• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2007

Marine environmental characteristics on the dinoflagellate cysts distribution in surface sediment of the southwest sea of Korea were investigated from 21 stations in September 2003, and 36 stations in June, 2004. The water mass characteristics indicated that the southwest sea of Korea is characterized by various oceanographic conditions due to coastal waters of Korea and China. The Tsushima warm currents and the cold bottom water of the Yellow Sea. Mud contents and chlorophyll a concentrations were higher in central region such as, Namhaedo, Yeosu and Goheung coast than in western region such as, Wando, Haenam and Jindo coast in the South Sea of Korea. A total of 35 taxa of dinoflagellate cysts were identified representing 21 genera, 33 species, 2 unidentified species. Cyst abundance ranged from 13 to 527 cysts $g-dry^{-1}$, showing higher abundance in the coastal areas than in western region of the South Sea of Korea. From the result of the PCA analysis, the distribution of dinoflagellate cysts was not only related to the different water masses which appeared in the southwestern sea but also to physical and biological parameters such as water temperature, light, surface sediment faces and phytoplankton biomass.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.226-244
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• 1998

The relationship between the transport of eggs and larvae of Anchovy (Engraulis japonica) and the oceanic condition in the southern sea of Korea was examined on August and November 1996. In summer (August), when the Tsushima Warm Current is strong near to the coast, the warm waters such as warm streamers from the Tsushima Warm Current intrude into the coastal area, and cyclonic circulations are formed. The warm water intrusions also generate wakes around Komun Island, Sori Island and Koje Island. In the coastal area where the warm water intrusions occur, the nutrients, dissolved oxygen, suspended solid and chlorophyll are concentrated in probably relation to the upwelling concerned with this warm streamer and/or the wakes. Anchovy eggs and larvae are transported to the coastal area by the cyclonic circulations. The hatching and growth of anchovy larvae are increased because of high primary production in the cyclonic circulations. However, as the amount of Copepods which are a main food for anchovy larvae decrease in the coastal area, anchovy larvae seem to move to the Isushima Warm Water area for seeking a prey. In autumn (November), the Tsushima Warm Current is far away from the coast. In this season the warm water intrusions almost disappear, and the small scaled frontal eddies are formed between the coastal water and the Tsushima Warm Water. As the surface water moves towards offshore, few anchovy eggs and larvae were sampled in the survey area. Chemical and biological substances are concentrated in the leftdown sides of the small scaled frontal eddies because of eddy formation.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2006

To investigate inflow path of the East Sea Intermediate Water (ESIW) into the Ulleung Basin, hydrographic data surveyed in July 2005 were analyzed. The ESIW was characterized by the Salinity Minimum Layer (SML) within a depth range of 100 to 360 meters. Averaged potential temperature and salinity of the SML were $1.835^{\circ}C$ and 34.049 psu, respectively. Mean potential density $({\sigma}_{\theta})$ of the SML was 27.221 with a standard deviation of 0.0393. On isopycnal surfaces of 27.14 and 27.18 $({\sigma}_{\theta})$ which correspond to upper layers of the ESIW, the coastal low salinity water was separated from the offshore low salinity water by the relatively warm and saline water which might be affected by the Tsushima Warm Current Water. Relatively cold and fresh water, however, intruded into the Ulleung Basin from the region of Korean coast on isopycnal surfaces of 27.22 and 27.26 which was lower layer of the ESIW. The salinity distribution in the isopycnal layer of $27.14{\sim}27.26$ with acceleration potential on 27.22 up surface also showed clearly that the low salinity water flowed from the coastal area and intruded into the Ulleung Basin. This implies that the ESIW flows ken the north to the south along the east coasts of Korea and spreads into the Ulleung Basin in summer.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.157-170
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• 2013

