• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.26 no.7
• /
• pp.714-724
• /
• 2005

The East Sea, a semi-enclosed marginal sea with shallow straits in the northwest Pacific, is marked by the nearly geographic isolation and the low sea surface salinity during the last glacial maximum (LGM). The East Sea might have the only connection to the open ocean through the Korea Strait with a sill depth of 130 m, allowing the paleo-Tsushima Water to enter the sea during the LGM. The low paleosalinity associated with abnormally light $\delta^{18}O$ values of planktonic foraminifera is interpreted to have resulted from river discharge and precipitation. Nevertheless, two LGM features in the East Sea are disputable. This study attempts to estimate volume transport of the paleo-Tsushima Water via the Korea Strait and further examines its effect on the low sea surface salinity (SSS) during the lowest sea level of the LGM. The East Sea was not completely isolated, but partially linked to the northern East China Sea through the Korea Strait during the LGM. The volume transport of the paleo-Tsushima Water during the LGM is calculated approximately$(0.5\~2.1)\times10^{12}m^3/yr$ on the basis of the selected seismic reflection profiles along with bathymetry and current data. The annual influx of the paleo-Tsushima Water is low, compared to the 100 m-thick surface water volume $(about\;79.75\times10^{12}m^3)$ in the East Sea. The paleo-Tsushima Water influx might have changed the surface water properties within a geologically short time, potentially decreasing sea surface salinity. However, the effect of volume transport on the low sea surface salinity essentially depends on freshwater amounts within the paleo-Tsushima Water and excessive evaporation during the glacial lowstands of sea level. Even though the paleo-Tsushima Water is assumed to have been entirely freshwater at that time period, it would annually reduce only about 1‰ of salinity in the surface water of the East Sea. Thus, the paleo-Tsushima Water influx itself might not be large enough to significantly reduce the paleosalinity of about 100 m-thick surface layer during the LGM. This further suggests contribution of additional river discharges from nearby fluvial systems (e.g. the Amur River) to freshen the surface water.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.421-437
• /
• 2010

Surface particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration estimated from Maximum Normalized Difference Carbon Index (MNDCI) algorithm using SeaWiFS data is used to determine spatial and temporal variations of the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) in the East China Sea. 10-year monthly POC concentrations (1997-2007) show clearly seasonal variations. Inter-annual variation of POC in whole and three different areas separated by standard deviation is not linearly correlated with the Changjiang River discharge that has decreased after 1998. To determine more detailed spatial and temporal POC variations, we used empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis in summer (Jun.-Sep.) from 2000 to 2007. First mode is spatially and temporally correlated with the area influenced by the Changjiang River discharge. Second mode is temporally less sensitive with the Changjiang River discharge but spatially correlated with north-south patterns. Relatively higher POC variations during 2000 and 2003 were shown in the southern East China Sea. These patterns during 2004 and 2007 moved to the northern East China Sea. This phenomenon is better related to spatial variations of wind-direction than the amount of Changjiang River discharge, which is verified from in-situ measurement.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2011

The Yellow Sea Cold Water (YSCW) is formed by cold and dry wind in the previous winter, and is known to spread southward along the central trough of the Yellow Sea in summer. Water characteristics of the YSCW and its movement in the northern East China Sea (ECS) are investigated by analyzing CTD (conductivity-Temperature-Depth) data collected from summertime hydrographic surveys between 2003 and 2009. By water mass analysis, we newly define the North Western Cold Water (NWCW) as a cold water mass observed in the study area. It is characterized by temperature below $13.2^{\circ}C$, salinity of 32.6~33.7 psu, and density (${\sigma}_t$) of 24.7~25.5. The NWCW appears to flow southward at about a speed less than 2 cm/s according to the geostrophic calculation. The newly defined NWCW shows an interannual variation in the range of temperature and occupied area, which is in close relation with the sea surface temperature (SST) over the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea in the previous winter season. The winter SST is determined by winter air temperature, which shows a high correlation with the winter-mean Arctic Oscillation (AO) index. The negative winter-mean AO causes the low winter SST over the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, resulting in the summertime expansion and lower temperature of the NWCW in the study area. This study shows a dynamic relation among the winter-mean AO index, SST, and NWCW, which helps to predict the movement of NWCW in the northern ECS in summer.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.89-103
• /
• 2006

Population structure was investigated in Reticulitermes speratus populations in the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago. All trees derived from analyses of the combined sequence dataset of two mitochondrial genes, COII and COIII, showed that R. speratus populations cluster into two major clades comprising the Korean/southern Japanese populations and the northern Japanese populations. Analysis of population genetic structure showed strong genetic partitioning between populations of the two clades. To understand historical migration routes and current distributions, the phylogeographic history of R. speratus was inferred from intra-/interspecific phylogeny and divergence times estimated between the clades of the phylogenetic tree. The estimated migration route and divergence time of ancestral R. speratus are congruent with recent paleogeographic hypotheses involving land-bridge connections between the Asian continent and the Japanese Archipelago. We suggest that ancestral R. speratus separated into northern and southern Japanese populations after its migration into the Japanese main islands from East China during the early Pleistocene via the East China Sea basin, which may have been exposed during that period. The Korean populations seem to have diverged recently from southern Japanese populations; this may explain the current distribution of R. speratus in the Japanese Arachipelago, and account for why it is restricted to northern areas of the Tokara Strait.

