• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2003

This study is to analyze the influence of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) on the variation of sound speed in the southern part of the East Sea. Sound speed is calculated by method of Chen and Millero (1977:, based on the CTD data measured in June of 1996. Sound speed in the central part of the TWC is about $45ms^{-1}$ more fast than that in the other regions without the TWC. Sound speed minimum layer (SML) in the TWC region exists between loom and 341 m, while it exists between 260m and 290m in the non-TWC region. SML distributes along the path of TWC over continental shelf in the coastal waters of Japan.

• 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.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.169-171
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• 2008

The objective of this paper is to explore the short-term variability of sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) derived from satellite in the upwelling region of the southeast coast of Korea in summer. We particularly emphasize the spatial variability of SST and Chl-a in the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC) during summer monsoon. Spatial distribution of SST and Chl-a in the EKWC are described using SeaWiFS and AVHRR images in August, 2007. Spatial distribution of SST and Chl-a around EKWC can be classified into four categories in the profile of SST and Chl-a images: (1) coastal cold water region, (2) cold water region of thermal front, (3) warm water region, (4) cold water of offshore region.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2008

Analyzing the results of East Sea Regional Ocean Model using a 3-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme, we investigated spatial and temporal variability of the North Korean Cold Current (NKCC) in the East Sea. The climatological monthly mean transport of the NKCC clearly shows seasonal variation of the NKCC within the range of about 0.35 Sv ($=0^6m^3/s$), which increases from its minimum (about 0.45 Sv) through December-January to March, decreases during March and May, and then increases again to the maximum (about 0.8 Sv) in August-September. The volume transport of the NKCC shows interannual variation of the NKCC with the range of about 1.0 Sv that is larger than seasonal variation. The southward current of the NKCC appears often not only in summer but in winter as well. The width of the NKCC is about 35 km near the Korean coast and its core is located under the East Korea Warm Current. The North Korean Cold Water (NKCW), characterized by low salinity and low temperature, is located both under the Tsushima Warm Water and in the western side of the maximum southward current of the NKCC that means the NKCC advects the NKCW southward along the Korean coast. It is revealed that the intermediate low salinity water, formed off the Vladivostok in winter, flows southward to the south of $37^{\circ}N$ through $2{\sim}3$ paths; one path along the Korean coast, another one along $132^{\circ}E$, and the middle path along $130^{\circ}E$. The path of the intermediate low salinity varies with years. The reanalysis fields suggest that the NKCW is advected through the paths along the Korean coast and along $130^{\circ}E$.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.13-35
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• 2023

Ocean currents play the most important role in causing and controlling global climate change. The water depth of the Yellow Sea is very shallow compared to the East Sea, and the circulation and currents of seawater are quite complicated owing to the influence of various wind fields, ocean currents, and river discharge with low-salinity seawater. The Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) is one of the most representative currents of the Yellow Sea in winter and is closely related to the weather of the southwest coast of the Korean Peninsula, so it needs to be treated as important in secondary-school textbooks. Based on the 2015 revised national educational curriculum, secondary-school science and earth science textbooks were analyzed for content related to the YSWC. In addition, a questionnaire survey of secondary-school science teachers was conducted to investigate their perceptions of the temporal variability of ocean currents. Most teachers appeared to have the incorrect knowledge that the YSWC moves north all year round to the west coast of the Korean Peninsula and is strong in the summer like a general warm current. The YSWC does not have strong seasonal variability in current strength, unlike the North Korean Cold Current (NKCC), but does not exist all year round and appears only in winter. These errors in teachers' subject knowledge had a background similar to why they had a misconception that the NKCC was strong in winter. Therefore, errors in textbook contents on the YSWC were analyzed and presented. In addition, to develop students' and teachers' data literacy, class materials on the YSWC that can be used in inquiry activities were developed. A graphical user interface (GUI) program that can visualize the sea surface temperature of the Yellow Sea was introduced, and a program displaying the spatial distribution of water temperature and salinity was developed using World Ocean Atlas (WOA) 2018 oceanic in-situ measurements of water temperature and salinity data and ocean numerical model reanalysis field data. This data visualization materials using oceanic data is expected to improve teachers' misunderstandings and serve as an opportunity to cultivate both students and teachers' ocean and data literacy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.81-81
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• 1994

