• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.2
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• pp.926-929
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• 2006

Some features of vertical structure of the frontal interaction zone of the warm Kuroshio Current and cold Oyashio Current are known from 1930 from analysis of ship data. Ship data however do not allow carrying out the area detailed survey opposite to satellite infrared (IR) observations which possess by high spatial and temporal resolution. Analysis of NOAA AVHRR IR images demonstrated that process of formation and development of the Kuroshio warm core rings is highly complex. They are formed as a result of development of anticyclonic meanders of the warm Kuroshio waters and spin off them from the current. Joint analysis of thermal infrared images and altimetry data has also indicated that interaction of eddies to the frontal zone plays a crucial role in formation of large eddies moving to the Southern Kuril region.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.5-20
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• 2002

To investigate the effect of mechanical parameters on the circulation and its fluctuation in Sagami Bay, baroclinic model experiments were carried out by use of a two-layer source-sink flow in a rotating tank. In the experiment, a simple coastal topography with flat bottom was reproduced. The results show that the path of the Through Flow, which corresponds to the branch current of the Kuroshio, depends on external Rossby number (Ro) and internal Rossby number $(Ro^*)$, and divided into two regimes. For $Ro^*\leq1.0$ in which Rossby internal radius of deformation of the Through Flow is smaller than the width of the approaching channel, the current flows along the Oshima Island as a coastal boundary density current separated from the western boundary of the channel. For $Ro^*>1.0$ it changes to a jet flow along the western boundary of the channel, separated from the coast of Oshima Island. The current is independent on both Ro and Ro* in the regime of $Ro^*>1.0,\;Ro\geq0.06$ and $Ro^*\leq1.0,\;Ro\geq0.06$. The pattern of the cyclonic circulation in the inner part of the bay is also determined by Ro and Ro*. In case of $Ro^*\leq1.0$, frontal eddies are formed in the northern boundary of the Through Flow. These frontal eddies intrude into the inner part along the eastern boundary of the bay providing vorticity to form and maintain the inner cyclonic circulation. For $Ro^*>1.0$, the wakes from the Izu peninsula are superposed intensifying the cyclonic circulation. The pattern of the cyclonic circulation is divided into three types; 1) weak cyclonic circulation and the inner anticyclonic circulation $(Ro<0.12)$. 2) cyclonic circulation in the bay $(0.12\leq Ro<0.25)$. 3) cyclonic circulation with strong boundary current $(RO\geq0.25)$.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.170-183
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• 1995

Eddies and surface current field in the southwestern part of the East Sea were investigated using satellite-tracked drifters, CTD, and ADCP from November 1992 to September 1993. Trajectories of surface drifters provided information for the first time on the meandering motion of the East Korean Warm Current in the Ullung Basin (referred as UB) and clearly indicated the existence of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies of various scales. Anticyclonic eddies persisting for a relatively long period were observed in UB and the southwestern corner of the Northern (Japan) Basin (SNB), while a cyclonic eddy was found in the coastal area between Sokcho and Donghae during the summer. Analysis shows that the eddy in UB behaved as a stationary eddy at least during the observation period and the cyclonic eddy was closely related to the existence of a cold water mass. The anticyclonic eddy in SNB was larger than that in UB, but much elongated in shape. The eddy in UB is characteristic of major and minor axes of about 120 and 70 km, revolution period of 13.6 days, mean swirl velocity of about 24 cm/s, and mean eddy kinetic energy of 392 cm$\^$2//s$\^$2/. The eddy in SNB is described as follows; major and minor axes of 168 and 86 km, period of 14.9 days, mean swirl velocity of 29 cm/s and mean eddy kinetic energy of 629 cm$\^$2//s$\^$2/. The mean translational speed is about 3 cm/s for both eddies. The agreement of the surface current pattern in UB observed by ADCP with the geostrophic flow pattern may suggest that the eddy in UB was nearly in geostrophic balance. The eddy was found to be strongly bottom-controlled.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.252-263
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• 2019

In order to understand the tidal current and mean flow at the west channel of Yeoja Bay in the South Sea of Korea, numerical model experiments and vorticity analysis were carried out. The currents flow north at flood and south at ebb respectively and have the reversing form in the west channel. Topographical eddies are found in the surroundings of Dunbyong Island in the east of the channel. The flood currents flow from the waters near Naro Islands through the west channel and the coastal waters near Geumo Islands through the east channel. The ebb currents from the Yeoja Bay flow out along the west and the east channels separately. The south of Nang Island have weak flows because the island is located in the rear of main tidal stream. Currents are converged at ebb and diverged at flood in the northwest of Jeokgum Island. Tidal current ellipses show reversing form in the west channel but a kind of rotational form in the east channel. As the results of tide induced mean flows, cyclonic and anticyclonic topographical eddies at the northern tip but eddies with opposite spin at the southern tip are found in the west channel of Yeoja Bay. The topographical eddies around the islands and narrow channels are created from the vorticity formed at the land shore by the friction between tidal currents and the west channel.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.96-106
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• 2004

