• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.26-34
• /
• 2004

The evolution of intricate and striking patterns of suspended sediments (SS), which are created by certain physical dynamics in the East China and Yellow Seas, has been investigated using satellite ocean color imageries and vertical profiles of particle attenuation and backscattering coefficients. The structure of these patterns can reveal a great deal about the process underlying their formation. Sea surface temperature (SST) analyzed from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) thermal infrared data were used to elucidate the physical factors responsible for the evolution of suspended sediment patterns in the East China Sea. The concomitant patterns of suspended sediments were tracked from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) ocean color data. The detailed examination about these patterns gave birth to the definition of the evolution of suspended sediments (SS) into four stages: (1) Youth or Infant stage, (2) Younger stage, (3) Mature stage, and (4) Old stage. We describe about the three directional forces of the tidal currents, ocean warm currents and estuarine circulations that lead to occurrence of various stages of the evolution of suspended sediments that increase turbidity at high levels through out the water column of the inner and outer shelf areas during September to April. The occurrence of these four stages could be repeatedly observed. In contrast, vertical profiles of the particle attenuation ($c_{p}$) and backscattering ($b_{bp}$) coefficients displayed obvious patterns of the propagation of suspended sediment plume from the southwestern coastal sea that leads to eventual collision with the massive sediment plume originating from the Yangtze banks of the East China Sea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.177-184
• /
• 2003

Numerical simulation on marine wind and sea surface elevation was carried out using both three-dimensional hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic models and a simple oceanic model from 0900 LST, August 13 to 0900 LST, August 15, 1995. As daytime easterly meso-scale sea-breeze from the eastern sea penetrates Kangnung city in the center part as basin and goes up along the slope of Mt. Taegullyang in the west, it confronts synoptic-scale westerly wind blowing over the top of the mountain at the mid of the eastern slope and then the resultant wind produces an upper level westerly return flow toward the East Sea. In a narrow band of weak surface wind within 10km of the coastal sea, wind stress is generally small, less than l${\times}$10E-2 Pa and it reaches 2 ${\times}$ 10E-2 Pa to the 35 km. Positive wind stress curl of 15 $\times$ 10E-5Pa $m^{-1}$ still exists in the same band and corresponds to the ascent of 70 em from the sea level. This is due to the generation of northerly wind driven current with a speed of 11 m $S^{-1}$ along the coast under the influence of south-easterly wind and makes an intrusion of warm waters from the southern sea into the northern coast, such as the East Korea Warm Current. On the other hand, even if nighttime downslope windstorm of 14m/s associated with both mountain wind and land-breeze produces the development of internal gravity waves with a hydraulic jump motion of air near the coastal inland surface, the surface wind in the coastal sea is relatively moderate south-westerly wind, resulting in moderate wind stress. Negative wind stress curl in the coast causes the subsidence of the sea surface of 15 em along the coast and south-westerly coastal surface wind drives alongshore south-easterly wind driven current, opposite to the daytime one. Then, it causes the intrusion of cold waters like the North Korea Cold Current in the northern coastal sea into the narrow band of the southern coastal sea. However, the band of positive wind stress curl at the distance of 30km away from the coast toward further offshore area can also cause the uprising of sea waters and the intrusion of warm waters from the southern sea toward the northern sea (northerly wind driven current), resulting in a counter-clockwise wind driven current. These clockwise and counter-clockwise currents much induce the formation of low clouds containing fog and drizzle in the coastal region.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.395-405
• /
• 2006

We measured the fugacity of $CO_2$ $(fCO_2)$, temperature, salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll a in the surface water of the western North Pacific $(4^{\circ}30'{\sim}33^{\circ}10'N,\;144^{\circ}20'{\sim}127^{\circ}35'E)$ in September 2002. There were zonally several major currents which have characteristics of specific temperature and salinity (NECC, North Equatorial Counter Current; NEC, North Equatorial Current; Kuroshio etc.). Surface $fCO_2$ distribution was clearly distinguished into two groups, tropical and subtropical areas of which boundary was $20^{\circ}N$. In the tropical Int surface $fCO_2$ was mainly controlled by temperature, while in the subtropical area, surface $fCO_2$ was dependent on total inorganic carbon contents. Air-sea $CO_2$ flux showed a large spatial variation, with a range of $-0.69{\sim}0.79 mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$. In the area of AE (Anticyclonic Eddy), SM(Southern Mixed region) and NM (Northern Mixed region), the ocean acted as a weak source of $CO_2$ $(0.6{\sim}0.79 mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$. In NECC, NEC, Kuroshio and ECS (East China Sea), however, the fluxes were estimated to be $-0.3mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for the first three regions and $-1.2mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for ECS respectively, indicating that these areas acted as sinks of $CO_2$. The average air-sea flux in the entire study area was $0.15mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1})$, implying that the western North Pacific was a weak source of $CO_2$ during the study period.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.91-107
• /
• 2002

