• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.325-334
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• 2008

A biogeochemical model was used to estimate air-sea $CO_2$ exchange over the East China Sea. Since fresh water discharge from the Changjiang River and relevant chemistry were not considered in the employed model, we were not able to produce accurate results around the Changjiang River mouth. This factor aside, the model showed that the East China Sea, away from the Changjiang River mouth, takes approximately $1.5{\sim}2\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ of $CO_2$ from the atmosphere. The model also showed that biological factors modify the air-sea $CO_2$ flux by only a few percent when we assumed that biological activity increased two-fold. Therefore, we can argue that the biological effect is not strong enough over this area within the framework of the current phosphate-based biological model. Compared to the preindustrial era, in 1995 the East China Sea absorbed $0.4{\sim}0.8\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ more $CO_2$. If warming of the sea surface is considered, in addition to the increase in atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration, by 2045 the East China Sea would absorb $0.2{\sim}0.4\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ less $CO_2$ compared to the non-warming case.

• Proceedings of the Korean Association of Geographic Inforamtion Studies Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.108-111
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• 2003

Altimeter data from the Topex/Poseidon (T/P) were analyzed to study the sea surface circulation and its variability in the North East Asian Seas. Long term averaged T/P sea level time series data where compared with in situ sea level measurements from a float-operated type tide gauge around of south Korea and Japan. Tf data are a large contaminated by 60-day tidal aliasing effect, very near the alias periods of M2 and S2. When this 60-day effect is removed, the data agree well with the tide gauge data with 4.6 cm averaged RMS difference. The T/P derived sea level variability reveals clearly the well-known, strong current-topography such as Kuroshio. The T/P mean sea level of North Pacific (NP) was higher than Yellow Sea (YS) and East Sea (ES). The T/P sea level variability, with strong eddy and meandering, was the largest in eastern part of Japan and this variability was mainly due to the influence of bottom topography in Kuroshio Extension area.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 2013

Two species of the hippolytid shrimps, Lebbeus speciosus and Lebbeus comanthi, are described and illustrated for the first time in Korea. They were collected from the East Sea. Lebbeus speciosus was found in a scallop farm of Jumunjin, Gangneung, and L. comanthi associated with crinoids, was found in Gampo, Gyeongju. The difference between these two related species is in the number of dorsal teeth of the rostrum, five teeth in L. speciosus and a single tooth in L. comanthi. The Korean Lebbeus species has increased to 6 species by the present report. They are L. grandimana, L. polaris, L. unalaskensis, L. groenlandicus, L. speciosus, and L. comanthi.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.323-331
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• 2007

Barren ground is an abnormal phenomenon in coastal ecosystems where seaweeds are destroyed and largely replaced by coralline algae containing calcium carbonate components. To restore the seaweed forest, we attempted reconstruction in an area of Samcheok, Korea, where barrenness is extensive. We developed two methods of seaforest construction underwater longline and seed transplantation for the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica, a fast-growing edible seaweed. The blade length of L. japonica attached to an underwater long line was $93.9{\pm}38.2cm$ and blade weight $7.6{\pm}2.1g$ in February 2004. Seaweed size declined after August 2004. A Similar pattern was observed using the transplantation method with maxima of $179.3{\pm}40.3cm\;and\;14.9{\pm}3.2g$ for blade length and weight, respectively in July 2004. The transplanted seaweeds matured in October as did a wild population. These results indicate that transplanted seaweed acclimate to new environments.

• 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.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1385-1395
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• 2010

Harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms have been frequently occurred in coastal areas of the East Sea since 1995. We compared the oceanic conditions in years 1995, 2001 and 2003 when the C. polykrikoides bloom was strong, and in years 1998 and 2004 when the C. polykrikoides bloom was not appeared. We studied temporal and spatial variation of upwelling and geostrophic currents on the western channel of Korean Strait, an entrance of the East Sea. The period and occurrence area of C. polykrikoides bloom was depended on variation of upwelling in summer. In the distributions of geostrophic current, southward current was dominant near the coast in August, 1998 and 2000. Whereas northward current was dominant near and off the coast in August, 1995 and 2003 which the C. polykrikoides bloom was strong. When compared dominant phytoplankton of the coastal areas in each year, Kuroshio indicator species Proboscia alata and Chaetoceros affine were dominant, respectively, in 2001 and 2003 at every stations. However, the dominant species was variable at each coastal area in 1998 and 2000. In 2003, the abundance of Sagitta elegans which is known as the cold water indicator was low, but the abundance of S. enflata, warm water indicator, was very high in Gangneung compared to Sokcho. It seemed that the distribution of S. elegans is restricted by strong warm water current. In conclusion, it was estimated that the distribution of C. polykrikoides bloom in the coastal area of the East Sea was closely related with the strength of East Korea Warm Current and upwelling.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.160-166
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• 2007

