adjacent to the river.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.289-296
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• 2002

Using results obtained from field surveys in the outflow region of the Keum River in winter (February 22), spring (May 9), summer (July 31) and autumn (October 17) in 2000, it was described the nutrient front relating to the hydrography. It showed that the horizontal gradients was sharp in the distributions not only in salinity but also in nutrients in the region of the mouth of estuary far away about 20 km from the dyke of the Keum River during the year. The two layer structure was a ubiquitous feature in the inner estuarine side of the region showing the maximum horizontal gradients in salinity and nutrients. Although the absolute values in salinity and nutrient concentrations were distinguished by season, the nutrient front seperates the saltier and nutrients poor water in the open sea from the brackish and nutrients rich water of the plume. These results suggest that the nutrient front coincides with the esturine front in the region of freshwater influence (ROFI) of the Keum River.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2008

Subtidal surface currents are derived from HF radar measurements in the Saemangeum coastal ocean of the Yellow sea in July 2002 and from September to November 2004. The surface current field is analyzed to examine the effect of wind, river plume and coastline change on the spatial distribution and temporal variation of the surface currents. In July 2002, average wind speed was 0.5 m/s and freshwater discharge from the Keum River was $0.88{\times}10^7\;ton/day$. Temporal mean currents ($\overline{U}$) flow to the northwest with speed of $7{\sim}10\;cm/s$ near the Keum River estuary, to the west as fast as 13 cm/s near the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke, and to the northwest off the Gogunsan-archipelago. This flow pattern is a result of the Keum River plume dispersal and tide-residual currents from the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. Time series of spatially-averaged current (<$U-\overline{U}$>) direction is highly (r=0.98) correlated with wind direction. From September to November 2004, the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke was closed, northwesterly wind blew with speed of 2.5 m/s on average and the Keum River discharge was $1.19{\times}10^7\;ton/day$. Temporal mean current field ($\overline{U}$) has weak surface flow in most of the coastal ocean and relatively strong currents flow to the southwest with speed of 10 cm/s along the shape coastline of the Gogunsan-archipelago and the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. The strong flow is generated by the prevailing northwesterly wind which pushes the Keum River plume toward the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. The residual currents from the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke disappeared and correlation coefficient between time series of spatially-averaged current () direction and the wind direction is 0.69.