We investigated the seasonal succession of phytoplankton assemblages in the eastern part of the South Sea of Korea in relation to surface water masses. The study areas are under the direct influence of the Tsushima Warm Current (TCW) throughout the whole year, with its strength known to be seasonally variable. The region is also influenced by coastal waters (CW) driven from the South Sea of Korea and East China Sea, particularly in summer, as indicated by low salinity in the surface water. Nutrient property of the TCW can reveals whether the origin of the TCW is the nutrient-rich Kuroshio Current or the oligotropic Taiwan Warm Current. Surface chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations displayed a large seasonal variation for all stations, with high values found in spring and autumn and low values in summer and winter. At station M (offshore) and P (intermediate location between M and R), Chl-a concentrations in October were higher than those in March, when spring bloom normally occurs. This may be related to deeper mixed layer depths in October. Diatoms dominated under conditions of high nutrient supply in which Chaetoceros spp. and Skeletonema costatum-like spp. were abundant. S. costatum-like spp. dominated at stations R (onshore station) and P in December when there was greater nutrient supply, especially of phosphate. Flagellates and dinoflagellates dominated at all three stations after diatoms blooms. Dominant species were Scrippsiella trochoid in April and Ceratium furca in October at station R, and Gyrodinium spp. and Gymnodinium spp. at station M during summer, when the effect of the oligotropic Taiwan Warm Current and the oligotropic coastal water from East China Sea were strong. Redundancy analysis showed clear seasonal successions in the phytoplankton community and environmental conditions, in which both principal components 1 and 2 accounted for 69.6% of total variance. Our results suggested that environmental conditions seemed to be determined by the origin of the TCW and the relative seasonal strength of the water masses of the TCW and CW, which may affect phytoplankton growth and compositions in the study area.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.121-139
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• 1995

Based on the Results of Marine Meteorological and Oceanographical Observations (1966 -1987), the phenomenon of chimney is found as a candidate for the formation of the Japan Sea Proper Water (JSPW). The chimney phenomenon occurs twelve times Inuring 1966∼ 1987. The water types in the chimney denoting the deep convection are similar to those of the JSPW 0∼ 1℃ in potential temperature, 34.0∼34.1 ‰ in salinity and 68∼80 cl/t in potential thermosteric anomaly from the sea surface to the deep layer. The static stabilities in the chimney stations are unstable or neutral. This indicates that the winter time convection occurs. The JSPW sunken from the surface layer of chimney in winter spreads out under the Tsushima Warm Current area, following the isosteric surface of about 76 cl/t in Potential thermosteric anomaly. The formation of the deep water of the JSPW is mainly affected by the cooling of the sea surface than the evaporation of winds because the temperature and the salinity on the isoteric surface of about 76 cl/t in potential thermosteric anomaly ate cold and low The phenomenon of chimney occurred in here and there of the area in the north of 40" 30'N, west of 138" E. This suggests that the deep water of the JSPW is formed not in a limited area but probably in the overall region of the northern open ocean.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.212-223
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• 2002

Cochlodinium polykrikoides bloom in 1995 was studied with a focus on an unusual coastal environment in the South Sea of Korea. Data on temperature, salinity, and zooplankton biomass during 1965-1998 and nutrients during 1990-1998 and chlorophyll-a during 1995-1998 were used in this study. These data were obtained from the serial oceanographic observations in Korean waters carried out by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. In 1995 the C. polykrikoides bloom began in the coastal area around Narodo Island in August and consequently occurred to the whole coastal area of the South and East Seas of Korea. During June-October 1995, the coastal environment was unusual compared with the long-term means during 1965-1998. In June 1995, sea surface temperature was 1-2$^{\circ}C$ warmer than in other years in all coastal areas, while salinity was high only to the east of Jeju Island. In August 1995, a strong coastal front appeared inshore of a line between Jeju and Tsushima Islands. In particular, a strong coastal front which showed the characteristics of upwelling front occurred in the coastal area around Narodo and Sorido Islands, not only because of a strong intrusion of the Tsushima Warm Current but also because of the upwelling of cold bottom water. Salinity was low in the neighboring waters of western side of Jeju Island. Nutrients and chlorophyll-a were high in the inshore area between Narodo and Sorido Islands in 1995 in contrast with the other years and areas. Zooplankton showed an unusually high abundance in the coastal area in October 1995. We conclude that the Tsushima Warm Current strongly influenced the South Sea of Korea in 1995 and created strong upwelling front bordering cold upwelled water in the coastal area around Narodo and Sorido Islands. It leads us that these physical structures introduce the favorable environment for the development of C. polykrikoides blooms. We suggest that C. polykrikoides has a bio-physical tolerance of high shear and stress and prefers frontal and upwelling relaxed areas as its habitat. We also find that nutrients were not supplied to the coastal area from the offshore where a low salinity water mass with high nutrients appeared around Jeju Island. Because the strong upwelling front protect the reach of offshore low saline water mass. The main source of nutrients was the upwelled water mass in the coastal area of Wando-Narodo-Sorido.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.447-455
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• 2011

