• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.295-307
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• 2012

In order to understand the flow properties of the South Sea of Korea, tidal currents, wind-driven currents, density-driven currents and residual flows were investigated by using 3-dimensional numerical model(POM). In offshore regions, tide-induced residual current tends to flow eastward during the spring tide and westward during the neap tide. Total residual flow is irregular due to the bottom topography in the coastal area. The density-driven currents in the coastal area showed to be relatively weak, with little seasonal differences. The special tendency was apparent in the open sea. That is, the flow in the offshore regions showed results similar to that of the Tsushima current. The wind-driven currents in the coastal area showed to be much stronger than in offshore regions. Vertically, the flow of the surface layer was much stronger than that of the bottom layer. Through these results, material transport and diffusion in the south coast, as a basis for predicting the spread of use is expected to be available.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2007

Marine environmental characteristics on the dinoflagellate cysts distribution in surface sediment of the southwest sea of Korea were investigated from 21 stations in September 2003, and 36 stations in June, 2004. The water mass characteristics indicated that the southwest sea of Korea is characterized by various oceanographic conditions due to coastal waters of Korea and China. The Tsushima warm currents and the cold bottom water of the Yellow Sea. Mud contents and chlorophyll a concentrations were higher in central region such as, Namhaedo, Yeosu and Goheung coast than in western region such as, Wando, Haenam and Jindo coast in the South Sea of Korea. A total of 35 taxa of dinoflagellate cysts were identified representing 21 genera, 33 species, 2 unidentified species. Cyst abundance ranged from 13 to 527 cysts $g-dry^{-1}$, showing higher abundance in the coastal areas than in western region of the South Sea of Korea. From the result of the PCA analysis, the distribution of dinoflagellate cysts was not only related to the different water masses which appeared in the southwestern sea but also to physical and biological parameters such as water temperature, light, surface sediment faces and phytoplankton biomass.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.315-326
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• 2019

Northeastward drifts of massive Sargassum patches were observed in the East China Sea (ECS) and Yellow Sea (YS) by the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) in May 2017. Coverage of the brown macroalgae patches was the largest ever recorded in the ECS and YS. Three-dimensional circulation modeling and Lagrangian particle tracking simulations were conducted to reproduce drifting trajectories of the macroalgae patches. The trajectories of the macroalgae patches were controlled by winds as well as surface currents. A windage (leeway) factor of 1% was chosen based on sensitivity simulations. Southerly winds in May 2017 contributed to farther northward intrusion of the brown macroalgae into the YS. Although satellite observation and numerical modeling have their own limitations and associated uncertainties, the two methods can be combined to find the best estimate of Sargassum patch trajectories. When satellites were unable to capture all patches because of clouds and sea fog in the ECS and YS, the Lagrangian particle tracking model helped to track and restore the missing patches in satellite images. This study suggests that satellite monitoring and numerical modeling are complementary to ensure accurate tracking of macroalgae patches in the ECS and YS.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.27-42
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• 1993

Based on the Results of Marine Meteorological and Oceanographical Observations during 1966∼1987 and the Ten-day Marine Report during 1970∼1989 by Japan Meteorological Agency, the possible area where the Japan Sea Proper Water (JSPW) can be formed is investigated by analyzing the distribution of water types in the Japan Sea. The Japan Sea can be divided into three subareas of Northern Cold Water(NCW), Polar Front(PF) and Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) by the Polar Front identified by a 6℃ isothermal line at the sea surface in vinter. Mean position of the Polar Front is approximately parallel to the latitude 39∼40。N. The standard deviation of the Polar Front from the mean position of about 130km width is the smallest in the region between 136。E and 138。E where the Polar Front is very stable, because the branches of the Tsushima Current are converging in this region. However, standard deviations are about 180∼250km near the Korean peninsula and the Tsugaru Strait due to greater variability of warm currents. In the NCW area north of 40∼30。N and west of 138。E, the water types of the sea surface to the loom depth are similar to those of the JSPW. This fact indicates that the surface layer of the NCW area is the possible region of the JSPW formation in winter.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.169-179
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• 2017

The "GeoDrifter" is a newly-developed surface drifter with high temporal resolution. It is the first time that high-frequency drifters have been deployed in the East/Japan Sea. The purpose of this study is to introduce the phenomena experienced by these drifters flowing along with the Tsushima Current across the East/Japan Sea, focusing on high-frequency variability, and to discuss them in comparison with previous observations. The observed basin-scale circulation of the Tsushima Current generally coincides well with the known schematic circulation. The GeoDrifter trajectories also show inertial oscillations almost everywhere in the oceanic regions of the East/Japan Sea, strong semi-diurnal tidal currents in the western part of Korea Strait, diurnal currents much stronger than semi-diurnal currents in the upstream region of the Nearshore Branch off the Japanese coast, and many warm eddies in the Yamato Basin, all comparable to the observational results reported in the previous studies. An interesting point is that the semi-diurnal tidal currents undergo a great spatial variation in the western part of the Korea Strait. The observed features that cannot be explained are, among others, strong counter-clockwise motions with oscillating period about 51 hours appearing in the upstream region of the Nearshore Branch off the Japanese coast and the different tidal behaviors between upstream and downstream regions of the latter.