The wintertime upwind flow in the Yellow Sea has been investigated through a series of two-dimensional numerical experiments in an idealized basin. A total of 10 experiments have been carried out to examine the effects of wind forcing, bottom friction and the presence of oceanic currents sweeping the shelf of the East China Sea. A spatially uniform steady and periodic wind stresses are considered along with comparison of linear and quadratic formulations. The wind-driven flow in the absence of oceanic current has been computed using Proudman open boundary condition (POBC), while the wind-driven current in the presence of oceanic current has been computed using Flather’s radiation condition (FOBC). The oceanic currents to be prescribed at the open boundary have been simulated by specifying uniform sea level gradients across the Taiwan Strait and the eastern ECS shelf, Calculations show that, as seen in Lee et al. (2000), oceanic flow little penetrates into the Yellow Sea in the absence of wind forcing unless a unrealistically low rate of bottom frictional dissipation is assumed. Both steady and time-periodic wind stresses invoke the upwind flow along the central trough of the Yellow Sea, independently of the presence of the oceanic current. The presence of oceanic currents very marginally alters the north-south gradient of the sea surface elevation in the Yellow Sea. Changes in the intensity and direction of the wind-induced mean upwind flow are hardly noticeable in the Yellow Sea but are found to be significant near Cheju Island where the gradient is reduced and therewith contribution of Ekman transport increases. In case of steady wind forcing circulation patterns such as two gyres on the slope sides, a cyclonic gyre on the western slope and an anticyclonic gyre on the eastern slope persist and the upwind flow composes part of the cyclonic gyre in the Yellow Sea. While in case of the time-periodic wind stress the appearance and disappearance of the patterns are repeated according to the time variation of the wind stress and the upwind flow accordingly varies with phase delay, mostly intensifying near the time when the wind forcing is approximately near the middle of the decaying stage.

• 한국해양학회지
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.332-339
• /
• 1991

The sedimentation pattern in Namhaepo Bay, a macrotidal coastal embayment of western Korea, was investigated by means of analysing high-resolution seismic profiles, sediment samples, and tidal currents. Recent sediments up to 20 m which overlie the irregular surface of the acoustic basement. The sediments consist mainly of sandy silt and silt; the mean grain size of these sediments ranges from 4 to 5.5 phi, showing a shoreward-fining distribution pattern. This distribution pattern agrees are largely reversed during ebb, with a maximum velocity of 39 cm/sec. The calculated shear velocity of the tidal currents at sea bed ranges from 0.5 to 3.3 cm/sec during flood and from 0.7 to 2.5 cm/sec during ebb. The mean values of these velocities exceed the critical shear velocity for the silt particles. The data suggest that the tidal currents play an important role in the transportation and deposition of sediments in the bay and the surface topography of the sea floor is largely deter-mined by tidal sedimentation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.265-276
• /
• 1995

In this Paper, the Performance of the convolution method has been investigated as an effort to develop a simple system of predicting wind-driven surface current on a real time basis. In this approach wind stress is assumed to be spatially uniform and the effect of atmospheric pressure is neglected. The discrete convolution weights are determined in advance at each point using a linear three-dimensional Galerkin model with linear shape functions(Galerkin-FEM model). Four directions of wind stress(e.g. NE, SW, NW, SE) with unit magnitude are imposed in the model calculation for the construction of data base for convolution weights. Given the time history of wind stress, it is then possible to predict with-driven currents promptly using the convolution product of finite length. An unsteady wind stress of arbitrary form can be approximated by a series of wind pulses with magnitude of 6 hour averaged value. A total of 12 pulses are involved in the convolution product To examine the accuracy of the convolution method a series of numerical experiments has been carried out in the idealized basin representing the scale of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. The wind stress imposed varies sinusoidally in time. It was found that the predicted surface currents and elevation fields were in good agreement with the results computed by the direct integration of the Galerkin model. A model with grid 1/8$^{\circ}$ in latitude, l/6$^{\circ}$ in longitude was established which covers the entire region of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. The numerical prediction in terms of the convolution product has been carried out with particular attention on the formation of upwind flow in the middle of the Yellow Sea by northerly wind.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.145-153
• /
• 2013

