• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.352-355
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• 2006

In this study, the seasonal and inter-annual variation of sea surface current in the Gulf of Thailand were revealed through the use of WOD temperature and salinity data and monthly sea surface dynamic heights (SSDH) from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-2 altimetry data during 1995-2001. The mean dynamic height and mean geostrohic current were derived from the climatological data while SSDH data gave monthly dynamic heights and their geopstrophic currents. The mean geostrophic current showed strong southward and westward flow of South China Sea water along the gulf entrance. Counterclockwise eddy in the inner gulf and the western side of the gulf entrance associated with upwelling in the area. Seasonal geostrophic currents show basin-wide counterclockwise circulation during the southwest monsoon season and clockwise circulation during the northeast monsoon season. Upwelling was enhanced during the southwest monsoon season. The circulation patterns varied seasonally and inter-annually probably due to the variation in wind regime. And finally we found that congregation, spawning, and migration routes of short-bodied mackerel conform well with coastal upwelling and surface circulation in the gulf.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.339-342
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• 2003

Sea level variations and sea surface circulations inthe Korean seas were observed by Topex/Poseidon altimeter data from 1993 through 1997. In sea level variations, the West and South Sea showed relatively high variations with comparison to the East Sea. Then, the northern and southern area in the West Sea showed the range of 20-30cm and 18-24cm, and the northern west of Jeju island and the southern west of Tsushima island in the South Sea showed the range of 15-20cm and 10-15cm, respectively. High variations in the West Sea was results to the inflow in sea surface of Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) and bottom topography. Sea level variations in the South Sea was due to two branch currents (Jeju Warm Current and East Korea Warm Current) originated from Kuroshio Current (KC). In sea surface circulations, there existed remarkably three eddies circulations in the East Sea that are mainly connected with North Korea Cold Current (NKCC), East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) and Tushima Warm Current (TWC). Their eddies are caused basically to the influence of currents in sea surface circulations; Cyclone (0.03 cm/sec) in the Wonsan bay on shore with NKCC, and anticyclone (0.06 cm/sec) in the southwestern area of Ulleung island with EKWC, and cyclone (0.01 cm/set) in the northeastern area of Tushima island with TWC, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.209-220
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• 2010

One of the most difficult tasks in measuring oceanic conditions is to produce oceanic current information. In efforts to overcome the difficulties, various attempts have been carried out to estimate the speed and direction of ocean currents by utilizing sequential satellite images. In this study, we have estimated sea surface current vectors to the south of the Korean Peninsula, based on the maximum cross-correlation method by using sequential ocean color images of SeaWiFS chlorophyll-a. Comparison of surface current vectors estimated by this method with the geostrophic current vectors estimated from satellite altimeter data and in-situ ADCP measurements are good in that current speeds are underestimated by about 15% and current directions are show differences of about $36^{\circ}$ compared with previous results. The technique of estimating current vectors based on maximum cross-correlation applied on sequential images of SeaWiFS is promising for the future application of GOCI data for the ocean studies.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.589-601
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• 2016

Sea surface currents were estimated by applying the Maximum Cross Correlation (MCC), Zero-mean Sum of Absolute Distances (ZSAD), and Zero-mean Sum of Squared Distances (ZSSD) algorithms to Himawari-8/Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) thermal infrared channel data, and the comparative analysis was performed between the results of these algorithms. The sea surface currents of the Kuroshio Current region that were retrieved using each algorithm showed similar results. The ratio of errors to the total number of estimated surface current vectors had little difference according to the algorithms, and the time required for sea surface current calculation was reduced by 24% and 18%, relative to the MCC algorithm, for the ZSAD and ZSSD algorithms, respectively. The estimated surface currents were validated against those from satellite-tracked surface drifter and altimeter data, and the accuracy evaluation of these algorithms showed results within similar ranges. In addition, the accuracy was affected by the magnitude of brightness temperature gradients and the time interval between satellite image data.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 2013

A GPS-drifter was newly designed to observe the sea surface skin current and to estimate the direct wind effect on the sea surface. After conducting a test to establish and verify the accuracy of the GPS itself in the laboratory, in-situ experimental campaigns at Saemangeum in Gunsan city and Haeundae in Busan city, Korea, were carried out to ascertain the drifter track and to estimate the velocity data set on Oct. 3, 15, 23, 27 and Nov. 25, 2011. The current meters, RCM9 and ADCP, were moored together to remove the background current field, and the wind data were obtained from several marine stations such as towers and buoys in these areas. The drifter-observed velocity show good agreement with the flow obtained by the HF radar in the Saemangeum area. The direction of the wind-driven current extracted from the drifter-observed velocity was completely deflected to the right, however the degree of the angle was different according to the drift types. The average speed of the wind-driven current matched with 2.19~2.81% of the wind speed and the deflection angle was about $8.0{\sim}10.9^{\circ}$ without adjustment for the land-sea effect, and about 2.19~2.84% and $4.1{\sim}6.0^{\circ}$ with the adjustment for the land-sea effect.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.17-20
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• 2006