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 1999

According to numerical experiments, the Sokcho Eddy is produced at $37 5~39.0^{\circ}N$ by strong offshore winds, whereas the Ulleung Eddy is produced at $35~37^{\circ}N$ by an inflow variation of the Tsushima Current. These locations compare well with visual observations. The nonlinear 1$1/2$-layer model showed that most of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) driven by the Tsushima Current form the Ulleung Eddy that is larger and stronger than the Sokcho Eddy. In contrast, the nonlinear 2$1/2$-layer model showed that most of the EKWC travels further northward due to a strong subsurface current, thereby enhancing the Sokcho Eddy making it larger and stronger than the Ulleung Eddy. The Sokcho Eddy is also produced relatively offshore due to an eastward subsurface current in the frontal region. Using the 1$1/2$-layer model, when the mass of the Tsushima Current decreases, the two eddies are weakened and produce a circular shape. In the 2$1/2$-layer model the EKWC pushes the Ulleung Eddy northward after 330 days, next the Sokcho and Ulleung eddies begin to interact with each other, and then after 360 days the Ulleung Eddy finally disappears absorbed by the relatively stronger Sokcho Eddy. This behavior compares favorably with other visual observations.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.315-325
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• 2000

Observations were made to validate ocean color algorithms in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea in May 2000. Small scale and meso-scale surveys were conducted for the validation of ocean color products (nLw: normalized water-leaving radiance and chlorophyll concentration). There were discrepancies between SeaWiFS and in situ nLw showing the current aerosol models of standard SeaWiFS processing software are less than adequate (Gordon and Wang, 1994). Applying the standard SeaWiFS in-water algorithm resulted in an overestimation of chlorophyll concentration. This is because that CDOM absorption was higher than the estimated chlorophyll absorption. TSS concentration was also high. Therefore, the study region deviated from Case 1 waters. The source of these materials seems to be the entrainment of coastal water by the Tsushima Warm Current. Study of the bio-optical properties in other season is desirable.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.747-756
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• 2015

Brown alga Undaria peterseniana has been interested in the commercial scale aquaculture for warm water species development in southern coastal area of Korea. However, this species was classified an endangered species caused by a decrease in habitat and natural population. In this study, inhabit characteristics of U. peterseniana was investigated in their natural habitat of Ulleung Island, Korea. The U. peterseniana population was occurred dense patches at 20~30m depth. Total length of the alga reached 1.0~2.0m and the largest width ranged 10.0~35.0cm during the study. In 2013, habitats of this species increased two sites compared with the previous year and their distribution extended to low depth (10m) of coastal area. In long-term data, seawater temperature revealed a continuous increment by strong going north of East Korea Warm Current or Ulleung Warm Eddy turning around the coast of Ulleung Island. It suggested that habitat extension of U. peterseniana may be caused by suitable settlement condition and increase of warm water around the coastal area. Current studies of this species may be continuously required in the possibility of fisheries resources as aquaculture species and index species of increment of water temperature at the fixed monitoring site in East Sea. This is the first study to research ecological feature U. peterseniana population at the natural habitat of Ulleung Island.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.323-333
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• 1990

We studied the existence, form, size, variation and formation of warm lenses in the East Sea(Japan Sea) during $1979\~1988$ based on annual reports of oceanographic observations published by the National Fisheries Research and Development Agency of Korea and data of the Hydrographic Office of Republic of Korea. The warm lenses were formed in August, 1981, 1982, 1986 during study periods. The ranges of warm lenses were 50, 60, 90 km in the east-west(EW) direction and 100, 150, 120 km in the north-south(NS) direction in 1981, 1982, 1986, respectively. Because of the intrusion of cold water near 103 line, they shrink in horizontal scale in 1981. Most warm lenses were found at station 8 of 104 line in the vicinity of Ullung Island but centers of the lenses moved to the north in 1986. The form and position of warm lenses were related with the intensity of the Tsushima Warm Current and the formation of warm lenses were related with the bottom topography.