• 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.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.418-421
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• 2007

Using gridded wind-stress products constructed by satellite scatterometers (ERS-1, 2 and QSCAT) data and those by numerical weather prediction(NWP) model(NCEP-reanalysis), we estimate wind-driven transports of the North Pacific subtropical gyre, and compare them in the central portion of the gyre (around 300 N) with geostrophic transports calculated from historical hydrographic data (World Ocean Database 2005). Even if there are some discrepancies between the wind-driven transports by the QSCAT and NCEP products, they are both in good agreement with the geostrophic transports within reasonable errors, except for the regional difference in the eastern part of the zone. The difference in the eastern part is characterized by an anticyclonic deviation of the geostrophic transport resulting from an anti-cyclonic anomalous flow in the surface layer, suggesting that it is related to the Eastern Gyral produced by the thermohaline process associated with the formation of the Eastern Subtropical Mode Water. We also examine the consistency of the Sverdrup transports estimated from these products by comparing them with the transports of the western boundary current, namely the Kuroshio regions, in previous studies. The net southward transport, based on the sum of the Sverdrup transports by QSCAT and NCEP products and the thermohaline transport, agrees well with the net northward transport of the western boundary current, namely the Kuroshio transport. From these results, it is concluded that the Sverdrup balance can hold in the North Pacific subtropical gyre.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.276-282
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• 1998

As a part of the long-term ADCP mooring program to measure the mass flux through the Korea Strait, current velocity data were obtained for 39 days in the deepest point of the strait. Near-surface velocity of this observation was compared with Izuhara-Pusan sea level difference (SLD) to investigate the geostrophic relationship. Principal direction of the Tsushima Current at the mooring station is 44.6 degrees to the north from the east. Variability of the tidal current is greater than the nontidal current by a factor of two. Correlation coefficient of tidal current against SLD is 0.46 but the nontidal current is not correlated. The current velocity (U in cm/s) can be estimated from the demeaned SLD (in cm) by the relation U=23.63+0.64SLD where the maximum range of SLD is 52.9 cm. Current is coherent with SLD at semidiurnal, diurnal and 42.7-hour periods. A dominant nontidal variability with about 5-day period is not coherent with SLD.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 1999

With sectional data obtained in September of 1987, 1988 and 1989 by quadrireciprocal ADCP measurement and CTD cast, the current structure, volume transport and vorticity in the Western Channel of the Korea Strait were studied. The characteristics of Tsushima Current water persisted throughout the summer especially in the homogeneous water of temperature $14-16^{\circ}C$ located at the depth of 50-100m below seasonal termocline. Thickness and velocity of the homogeneous layer are about 10-170m and 20-60cm/s. and the relative vorticity for this layer is shown to be nearly constant and it is smaller than the planetary vorticity. Potential vorticity of $2.70-7.10{\times}10^{-6}m^{-1}s^{-1}$ is found to be dependent mainly on planetary rather than on the relative vorticities. The Tsushima Current water represented by the homogeneous layer R14-16^{\circ}C$ may keep the potential vorticity at the area of strong current in the Strait. The ADCP current structure is similar to geostrophic current and the core of the current with the speed of 30-50cm/s is situated in the middle layer over the deep trough. With large tidal fluctuation the volume transport has mean value of 1.17sv which was about 40% larger than that of geostrophic calculation.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.167-174
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• 2003

Oceanic conditions of the Tsushirm Wann Current (1WC) region in the southern area if the East Sea (the Japan Sea) are examined using data obtained from a CREAMS (Circulation Research if the East Asian Marginal Seas) cruise in June 1996. In 1990s, a lower temperature appears in $19\%$ and in this period, two branch of the TWC exist and the first branch of the TWC flows inshore if the Japanese coastal region compared to tfr1t in the other years, especially in the sfr1llower water layer at less th:1n about 2mm. The TWC cored with the higher salinity (>34.6 psu) is clearly observed over the continental shelf zone in the Japanese coastal region and offshore and identified by geostrophic calculation Intrusion if the TWC into the East Sea through the Korea Strait (the Tsushima Strait) makes the density structure in the water column change and the water mass in the TWC region is unstable based on Brunt- Vaisala frequency.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.39-56
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• 1995

