• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2011

We described for the production of cloud-free satellite sea surface temperature(SST) data around Northeast Asian using NOAA AVHRR(Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) SST data during 1990-2005. As a result of Markov model, it was found that the value of Markov coefficient in the strong current region such as Kuroshio region showed smaller than that in the weak current. The variations of average SST and regional difference of seasonal day-to-day SST in spring and fall were larger than those in summer and winter. In particular, the distribution of the regional difference appeared large in the vicinity of continental in spring and fall. The difference of seasonal day-to-day SST was also small in Kuroshio region and southern part of East Sea due to the heat advection by warm currents.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.259-268
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• 2003

The damage of water quality like red tide occurs every year inspite of the total load regulation of pollutant inflows from land such as COD, phosphorus and so on around Seto inland sea in Japan. It is attributed to the increase of primary production due to eutrophication. and the rising and settling from the sediment containing nutrient salt. Furthermore, the recent research shows that nutrient salt such as nitrogen and phosphorus, flows into Kii channel from land as well as the Pacific ocean. To investigate the distribution of water quality and flow and residual current in Kitan strait, the field observations were carried out. The field data were obtained a time each season from 1999 to 2002. The results of observations and data of other research institution are used to understand the mechanism of pollution in the strait.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 1999

This study aims to decipher surface water mass interaction in summer in the South China Sea and East China Sea by radium isotope distribution pattern. Salinity and activity ratio of radium ($^{228}Ra/^{226}Ra$) showed gradual changes, which were adequate to apply simple two end-member mixing between Kuroshio surface water and Changjiang Dilute Water for the East China Sea and the former and Nearshore Diluted Watermass (NDW) for the South China Sea. Two tracer methods, salinity and Ra isotope ratio, were compared for East China Sea. Results showed remarkable consistency for waters near Kuroshio, however, discrepancy were noticeable after Tsushima Warm Current branching. Mixing with subsurface waters may cause the discrepancy. When mixed with subsurface waters, salts and radium isotope ratio are expected to be biased in opposite direction, i. e. prone to underestimate the fraction of less saline water in the case of salts and vice versa for Ra isotope ratio. Taking the mean values of two different results seems more realistic to estimate fraction of end-members.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.395-405
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• 2006

We measured the fugacity of $CO_2$ $(fCO_2)$, temperature, salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll a in the surface water of the western North Pacific $(4^{\circ}30'{\sim}33^{\circ}10'N,\;144^{\circ}20'{\sim}127^{\circ}35'E)$ in September 2002. There were zonally several major currents which have characteristics of specific temperature and salinity (NECC, North Equatorial Counter Current; NEC, North Equatorial Current; Kuroshio etc.). Surface $fCO_2$ distribution was clearly distinguished into two groups, tropical and subtropical areas of which boundary was $20^{\circ}N$. In the tropical Int surface $fCO_2$ was mainly controlled by temperature, while in the subtropical area, surface $fCO_2$ was dependent on total inorganic carbon contents. Air-sea $CO_2$ flux showed a large spatial variation, with a range of $-0.69{\sim}0.79 mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$. In the area of AE (Anticyclonic Eddy), SM(Southern Mixed region) and NM (Northern Mixed region), the ocean acted as a weak source of $CO_2$ $(0.6{\sim}0.79 mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$. In NECC, NEC, Kuroshio and ECS (East China Sea), however, the fluxes were estimated to be $-0.3mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for the first three regions and $-1.2mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for ECS respectively, indicating that these areas acted as sinks of $CO_2$. The average air-sea flux in the entire study area was $0.15mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1})$, implying that the western North Pacific was a weak source of $CO_2$ during the study period.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.361-372
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• 2008

A satellite tracked drifter experiment was conducted to observe thermal structure and surface circulation in the northeastern East China Sea. For this experiment, four ADOS buoys, assembled with surface float and thermister chain, were deployed on August 2007 in southern Jeju-do, where the Kuroshio Branch Current is separated from the main stream. Thermal structure in the upper layer of the northeastern East China Sea was successfully observed during the following $1{\sim}3$ months. Strong thermo-haline front in a northeast-southwest direction was observed. In the frontal zone, warm and saline Kuroshio origin water intermixes with fresher coastal water and flows toward the Korean Strait. Typhoon Nari, which passed over the East China Sea 20 days after commencement of study, caused distinct signals in the thermal structure and trajectory of buoys. During the typhoon, surface temperature abruptly dropped to about $4^{\circ}C$, while the thermocline formed at $30{\sim}50$ m depth vanished due to strong vertical mixing. Internal inertial oscillation occurred several days after the typhoon. The fortuitous occurrence of typhoon Nari showed that ADOS buoys can provide useful and accurate air-sea interaction data during typhoons.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2005

Floating debris was observed using a training ship, KAYA, of Pukyong National University with cruising speed of about 10-12 knot during July 12~25, 2003. The area sampled was the East Sea enclosed by 3 nations, namely, Korea, Japan and Russia, and was divided into 68 unit segments on survey routes [Fig. 1]. Debris fabrication materials were categorized with 6 items, e.g., man-made or natural wood items, paper and cardboard, nylon rope, styrofoam, vinyl and plastic, floating metal and glass containers. All identified items within $100{\pm}10 m$ wide band were recorded but ignored if beyond this boundary. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The average numbers of debris per unit area, $1km^2$, were found as 16.3 pieces (items) in the sea. 2. The highest densities of numbers, $32.3pieces/km^2$, were discovered in vicinity of the Oki strait of Japan, area of 'NEK' in Fig. 1. 3. Especially, styrofoam item only was composed to 63.6% of all in the sea of 'SD', located in the southern part of Dokdo Island, Korea. The item seems to be derive from the Southern Sea of Korea. 4. Therefore, comparing the distribution of debris numbers (the results of above 2 and 3) with flow patterns of Kuroshio currents, it was shown that their relation was good agree each other. Further more surveys are being conducted and a much wider coverage can be achieved with other countries, then it can be obtained that the East Sea is polluted to some extent, where is the origin of debris, and the finding of floating routes and stationary sea.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.2
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• pp.831-835
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• 2006