The coarse deposit with a lower mud content adjacent to the shelf of the southern East Sea is probably a "relict" sediment deposited in response to a lower stand of sea level during the Pleistocene. The sediment that developed on the slope and in the deep sea was river-borne primarily and was secondarily reworked or redistributed by the Tsushima Warm Current from the East China Sea. The clay mineralogy of the area suggests various sources of fine-grained sediment from adjacent rivers, the Korea Strait, volcanic material from Ulleung Island, and the Japan coast. Massive sand, bioturbated mud, homogeneous mud, and laminated mud were the dominant facies found in the core sediments from the study area. The massive sand was mainly volcanic ash from an eruption on Ulleung Island (9300 yr BP) and consisted of colorless pumiceous glass and a black scoriaceous type. The sedimentation rates on the slope, based on the Ulleung-Oki ash layer, were about 10cm/ky higher than in the basin. Other than the coarse-grain sediment, the mean size of the fine sediment dominating the bioturbated and homogeneous muds in the basin and the laminated mud on the slope was 6-10 phi. This indicates a difference in the major sedimentary process: hemipelagic sedimentation in the Ulleung Basin and mass flow deposition, such as turbidite, on the slope of the southern East Sea.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.128-137
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• 1997

This study presents results from a detailed sedimentological investigation of surface sediments obtained from the Korea Strait region, the southern part of the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The distribution of different types of bottom sediments is controlled by the recent fine-grained sediment transport and deposition combined with the lowerings of sea level during the last glacial period, forming a diverse mixture of organic-rich fine-grained and shelly coarse-grained sediments. In comparison to high organic concentration of fine-grained sediments in the inner continental shelf and slope areas, the shell-rich coarse-grained sediments on the outer shelf are discernible being further modified. These coarse-grained sediments are confirmed as relict resulting from the sediment dynamics during the lower sea levels of the last glacial period. Clay mineral distribution of the fine-grained sediments gives information about the transport mechanism. Presence of present-day current system (the Tsushima Warm Current) is most probable source for the fine-grained particles into the open East Sea from the East China Sea, indicating that Holocene sediment dynamics may be used to explain the observed distribution of surface coarse-grained shell-rich sediments.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.553-553
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• 1997

One new copepod species (Doropygus hoi n. sp.) is described based on specimens taken from solitary ascidians collected from the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the South Sea. Doropygus pinguis Ooishi, 1962 taken from solitary ascidians, Styela plicata (Lesueur) and Boltenia echinata (Linnaeus), collected from 8 localities of the South Sea and the East Sea are redescribed.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

The geographical distribution of the toxic blue-lined octopus (commonly known as the blue-ringed octopus), Hapalochlaena spp., around the East/Japan Sea was investigated. Observation records of the octopus were gathered using commercial search engines on the Internet. A questionnaire to complement and enhance the base data was conducted that targeted fishermen from areas where the octopus was most likely to occur, i.e., the southeast coast and islands of Korea in the East/Japan Sea. Overall, 32 observational records of the blue-lined octopus were found from Korea and Japan. In Korea, only one record, from 2003, was found on a website; none of the 240 fishermen who participated in the questionnaire reported seeing blue-lined octopus. However, a total of 31 observations of the blue-lined octopus from 2004 to July 2010 were found from 17 different regions in the East/Japan Sea and neighboring waters in Japan. Twenty-two cases were from coastal Honshu Island, and nine were from the west coast of Kyushu Island, Japan. The northern distributional boundary of the blue-lined octopus on the Japanese coast was off Fukui Prefecture around latitude $36^{\circ}$10' N. Our results indicate that the blue-lined octopus is distributed extensively along the Japanese coast, at a low frequency, in the East/Japan Sea.