• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.276-282
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• 1998

As a part of the long-term ADCP mooring program to measure the mass flux through the Korea Strait, current velocity data were obtained for 39 days in the deepest point of the strait. Near-surface velocity of this observation was compared with Izuhara-Pusan sea level difference (SLD) to investigate the geostrophic relationship. Principal direction of the Tsushima Current at the mooring station is 44.6 degrees to the north from the east. Variability of the tidal current is greater than the nontidal current by a factor of two. Correlation coefficient of tidal current against SLD is 0.46 but the nontidal current is not correlated. The current velocity (U in cm/s) can be estimated from the demeaned SLD (in cm) by the relation U=23.63+0.64SLD where the maximum range of SLD is 52.9 cm. Current is coherent with SLD at semidiurnal, diurnal and 42.7-hour periods. A dominant nontidal variability with about 5-day period is not coherent with SLD.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.113-121
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• 1998

A relationship between sea level variations in the Korea Strait (the western and the eastern channels) and the Tokara Strait in the Kuroshio region is examined using daily-mean sea level data from 1966 to 1986. The seasonal variation of the sea level difference (SLD) between Izuhara and Pusan (the western channel) is most periodic: the positive anomalies appear from summer to autumn, and the negative anomalies from winter to spring year to year, whereas SLDs neither between Hakata and Izuhara (the eastern channel) nor between Naze and Nishinoomote (the Tokara Strait) show such a periodic variation. Much similarity has been found between SLDs in the eastern channel and the Tokara Strait, and in particular they were closely correlated in a special event of the Kuroshio region, such as a large meander of the Kuroshio. This paper shows that the periodic seasonal variation of the SLDs in the western channel should be less related to the Kuroshio region. This result also implies that the variation of SLD in the western channel is largely influenced by local factors, such as the bottom cold water in the western channel in summer, rather than from the Kuroshio region.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.413-427
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• 1991

Variability of sea levels at Mukho and Ullungdo and sea level difference(SLD) associated with current is investigated. Time series of adjusted sea levels at both places have very similar pattern of change. Two components appear to contribute to the correlation between sea level and SLD. Low frequency thermosteric effect causes the sea level to rise and fall at the same time. Geostrophic effect of major currents is responsible for the sea level change in opposite ways at both sides. Two contributions have a cancelling effect for sea level change at Mukho while they are additive at Ullungdo. Characteristics of time series in frequency domain are divided into two parts with respect to 0.01 cycles per day(cpd). At Mukho, the cancelling effect yields small values of coherence for low-frequency bands whereas the dominant geostrophic influence may be responsible for the phase relations of about $\pm 180^{\circ}$ between sea level and SLD at higher frequency. Bimonthly dynamic height difference(DHD) between Mukho and Ullungdo is very significantly correlated with SLD. This result suggests that DHD thus the average velocity of current through the Mukho-Ullungdo section can successfully be diagnosed by the sea level records at both locations. For the annual variations, maximum SLD occurs at Mukho-Ullungdo section about 40 days later than the Korea Strait.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.437-449
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• 1991

Time series of barometrically adjusted sea level at Pusan, Izuhara and Hakada are analyzed to study the fluctuations of the Tsushima Current through the Korea Strait. Variability of sea levels and their differences is divided into two parts with respect to the frequency of 0.01 or 0.02 cycles per day(cpd) At lower frequency, both of sea levels and sea level difference(SLD) are coherent and in phase to each other. Pusan has smaller seasonal variations in sea level than other two stations because the effects of geostrophic current and prevailing wind have a negative influence on the seasonal thermosteric contribution to sea level change. Low frequency variability of SLD thus of the Tsushima Current is much greater in the western channel. For higher frequency parts, SLD in the eastern channel has larger variability and is not coherent with that of the western channel. Sea levels at Pusan and Izuhara are $180^{\circ}$ out of phase with SLD in the western and eastern channel respectively, whereas the Hakada level is in phase. This result indicates that eastern channel has a normal response to the along-channel winds and cross-channel geostrophy because Izuhara faces the eastern channel.