• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.2
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• pp.672-675
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• 2006

The geostrophic current component is estimated from the sea surface velocity observed by the long-range High-Frequency Ocean Radar (HF radar) system in the upstream of the Kuroshio, by comparing with geostrophic velocity determined from along-track T/P and Jason-1 altimetry data. However, the sea surface velocity of the HF radar (HF velocity) contains not only the geostrophic current but also the ageostrophic current such as tidal current and wind-driven Ekman current. Tidal current component is first extracted by the harmonic analysis of the time series of the HF velocity. Then, the Ekman current is further estimated from daily wind data of IFREMER by applying the least-square method to the residual difference between the HF velocity and the altimetry geostrophic velocity. As a result, the Ekman current in the HF velocity is estimated as 1.32 % of the wind speed and as rotated 45$^{\circ}$ clockwise to the wind direction. These parameters are found almost common in the Kuroshio area and in the Open Ocean. After these corrections, the geostrophic velocity component in the HF velocity agrees well with the altimetry geostrophic velocity.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 1996

A comparative study between geostrophic currents and directly measured currents was conducted for the upper layer to 200 m depth by using data from eleven observations of CTD and ADCP between March 1992 and November 1993 in the southwestern part of the East Sea. First-order linear relationship was found between calculated geostrophic currents and measured currents with the correlation coefficient of 0.83. On the average, 68.7% of directly measured current can be explained by geostrophic current obtained by dynamic method. The correlation coeflicients increased with total geostrophic transport, which suggests that geostrophic balance is good in areas of strong current.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.243-253
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• 2002

Time-mean and absolute geostrophic velocities of the Kuroshio current south of Japan are derived from TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data using a Gaussian jet model. When compared with simultaneous measurements from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) at two intersection points, the altimetric and ADCP absolute velocities correlate well with the correlation coefficient of 0.55 to 0.74. The accuracy of time-mean velocity ranges from 1 cm s$^{-1}$ to 5 cm s$^{-1}$. The errors in the absolute and the mean velocities are similar to those reported previously for other currents. The comparable performance suggests the Gaussian jet model is a promising methodology for determining absolute geostrophic velocities, noting that in this region the Kuroshio does not meander sufficiently and thus provides unfavorable environment for the performance of the Gaussian jet model.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.610-614
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• 2002

Time-mean and absolute geostrophic velocities of the Kuroshio current south of Japan are derived from TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data using a Gaussian jet model. When compared with simultaneous measurements from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) at two intersection points, the altimetric and ADCP absolute velocities correlate well with the correlation of 0.55 to 0.74. The time-mean velocity is accurate to 1 cm s$^{-1}$ to 5 cm s$^{-1}$. The errors in the absolute and the mean velocities are similar to those reported previously far other currents. The comparable performance suggests the Gaussian jet model is a promising methodology for determining absolute geostrophic velocities, noting that in this region the Kuroshio does not meander sufficiently, which provides unfavorable environment for the performance of the Gaussian jet model.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.283-296
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• 2009

Oceanographic survey data were analyzed to understand the characteristics of a warm eddy observed in the Ulleung Basin in July 2005. The temperature distribution at 200 db and vertical sections provided evidence of the warm eddy in the Ulleung Basin (UWE05). Based on the 5$^{\circ}C$ isothermal line on 200 db temperature, the major axis was 160 km from southwest to northeast, and the minor axis was 80 km from southeast to northwest. The homogeneous layer in the thermocline of UWE05 had mean values of 10.40$^{\circ}C$ potential temperature, 34.35 psu salinity, and 26.37 kg/m$^3$ potential density (${\sigma}_{\theta}$) and provided evidence that UWE05 also existed during the winter of 2004-2005. A warm streamer initially flowed along the circumference of UWE05 and mixed with the upper central water. Two northward current cores were found on the western side of the measured current section at the central latitude of UWE05. One was the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC) and the other was the main stream of the western part of UWE05. Geostrophic transport of the upper layer (from the surface to the isopycnal surface of 26.9 ${\sigma}_{\theta}$) was approximately 2.5 Sv in the eastern side of UWE05. However, the measured transport was twice as large as the geostrophic transport. Mass conservation of geostrophic transport was well satisfied in the upper layer. The direct current measurements and geostrophic transport analysis showed that the EKWC meandered around UWE05.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2006

This paper deals with the estimation of geostrophic current using the sea surface topography calculated from the geoidal height from EGM96 geopotential model and the mean sea surface height from CLS_SHOM mean sea surface model. The CLS_SHOM model was developed using the altimetry data set. The estimation of geostrophic current is available in the characteristic research of ocean in many country, while for East Sea a few studies were done. The goal of this study is basically to provide the characteristics of geostrophic current in East Sea. The results show that the mean sea surface topography (SST) in East Sea is about 0.37 m and the mean geostrophic velocity is -0.028 m/sec. The Pacific water enters into the East Sea through the Korea Strait and after passing the strait, this inflow splits into two branches: one flows northward along the Korean coast and another outflows into Pacific ocean through Tsugaru and Soya strait passing the east-northeastward along the Japanese outer shelf, and outflows into Okhotsk ocean.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.101-111
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• 2001

In an attempt to demonstrate the seasonal variation of the Ulleung Warm Eddy (UWE), in which the UWE changes its shape from a warm core ring in early spring to a warm lens in late summer under the effect of surrounding East Korean Warm Current (EKWC) Water, a simple geostrophic adjustment model is considered. Model results indicate that the buoyancy increase of the EKWC Water and the strengthening of the EKWC towards summer, both of which are typical of this region, are the major factors governing the seasonal variation of the UWE.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1044-1055
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• 1997

To find out generating mechanism of eddies in the polar frontal zone of the East Sea, we carried out a series of numerical experiments using the nonlinear $1^{1/2}-layer$ model allowing the effect of the polar front. We assumed the polar front at about $39^{\circ}N$ in zonal direction with the cold water region in the northern part and the warm water region in the southern part of the model ocean. To examine the effect of the frontal motion without the influence of the Tsushima Current from the beginning of the geostrophic adjustment, the initial state of the model ocean was assumed motionless. Eastward current was caused by the geostrophic adjustment process in the polar frontal zone that induced a steady northward coastal current along the Korean coast to satisfy the mass continuity. The overshooting of this coastal current acted as an initial disturbance of the zonal flow field which caused meanders and eddies. The spatial scales of eddies were in good agreement with the baroclinic instability theory.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.225-242
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• 2012

This is the first attempt to produce simultaneous surface current field from satellite altimeter data for the entire East Sea and to provide surface current information to users with formal description. It is possible to estimate surface geostrophic current field in near real-time because satellite altimeters and coastal tide gauges supply sea level data for the whole East Sea. Strength and location of the major currents and meso-scale eddies can be identified from the estimated surface geostrophic current field. The mean locations of major surface currents were explicated relative to topographic, ocean-surface and undersea features with schematic representation of surface circulation. In order to demonstrate the practical use of this surface current information, exemplary descriptions of annual, seasonal and monthly mean surface geostrophic current distributions were presented. In order to objectively classify surface circulation patterns in the East Sea, empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed on the estimated 16-year (1993-2008) surface current data. The first mode was associated with intensification or weakening of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) flowing northward along the east coast of Korea and of the anti-cyclonic circulation southwest of Yamato Basin. The second mode was associated with meandering paths of the EKWC in the southern East Sea with wavelength of 300 km. The first and second modes had inter-annual variations. The East Sea surface circulation was classified as inertial boundary current pattern, Tsushima Warm Current pattern, meandering pattern, and Offshore Branch pattern by the time coefficient of the first two EOF modes.