Three HF ocean radar stations were installed at the Soya/La Perouse Strait in the Sea of Okhotsk in order to monitor the Soya Warm Current. The frequency of the HF radar is 13.9 MHz, and the range and azimuth resolutions are 3 km and $5^{\circ}$, respectively. The radar covers a range of approximately 70 km from the coast. It is shown that the HF radars clearly capture seasonal and short-term variations of the Soya Warm Current. The velocity of the Soya Warm Current reaches its maximum, approximately 1 m $s^{-1}$, in summer, and weakens in winter. The velocity core is located 20 to 30 km from the coast, and its width is approximately 50 km. The surface transport by the Soya Warm Current shows a significant correlation with the sea level difference along the strait, as derived from coastal tide gauge records. The cross-current sea level difference, which is estimated from the sea level anomalies observed by the Jason-1 altimeter and a coastal tide gauge, also exhibits variation in concert with the surface transport and along-current sea level difference.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.25-44
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• 2005

Long-term, continuous, and real-time ocean monitoring has been undertaken in order to evaluate various oceanographic phenomena and processes in the East/Japan Sea. Recent technical advances combined with our concerted efforts have allowed us to establish a real-time monitoring system and to accumulate considerable knowledge on what has been taking place in water properties, current systems, and circulation in the East Sea. We have obtained information on volume transport across the Korea Strait through cable voltage measurements and continuous temperature and salinity profile data from ARGO floats placed throughout entire East Sea since 1997. These ARGO float data have been utilized to estimate deep current, inertial kinetic energy, and changes in water mass, especially in the northern East Sea. We have also developed the East Sea Real-time Ocean Buoy (ESROB) in coastal regions and made continual improvements till it has evolved into the most up-to-date and effective monitoring system as a result of remarkable technical progress in data communication systems. Atmospheric and oceanic measurements by ESROB have contributed to the recognition of coastal wind variability, current fluctuations, and internal waves near and off the eastern coast of Korea. Long-tenn current meter moorings have been in operation since 1996 between Ulleungdo and Dokdo to monitor the interbasin deep water exchanges between the Japanese and Ulleung Basins. In addition, remotely sensed satellite data could facilitate the investigation of atmospheric and oceanic surface conditions such as sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height, near-surface winds, oceanic color, surface roughness, and so on. These satellite data revealed surface frontal structures with a fairly good spatial resolution, seasonal cycle of SST, atmospheric wind forcing, geostrophic current anomalies, and biogeochemical processes associated with physical forcing and processes. Since the East Sea has been recognized as a natural laboratory for global oceanic changes and a clue to abrupt climate change, we aim at constructing a 4-D continuous real-time monitoring system, over a decade at least, using the most advanced techniques to understand a variety of oceanic processes in the East Sea.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.340-343
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• 2008

The Soya Warm Current (SWC) is a coastal boundary current, which flows along the coast of Hokkaido in the Sea of Okhotsk. Seasonal and subinertial variations in the SWC are investigated using data obtained by high-frequency (HF) ocean radars, coastal tide gauges, and a bottom-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The HF radars clearly capture the seasonal variations in the surface current fields of the SWC. The velocity of the SWC reaches its maximum, approximately 1 m/s, in the summer, and becomes weaker in the winter. The velocity core is located 20 to 30 km from the coast, and its width is approximately 50 km. The almost same seasonal cycle was repeated in the period from August 2003 to March 2007. In addition to the annual variation, the SWC exhibits subinertial variations with a period from 10-15 days. The surface transport by the SWC shows a significant correlation with the sea level difference between the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk for both of the seasonal and subinertial variations, indicating that the SWC is driven by the sea level difference between the two seas. Generation mechanism of the subinertial variation is discussed using wind data from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses. The subinertial variations in the SWC are significantly correlated with the meridional wind component over the region. The subinertial variations in the sea level difference and surface current delay from the meridional wind variations for one or two days. Continental shelf waves triggered by the meridional wind on the east coast of Sakhalin and west coast of Hokkaido are considered to be a possible generation mechanism for the subinertial variations in the SWC.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.505-510
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• 2008

To understand the oceanographic characteristics of Hupo coastal waters as regards the East Korean Warm Current and the North Korean Cold Current, current direction and velocity were investigated by deploying a current meter in Hupo coastal waters during the summer and fall of 2007. Wind data were obtained from the homepage of the Korea Meteorological Administration. Water temperature was measured using a temperature meter attached to the current meter and a mini log. During summer, a south wind prevailed, while during the fall the wind blew from the north. Cold surface waters occurred on a large scale in summer, while in the fall, warm bottom water occurred frequently. After mid-November, when the surface water was cooler than $15^{\circ}C$, there was no difference in water temperature between the surface and bottom layers.