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

• 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.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.147-155
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate seasonal difference in linear trends in satellite-derived chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) and their related environmental changes in the South Sea of Korea (SSK) and East China Sea (ECS) for recent 15 years (Jan. 1998~Dec. 2012) by analyzing climatological data of Chl-a, Rrs(555), sea surface wind (SSW) and nutrient. A linear trend analysis of Chl-a data reveals that, during recent 15 years, the spring bloom was enhanced in most of the ECS, while summer and fall blooms were weakened. The increased spring (Mar. - May) Chl-a was associated with strengthened winter (Dec. - Feb.) wind that probably provided more nutrient into the upper ocean from the deep. The causes of decreased summer (Jun. - Aug.) Chl-a in the northern ECS were uncertain, but seemed to be related with the nutrient limitation. Recently (after 2006), low-salinity Changjiang diluted water in the south of Jeju and the SSK had lower phosphate that caused increase in N/P ratio with Chl-a decrease. The decreased fall (Sep. - Nov.) Chl-a was associated with weakened wind that tends to entrain less nutrient into the upper ocean from the deep. This study suggests that phytoplankton in the ECS differently changes in response to environmental changes depending on season and region.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.8-31
• /
• 2023

To understand the distribution and formation mechanism of benthic foraminiferal assemblages, grain size analysis, ¹⁴C radiocarbon dating, and benthic foraminifera analysis were conducted on thirty-two surface sediments collected from the continental shelf of the northern East China Sea, respectively. Surface sediment was composed of sandy mud~muddy sand facies with an average of 52.04% of sand, 13.72% of silt, and 34.20% of clay. These sedimentary facies are palimpsest sediment. Benthic foraminifera was classified into a total of 48 genera and 104 species, including agglutinated foraminifera, calcareous-hyaline, and calcareous-porcelaneous foraminifera. The production rate of agglutinated foraminifera increased toward the Yangtze River area while that of planktonic foraminifera increased toward Jeju Island. Dominant species are Ammonia ketienziensis, Bolivina robusta, Eggella advena, Eilohedra nipponica, Pseudorotalia gamardii, Pseudoparrella naraensis. ¹⁴C radiocarbon datings of Bolivina robusta and Pseudorotalia gamardii with the highest production rate were 2,360±40 yr B.P. and 2,450±40 yr B.P., respectively. In the result of cluster analysis, three assemblages composed of P. gaimardii, B. robusta, and A. ketienziensis-P. naraensis were classified broadly. P. gaimardii assemblage is thought to be formed from about 2.5 yr B.P. at the sea area of the Yangtze River to 50 m in water depth affected by fresh water. B. robusta assemblage is thought to be formed from about 2.4 yr B.P. at the sea area of Jeju Island to 50~100 m affected by offshore water. And then, A. ketienziensisP. naraensis assemblage was formed in the northwest sea area (Central Yellow Sea Mud). These distributions and composition of benthic foraminiferal assemblages formed from about 2.5 yr B.P. in the northern East China Sea are thought to be due to the change of benthic ecology environment that occurred by the sea level increase during the late Holocene.

• Acta Via Serica
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.23-48
• /
• 2018

The Silk Road usually implies a network of trade and communications that stretched from east to west and connected China and the countries of the Far East via Central Asia and the Middle East to the eastern Mediterranean, or through the northern coast of the Caspian Sea and the Volga basin to the Black Sea coast. However, at certain historical stages, a network of maritime and overland routes stretching from north to south, commonly called the Volga-Caspian trade route, also played a significant role in international trade and cultural contacts. The geopolitical realities of the early Middle Ages relating to the relationship of Byzantium, the Sassanid Empire, and the West Turkic Khaganate, the advance of the Arab Caliphate to the north, the spread of Islam in the Volga region, the glories and fall of the Khazar State, and the Scandinavian campaigns in the Caucasus, closely intertwined with the history of transport and communications connecting the north and south through the Volga-Caspian route. In a later era, the interests of the Mongolian Uluses, and then the political and economic aspirations of the Ottoman Empire, the Safavid State, and Russia, collided or combined on these routes. The article discusses trade contacts existing between the north and the south in the 15th and first half of the 17th century along the routes on the western coast of the Caspian Sea.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 1997

Surface current fields in the eastern East China Sea (ECS) were constructed by analyzing trajectories of 58 satellite-tracked surface drifters released during 1991-1996. Composite trajectories and 20-minute-by-20-minute box-averaged current vectors show that the basic current pattern composes of: the Kuroshio main stream, which turns eastward toward the Tokara Strait; a northward branch current of the Kuroshio on the ECS outer shelf deeper than 100 m; and an anticyclonic circulation in the northern Okinawa Trough west of Kyushu. The northward branch current sharply changes its direction to the northeast when it crosses a line connecting Cheju Island, Korea and Goto Islands, Japan. The basic pattern of current field changes slightly from winter to summer, and the main axis of the Tsushima Current in the Korea Strait is found to shift seasonally. The drifter experiment does not support the claim that the Yellow Sea Warm Current is separated from the northward branch current on the outer shelf southeast of Cheju Island. We suggest that the use of the term 'Tsushima Current' be limited to the northeast channel flow in the Korea Strait. The new term 'Kuroshio Branch Current' is suggested for the northward branch current on the outer shelf south of Cheju-do, which is separated from the Kuroshio.