• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Physical and biological environmental variations in the East Sea were investigated by analysing time-series of oceanographic data and meteorological indices. From 1971 to 2000, dominant periodicity in water temperature variations had two apparent periods of 3 to 4 years and of decades, especially in the southwestern part of the East Sea affected by the influence of inflowing Tsushima warm current. Fluctuating water temperature within a certain period appears to respond to El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ events with a time lag. It was found that there was a strong correlation between water temperature and El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ events with a time lag of 1.5 and 5.5 years for periods of 3 to 6 years and of decades, respectively. Corresponding with El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ events, water temperature variability also showed strong correlation with shift and/or changes in biological and chemical environments of nutrient concentrations, zooplankton biomass, and fisheries. However, there also occurred a short-term periodicity of water temperature variations. Within a period of 1 to 4 years, a relatively short-term cycle of water temperature variation had strong correlation with other climate indices such as Pacific Decadal Oscillation and monsoon index. After comparing coherence and phase spectrum between water temperature and different climate indices, we found that there was a shift of coherent periods to another climate index during the years when climate regime shift was reported.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.136-145
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• 1986

Biotope analysis(UPGM) of the data on the total benthic foraminferal assemblage (Kim and Han, 1982) collected from the southeastern sea off the Korean Peninsula shows that foraminiferal assemblages are related to the water masses prevailing in the study area. South Proper facies is governed by the Tsushima Warm Current, and Southern Deep facies is influenced by the cold water mass moved down along the bottom. Northern Nearshore facies is governed by the North Korea Cold Current, and North Proper facies is affected by the North Korea Cold Current and Japan Sea Proper Water. It is also evident that the upper part of the study area is under the influence of the North Korea Cold Current rather than the East Korea Warm Current which flows northward along/or off the right side of the study area. Planktonic foraminiferal occurrence also supports this biotope analysis.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.234-265
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• 2013

Oceanic current maps in the secondary school science and earth science textbooks have played an important role in piquing students's inquisitiveness and interests in the ocean. Such maps can provide students with important opportunities to learn about oceanic currents relevant to abrupt climate change and global energy balance issues. Nevertheless, serious and diverse errors in these secondary school oceanic current maps have been discovered upon comparison with up-to-date scientific knowledge concerning oceanic currents. This study presents the fundamental methods and strategies for constructing such maps error-free, through the unification of the diverse current maps currently in the textbooks. In order to do so, we analyzed the maps found in 27 different textbooks and compared them with other up-to-date maps found in scientific journals, and developed a mapping technique for extracting digitalized quantitative information on warm and cold currents in the East Sea. We devised analysis items for the current visualization in relation to the branching features of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) in the Korea Strait. These analysis items include: its nearshore and offshore branches, the northern limit and distance from the coast of the East Korea Warm Current, outflow features of the TWC near the Tsugaru and Soya Straits and their returning currents, and flow patterns of the Liman Cold Current and the North Korea Cold Current. The first draft of the current map was constructed based upon the scientific knowledge and input of oceanographers based on oceanic in-situ measurements, and was corrected with the help of a questionnaire survey to the members of an oceanographic society. In addition, diverse comments have been collected from a special session of the 2013 spring meeting of the Korean Oceanographic Society to assist in the construction of an accurate current map of the East Sea which has been corrected repeatedly through in-depth discussions with oceanographers. Finally, we have obtained constructive comments and evaluations of the interim version of the current map from several well-known ocean current experts and incorporated their input to complete the map's final version. To avoid errors in the production of oceanic current maps in future textbooks, we provide the geolocation information (latitude and longitude) of the currents by digitalizing the map. This study is expected to be the first step towards the completion of an oceanographic current map suitable for secondary school textbooks, and to encourage oceanographers to take more interest in oceanic education.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.179-192
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• 2007

Understanding in climate effects on marine ecosystem is essential to utilize, predict, and conserve marine living resources in the 21st century. In this review paper, we summarized the past history and current status of Korean fisheries as well as the changes in climate and oceanographic phenomena since the 1960s. Ocean ecosystems in Korean waters can be divided into three, based on the marine commercial fish catches; the demersal ecosystem in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, the pelagic ecosystem in the Tsushima Warm Current from the East China Sea to the East/Japan Sea, and the demersal ecosystem in the northern part of the East/Japan Sea. Through the interdisciplinary retrospective analysis using available fisheries, oceanographic, and meteorological information in three important fish communities, the trend patterns in major commercial catches and the relationship between climate/environmental variability and responses of fish populations were identified. Much evidence revealed that marine ecosystems, including the fish community in Korean waters, has been seriously affected by oceanographic changes, and each species has responded differently. In general, species diversity is lessening, and mean trophic level of each ecosystem has decreased during the last $3\sim4$ decades. Future changes in fisheries due to global warming are also considered for major fisheries and aquaculture in Korean waters.

• 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 the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2004

The clay minerals of thirty-four bottom sediments collected from the northwestern continental shelf of the East China Sea have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The clay mineral distribution is mainly controlled by the sediment source and the dominant circulation pattern. The predominant clay mineral in our study area is illite comprising more-than 70% of whole clay fraction. The highest concentration of illite (>72%) is found in the southeastern offshore parts beyond the reach of terrigenous input from the Cheju Island. It means that these illites are largely transported by the Kuroshio Current from the South China Sea. Smectite is highly concentrated in the northwest middle part and in the outer-shelf mud patch. It seems to be due to the high supply of smectite transported from China where the fine-grained sediments are discharged from the modern and ancient Huanghe River. The relatively high abundance of kaolinite is likely derived from the Changjiang River via Taiwan ·Warm Current. In contrast, the large amounts of chlorite and high chlorite/kaolinite ratios occur in the northwestern are, reflecting the transportation by the Huanghai Sea Coastal Current from the southern Yellow Sea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.294-305
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• 1989

Basedon statistical data of pomfret (Pampus spp.) catches by the stow net during $1970\~1985$, the distribution and migration of pomfrets and fishing conditions were investigated in relation to oceanographic conditions, in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. The main fishing grounds of Pomfrets were formed around the Great Yangtze Sand Bank which locates between the Cheju Island and the mouth of the Yangtze River. Its area occupied only 11 percent of all fishing grounds, and about 70 percent of total catch was found there. The coefficient of variation(CV) in catch was below 0.01 in the whole fishing grounds and that of tile main fishing grounds (14 fishing areas) was $0.001\~0.003$. This area was indicated markedly by the inflow of Yellow Sea Warm Current from spring to autumn, and this mixing area which formed the oceanic front among the China Continental Shelf Water, the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water and the Tsushima Warm Current. The pomfrets migrates to south-north according to the expansion and contraction of the Tsushima Warm Current including the Yellow Sea Warm Current and the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water. Therefore, it migrates to north of the Yellow Sea in summer and to southern part of the East China Sea in winter. The most frequent range of the water type for high catch was $10\~12^{\circ}C$ in temperature and $32.4\~33.4\%_{circ}$ in salinity. The ranges was occupied more than 70 percent of total catch on fishing season. The frequency range of the water type was not different between the abundant fishing periods and the poor fishing periods in terms of the maximum catches.

• 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.