NOAA/AVHRR data were used to analyze sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and thermal fronts (TFs) in the Korean seas. Temporal and spatial analyses were based on data from 1993 to 2000. Harmonic analysis revealed mean SST distributions of $10{\sim}25^{\circ}C$. Annual amplitudes and phases were $4{\sim}11^{\circ}C$ and $210{\sim}240^{\circ}$, respectively. Inverse distributions of annual amplitudes and phases were found for the study seas, with the exception of the East China Sea, which is affected by the Kuroshio Current. Areas with high amplitudes (large variations in SSTs) showed 'low phases' (early maximum SST); areas with low amplitudes (small variations in SSTs) had 'high phases' (late maximum SST). Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses of SSTs revealed a first-mode variance of 97.6%. Annually, greater SST variations occurred closer to the continent. Temporal components of the second mode showed higher values in 1993, 1994, and 1995. These phenomena seemed to the effect of El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$. The Sobel edge detection method (SEDM) delineated four fronts: the Subpolar Front (SPF) separating the northern and southern parts of the East Sea; the Kuroshio Front (KF) in the East China Sea, the South Sea Coastal Front (SSCF) in the South Sea, and a tidal front (TDF) in the West Sea. Thermal fronts generally occurred over steep bathymetric slopes. Annual amplitudes and phases were bounded within these frontal areas. EOF analysis of SST gradient values revealed the temporal and spatial variations in the TFs. The SPF and SSCF were most intense in March and October; the KF was most significant in March and May.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2007

Based on a time series of ocean climate indices and catch records for seven pelagic fish species in the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and Kuroshio-Oyashio Current (KOC) regions from 1910 to 2004, we detected regional synchrony in the long-term fluctuations of the fish populations and identified alternation patterns of dominant species related to climate shifts. The annual catches of Pacific herring, Japanese sardines, Japanese anchovies, jack mackerel, chub mackerel, Pacific saury and common squid in the TWC region fluctuated in phase with those in the KOC region, which suggests that they were controlled by the same basin-wide climate forcing. After the collapse of the herring fishery, the alternation sequence was: sardines (1930s), Pacific saury, jack mackerel, common squid and anchovies ($1950s{\sim}1960s$), herring ($late\;1960s{\sim}early\;1970s$), chub mackerel (1970s) and then sardines (1980s). As sardine biomass decreased in the late stages of the cool regime, catch of the other four species increased immediately during the warm period of the 1990s. Regional differences in the amplitude of long-term catch fluctuations for the seven pelagic fishes could be explained by regional differences in availability, fishing techniques and activity.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.203-215
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• 1995

Two hydrographic surveys along with direct current measurements using drogues and moored current meters were conducted in Cheju Strait during April and May, 1983. The data clearly demonstrate that a branch of the Kuroshio characterized by high temperature and high salinity enters the Cheju Strait after turning around the western coast of Cheju-Do. The width of the current turning west of Cheju-Do is about 60 km and reduces to 20∼30 km in the strait, resulting in a high speed(＞10 cm/s) at the western entrance and in the middle of the strait, compared with a low speed (＞5 cm/s) west of Cheju-Do. The Tsushima Current water also originating from the Kuroshio shows its influence in the eastern part of the Cheju Strait. Thermohaline fronts formed between the warm current waters and the coastal waters suggest the southward extension of the Yellow Sea Coastal Water west of the Cheju Strait. A warming of the warm current waters occurs in May, while a cooling takes place in other areas. The major freshening and cooling of water take place in the middle of the Cheju Strait in May due to the intrusion of cold and low salinity water from the west of the Cheju Strait.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2005

The distributions of fish larvae and juveniles from the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and near Tsushima Island were investigated in Spring using the Maruchi (1994-1995) and Unagi (1996-1997) nets. A total of 94 species of fish larvae and juveniles belonging to 49 families under 17 orders were identified, of which Engraulis japonicus was dominant in every year except 1995 where Trachurus japonicus was dominant. Cluster analysis based on abundance and species composition by sampling stations (St.) revealed that the similar stations formed an arcuate group from Tsushima Island to southern Jeju Island in 1994, and from the Yellow Sea to southern Jeju Island in 1996. We concluded that these patterns resulted from the influence of the Tsushima Current prevailing in the east, and the Chinese Continental Waters and/or Hwanghae Cold Waters prevailing in the west, with Jeju Island exerting an influence in the centre. The diversity and composition of St. 97-3 and St. 97-5, both located where the Tsushima Current splits from the Kuroshio Current, was greatly different despite their close proximity. However, the former is located on the continental shelf, with the latter on the continental slope. This suggested that both topography and the Kuroshio Current have the most influence on the distribution of fish larvae and juveniles in this region. Furthermore, the weak Hwanghae Cold Waters of 1997 may have also limited the mixing of fish larvae and juveniles between the two stations.