A warm eddy was continuously observed to the east of Sokcho, Korea from March to June 1992. This warm eddy had been formed in 1991, wintered to the east of Sokcho, and moved northward a little during April-June 1992. The diameter and the depth of the eddy were respectively about 160 km and about 330 m in March. The homogeneous (mixed) layer of 10$^{\circ}C$ and 34.2 psu water was found at the upper layer with the maximum size of about 130 km and maximum depth of about 230 m in March. The size of the eddy and homogeneous layer decreased in June. Maximum current velocity of the eddy was about 65 cm/s at the surface layer and exceeded20 cm/s at 200 m depth. It is shown that the flow field was nearly in geostrophic balance, but there was a little difference in the current velocity between ADCP and geostrophic calculation in June. The surface velocity of the East Korean Warm Current(EKWC) was 50∼70cm/s which was very similar to the northward current velocity of the eddy. The EKWC water appeared in the layer upper than 200 m depth.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 1977

With the serial observation data and the tidal records at Busan and Izuhara from 1966 to 1973, the geostrophic current velocity and its relation to the difference of mean sea level of both sides were studied in order to estimate indirectly the average current velocity from the tidal observations. The results shows that the current velocity is estimated by the relationship V=4.016(H-98.3) with the 95% confidence limits of V 4.2 cm/sec. Ther relationship between the observed current velocity and the simultaneous daily mean sea level difference shows a similar result, V=4.717(H-99.6). The two equations were applied to the evaluation of annual variations of current velocity from the average monthly mean sea level data of both stations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2003

Oceanic conditions of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) region in the southern area of the East Sea (Japan Sea) are examined using data obtained from a CREAMS (Circulation Research if the East Asian Marginal Seas) cruise in June 1996. In 1990s, a lower temperature appears in 1996 and in this period, two branches of the TWC exist and the first branch of the TWC flows inshore of the Japanese coastal region compared to that in the other years, especially in the shallower water layer at depth less than about 200 m. The TWC cored with the higher salinity (>34.6 psu) is clearly observed over the continental shelf in the Japanese coastal region and offshore and identified by geostrophic calculation. Intrusion of the TWC into the East Sea through the Korea Strait (the Tsushima Strait) makes the density structure in the water column change and the water mass in the TWC region is unstable based on Brunt­Vaisala frequency.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.299-309
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• 2004

Conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data obtained along a meridional section in the eastern tropical Pacific in July 2003 have been analyzed to identify various water masses, and to examine the hydrographic structure and zonal geostrophic currents in the upper 1000 m. Water mass analysis shows the existence of subtropical and intermediate waters, characterized by layers of subsurface salinity maximum and minimum, originating from both hemispheres of the Pacific. Vertical section of temperature in the upper 200 m shows the typical trough-ridge structure associated with the zonal current system for most of the tropical Pacific. Water with the lowest salinity of less than 33.6 was found in the upper 30 m between $8.5^{\circ}N$ and $10.5^{\circ}N$ in a boundary zone between the North Equatorial Current and North Equatorial Countercurrent. Temporal changes in water properties observed at $10.5^{\circ}N$ over a period of 9 days suggest both the local rainfall and horizontal advection is responsible for the presence of the low-salinity water. Development of a barrier layer was also observed at $10.5^{\circ}N$. In the North Equatorial Current region a local upwelling was observed at $15^{\circ}N$, which brings high salinity and cooler subtropical water to the sea surface. A band of countercurrent occurs in the upwelling region between $13^{\circ}N$ and $15^{\circ}N$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.580-593
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• 1993

The Tsushima Current has been known to branch out from the Kuroshio west of Kyushu and to flow north to the Korea Strait. Then, it has to flow across the isobaths and so needs some driving forces. As the forces, sea level difference between the Korea and Tsugaru Straits, Reynolds stress west of Kyushu and density differences have been suggested, In this paper, their roles have been numerically studied in the barotropic case. Model results show that the Tsushima Current is possible without any above force. The flows just follow isobaths over the East China Sea. They seem to be driven by their own dynamics without any external force. The mechanism is just like outflows from a gap. Model results also show that the flows in this area could be significantly affected by the external forces such as Reynolds Stress. Then the dynamics and flows in real ocean might be complicated. However, the barotropic study tells us that the Tsuahima Currents is basically driven by geostrophic adjustment.