High-resolution chirp profiles were analyzed to investigate the echo types of near-surface sediments in the Yellow Sea off the Baegryeong Island. On the basis of seafloor morphology and subbottom echo characters, 7 echo types were identified. Flat seafloor with no internal reflectors or moderately to well-developed subbottom reflectors (echo type 1-1 and 1-2) is mainly distributed in the southern part of the study area. Flat seafloor with superposed wavy bedforms (echo type 1-3) is also distributed in the middle part. Mounded seafloor with either smooth surface or superposed bedforms (echo type 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3) occurs in the middle part of the study area. Irregular and eroded seafloor with no subbottom reflectors (echo type 3-1) is present in the northern part of the study area off the Baegryeong Island. According to the distribution pattern and sedimentary facies of echo types, depositional environments can be divided into three distinctive areas: (1) active erosional zone due to strong tidal currents in the northern part; (2) formation of tidal sand ridges in response to tidal currents associated with sea-level rise distributed in the middle part; and (3) transgressive sand sheets in the southern part. Such a depositional pattern, including 7 echo types, in this area reflects depositional process related to the sea-level rise and strong tidal currents during the Holocene transgression.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.409-419
• /
• 2011

Semi-diurnal internal tides and near-inertial waves are investigated using moored current meter measurements at four sites along the shelf break of the East China Sea during August 1987 and May-June 1988. Each mooring is equipped with four current meters spanning from near surface to near bottom. Spectral analyses of all current data reveal dominant spectra at the semi-diurnal frequency band, where the upper and lower current measurements show out-of-phase relationship between them with significant coherences. These are consistent with typical characteristics of the first-mode semi-diurnal internal tide. Strong intensification of the near-bottom baroclinic currents is observed only at one site, where the ratio of the bottom slope to the slope of the internal-wave characteristics at the semi-diurnal frequency is close to unity. An energetic near-inertial wave event is observed during the first half of May-June 1988 observation at two mooring sites. Rotary spectra reveal that the most dominant signal is clockwise rotating motion at the near-inertial frequency band. Upward phase and downward energy propagations, shown in time-depth contour plots of near-inertial bandpass filtered currents, are confirmed by cross correlations between the upper- and lower-layer current measurements. The upward-propagating phase speed is estimated to be about 0.13 cm $s^{-1}$ at both sites. Significant coherences and in-phase relationships of near-inertial currents at the same or similar depths between the two sites are observed in spite of their long distance of about 110 km.

• Geosciences Journal
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.989-1000
• /
• 2018

The provenance of the Central Yellow Sea Mud (CYSM) in the Yellow Sea has been attracted a great deal of attention over the last three decades, but a consensus is not yet reached. In this study, 101 surface sediment samples collected from the CYSM were investigated to determine provenance and transport mechanisms in the area using the clay minerals and major element components. The Huanghe sediments are characterized by higher smectite, but the Changjiang sediments are more abundant illite contents. Western Korean rivers contain more kaolinite and chlorite than do Chinese rivers. The Chinese rivers have higher $Fe_2O_3$, MgO, and CaO than the Korean rivers at the same $Al_2O_3$ concentration. Therefore, the clay minerals and major element concentrations can be useful indicator for the source. Based on our results, we suggest that the surface sediments in CYSM were composed mainly of Changjiang sediments, mixed a partly with sediments from the Huanghe and the western Korean rivers. Although the northwestern part of CYSM is proximate to the Huanghe, the contents of smectite and CaO were extremely low. It could be evidence that the Huanghe materials do not enter directly into the CYSM due to the Shandong Peninsula Front. Considering the oceanic circulation in the Yellow Sea, the Changjiang sediments could be transported eastward with the Changjiang Diluted Water and then mixed in CYSM via the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC). Huanghe sediments could be provided by coastal currents (Shandong Coastal Current and Yellow Sea Coastal Current) and the YSWC. In addition, sediments from western Korean rivers might be supplied into the CYSM deposit via the Korean Coastal Current, Transversal Current, and YSWC.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.293-303
• /
• 2006

The topography of the sea floor and textural characteristics of surface sediments are documented in areas off sectors 1,2, and 4 of the Saemangeum dyke and inside the dyke. These were investigated during the years 2002 to 2005, when the dyke construction almost came to an end, and were compared with natural topographic analogs before the dyke construction from the maritime maps of 1982 and 1994. Along and across the dyke are a number of erosional troughs formed by intensified currents during the dyke construction. The sea floor off sector 4 has undergone gradual accumulation of sands moving from the north by currents varying in direction from normal to parallel to the dyke. This is in a strong contrast with a slight erosional environment prevailing over the sea floor before dyke construction. off sectors 1 and 2, a topography with an alterative pattern of erosional troughs and sand shoals develops normal to the dyke. Eroded materials from the troughs seem to have added to the sand shoals. As a result, the troughs, former natural tidal channels, have become increasingly deeper, whereas the sand shoals have become somewhat shallower. The sea floor inside the dyke has also been remarkably shallower with expanding tidal flats due to trapping by the dyke of continuous sediment input from the Dongjin and Mangyeong rivers. Sands, all of which are considered to have originated originally from the two rivers, dominate the entire Saemangeum area.