Using results from an earth system model, the distribution of partial pressure of $CO_2$ ($pCO_2$) in surface seawater over the East China Sea is investigated. In this area $pCO_2$ shows minimum along the edge of the continental break along the path of the Taiwan-Tsushima Current System. Apparently modelled chlorophyll is also great along the current but the maximum of the chlorophyll and the minimum of $pCO_2$ do not coincide suggesting that the primary production is not the main cause of the $pCO_2$ minimum. As we move toward the Yellow Sea from the Kuroshio area the temperature decreases so that the $pCO_2$ becomes smaller. If we move further toward the Yellow Sea beyond the Taiwan-Tsushima Current System, alkalinity starts to drop substantially to intensify $pCO_2$ while overcoming the effect of decreasing temperature and salinity. Thus $pCO_2$ minimum occurs along the Taiwan-Tsushima Current System. Of course, the primary production lower $pCO_2$ during spring when it is high but the effect is local. Near the Yangtze river mouth and northeastern corner of the Yellow Sea the fresh water input is large enough and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) becomes low enough so that $pCO_2$ becomes lower again.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.497-505
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• 1985

We studied the annual and interannual fluctuations of sea surface temperature (SST) for 30 years ($1941{\sim}1970$) at 9 coastal stations in the Tsushima Current and the Kuroshio regions by means of harmonic analysis, correlation analysis, and spectral analysis. The fluctuations of annual mean and amplitude are 0.3 to $0.7^{\circ}C$, and those of annual phase are 3 to 4 days. The SST anomalies are about $1^{\circ}C$, and they are relatively large in summer and winter than in spring and fall. The SST anomalies in the Tsushima Current and the Kuroshio regions are related with each other. The predominant periods of SST anomalies differ slightly from station to station. The quasi-biennial (26 months) and pole tide (14 months) oscillations are found in the spectra of SST anomalies.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2002

In the southern sea of Korea and the areas of Tsushima warm currents the relationship between the distributions of eggs and larvae of anchovy (Engraulis japonica) and oceanic conditions was examined on July and August 1997, The south Korean coastal waters, the water temperature of below $20\~23^{\circ}$ and the salinity of above 33.0 (PSU), the mixed waters between the south Korean coastal waters and the Tsushima warm currents, $21\~25^{\circ}$ and $32.0\~32.5$ and the Tsushima warm currents, above $26^{\circ}$ and below 31.5 were distributed at the surface layer. The Tsushima warm currents were distributed at the northeast of Jeju Is. and off the southern sea of Korea. As an appearance of warm streamer, the mixed waters were intruded into the coastal areas of Komun Is.$\~$Sori Is. and Sori Is.$\~$Yokji Is.. Approximate paths of surface water by the drift card experiments were similar with the intrusions of the warm water identified from the water temperature and salinity distributions. The distributions of chlorophyll concentration were consistent with the distributions of water temperature and salinity, Anchovy eggs and larvae were mostly distributed at Komun Is., Yokji Is, and the southwest of Koie Is. where chlorophyll concentrations were high and cyclonic circulations by the warm water intrusions (warm streamers) were formed.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.163-177
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• 2013

An instrumented ferry made two transects per day across two current systems which are the North Korean Cold Current and the East Korean Warm Current over the years 2012-2013 from Gangneung to Ulleungdo in the southwestern East Sea. Seawater properties of these transects were measured with high spatial and temporal resolution for an extended period of time. Here the salinity records from the transects with the oceanographic observation data from East Sea Fisheries Institute of NFRDI, AVISO daily current chart and GOCI Chlorophyll-a image in 2012 and 2013 are used to study the time-series variation of salinity at the surface. The high salinity section with the range of 33.15~34.12 occurred on the transect mainly in the middle of eddy, and western boundary of strong northward current from June to October. We can found low salinity waters in both sides of the high salinity section. It is estimated that the western low salinity waters with the range of 30.58~33.20 accompanied by southward current were derived from the NKCC and the eastern waters with the range of 31.30~33.24 accompanied by northward current were derived from the Tsushima Surface Water. The lowest salinity of NKCC is confirmed in this study as 30.36. It is found that the western waters below 33.00 extended extremely toward the east about 110 km area from Gangneung and toward the south around Jukbyon coastal area as a 5~10 m layer. We can find its volume of low saline waters transport is not neglectable compared with that of Tsushima Current region in the western part of the East Sea. In this study we named it as the North Korean Low Saline Surface Water in summer.