• Water for future
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.221-236
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• 1983

In semi-enclosed shallow sea areas typified by the Yellow sea and the East China Sea, currents and sea surface variations are predominantly tidal. During the recent years two-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic model of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea has been developed, based on the vertically-integrated equations of motion and continuity, capable of reproducing amplitudes and phases of the principal components of tides to satisfiable accuracy. As a subsequent development a three-dimensional hydrodynamical nymerical model covering the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea has been formulated to investigate the vertical distribution of horizontal tidal current and the response of the continented to investigate the vertical distribution of horizontal tidal current and the response of the continental shelf sea to steady uniform wind stress field imposed over the surface. Features of the M2 tidal current and the wind-induced three-dimensional current structure determined from the computation have been examined and discussed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.219-229
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• 2009

In order to establish annual variations in the marine ecosystem of the East China Sea, suspended solids (SSs) and particulate organic carbon (POC) were extensively investigated in the northern part of the East China Sea from August 2003 to April 2008. Surface SS concentrations showed large spatial variations in spring and fall, but not in summer. Surface SS concentrations in spring were lower than those in summer and fall. In summer, SSs discharged from Changjiang were mostly deposited in the coastal areas and did not reach our study area which was located about 260 km from the river mouth. High SS concentrations were observed near the bottom, which resulted from resuspension of bottom sediments by the bottom currents. Surface POC concentrations did not exhibited large seasonal variations. Phytoplankton biomass was a main factor controlling surface POC concentrations. POC/chlorophyll ratios showed large seasonal variations, with maximum numbers in summer. POC/PON ratios were higher in summer than the Redefied ratio (6.6), while they were lower in spring and fall. In summer, higher POC/chlorophyll and POC/PON ratios were probably attributed to the high phytoplankton mortality caused by nutrient depletion in surface waters.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.209-214
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• 2006

The East Sea Branch (ESB) of KORDI will be launched in 2008. She will take a role of monitoring the sea surface topography and temperature by satellites, short- and long-term sea levels by tide gauges, coastal currents and open-sea circulation by setting up coastal radars and mooring current-meters and acoustic equipments, as well as monitoring nearshore processes, coastal erosion and water pollution. A basic program of coastal zone management will help ocean-policy makers to set up right decisions based upon scientific background of the regional data in the East Sea. Networking among the neighboring countries around the sea will supply more useful information not only for experts but also for ordinary vacationers or fishermen. In order for this program to be successfully settled down during the next decade, it is necessary for a leader to have the right vision to attract more experts from global brain pools and to manage the ESB as a leading-edge observatory in the world. Details about this leading-edge operational program are introduced in the text.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.140-147
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• 2005

We investigated the interactions between coastal waters of the Yeongil Bay, Korea, and oceanic waters of the Eastern Sea, as wet 1 as the development mechanism of vertical circulation currents in the bay. The oceanic waters of the bay have an average water temperature of $12.2{\sim}18.4^{\circ}C$ and salinity of $33.32{\sim}34.43$ PSU. Results of spectral analysis have shown that the period of revolution between oceanic and coastal waters is about 0.84-0.91 years in the surface waters and 1.84 years in the bottom layer. The wind direction in the bay shifts between SW and NE, with the main wind direction being SW during the winter period, and water mass movement is influenced by such seasonal variations in wind direction. Vertical circulation currents in the bay are structured by two phenomena: the surface riverine outflow layer from the Hyeong-san River into the open sea and the bottom oceanic inflow layer with high-temperature and salinity into the bay. These phenomena start the spring when the water mass is stable and become stronger in the summer when the surface cold water develops over a 10-day period. Consequently, tidal currents have little influence in the bay; rather, these vertical and horizontal circulation currents play an important role in the transport of the pollutant load from the inner bay to the open sea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.148-158
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• 2004

In the adjacent seas of Cheju Island, the oceanographic conditions show low salinity surface waters starting in May. This water flows from the southeast part of the China Coastal Water, which flows southeastward along the Great Yangtze Sand Bank until April, with the help of southeasterly winds and flows from the adjacent sea off Cheju Island. In May, the Tsushima Warm Current and the low salinity surface water fluctuate in short and long-term periods as influenced by Yellow Sea Cold Water, which flows to the bottom layer at the western entrance of Cheju Strait. Temperature and salinity fronts in the northeastern sea area of U Island are formed in the boundary area between the Tsushima Warm Current, which expands towards Cheju Island from the southeastern sea area of Cheju Island and Hows out from the eastern entrance of the strait. Seasonally, additional oceanographic conditions, such as coastal counter-currents, which flow southward, appears within limited areas in the adjacent eastern and western seas of Cheju Island.