A total of 116 surface sediment samples were obtained on the Yellow Sea and analyzed for grain size and geochemical elements in order to interpret the present sediment transportation. Thirty-nine cores and 3,070 line-km shallow seismic profiles are analyzed for sedimentary records of Yellow Sea in the past. Results show that the boundary of sediment transport between Korean side and Chinese side is about between $123^{\circ}E$ and $124^{\circ}E$. The similar result is produced from Shi et al. (in this publication). Two cyclonic patterns of surface sediments are recognized in the northeastern and southwestern Yellow Sea, while the strong front zone of the mud patch and sandy sediments are found in the southeastern Yellow Sea (the southwestern part of Korean coasts). The formation of fine-particle sediment packages, called for Northwest Mudbelt Deposit (NWMD), Hucksan Mudbelt Deposit (HSMD) and Jeju Mudbelt Deposit (JJMD), are resulted from eddies (gyres) of water circulations in the Yellow Sea. NWMD has been formed by cyclonic (anticlockwise) eddy. NWMD is composed of thick, homogeneous, relatively semi-consolidated gray clay-dominated deposit. On the other hand, HSMD and JJMD are formed by anticyclonic (clockwise) eddies. They are thick, homogeneous, organic-rich gray, silt-dominated deposit. Both core and surface sediments show that the middle zone across Chinese and Korean side contains bimodal frequency of grain-size distribution, indicating that two different transport mechanisms exist. These mud packages are surrounded by sand deposits from both Korea and China seas, indicating that Yellow Sea, which is the shallow sea and epicontinental shelf, is formed mostly by sand deposits including relict sands. The seismic profiles show such as small erosional/non-depositional channels, sand-ridges and sand-waves, Pleistocene-channelfilled deposits, a series of channels in the N-S major channel system, and thick Holocene sediment package, indicating that more complex sedimentary history exists in the Yellow Sea.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 2004

Based on the data obtained under the China-Korea joint project (1997-2001) and historic observations, the distribution, transportation and sedimentation of sediment in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) are discussed, and the controversial formation mechanism of muddy sediments is also explored. The sediment transport trend analysis indicates that the net transport direction of sediment in the central SYS (a fine-grained sediment deposited area) points to $123.4^{\circ}E,\;35.1^{\circ}N$, which is a possible sedimentation center in the central SYS. The sediment transport pattern is verified by the distribution of total suspended matter (TSM) concentration and ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of particulate organic carbon (POC), the latter indicates that the bottom water plays a more important role than the surface water in transporting the terrigenous material to the central deep-water area of the SYS, and the Yellow Sea circulation is an important control factor for the sediment transport pattern in the SYS. The carbon isotope signals of organic matter in sediments indicate that the Shandong subaqueous delta has high sedimentation rate and the deposited sediments originate mainly from the modern Yellow River. The terrigenous sediments in deep-water area of the SYS originate mainly from the old Yellow River and the modern Yellow River, and only a small portion originates from the modern Yangtze River. The analytical results of TSM and stable carbon isotopes are further confirmed by another independent tracer of sediment source, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Five light mineral provinces in the SYS can be identified and they indicate inhomogeneity in sources and sedimentary environment. The modern shelf sedimentary processes in the SYS are controlled by shelf dynamic factors. The muddy depositional systems are produced in the shelf low-energy environments, which are controlled by some meso-scale cyclonic eddies (cold eddies) in the central SYS and the area southwest of the Cheju Island. On the contrary, an anticyclonic muddy depositional system (warm eddy sediment) appears in the southeast of the SYS (the area northwest of the Cheju Island). In this study, we give the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy sedimentation patterns.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.169-177
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• 2002

An eddy-resolving free-surface primitive-equation model with nonlinear terrain-following coordinates is established to study the exchange of water masses among the Asian marginal seas and their adjacent waters. A curvilinear coordinate system is used to generate the horizontal grid with a variable resolution for the regional oceans from $5^{\circ}$S to $45^{\circ}$N and $100^{\circ}$E to $155^{\circ}$E. The higher resolution region has about a 10 km by 10 km grid covering the complex geometry of the coastal marginal seas, while the lower resolution region has about a 30 km by 30 km grid covering the eastern Pacific. The model is initialized by the Levitus annual climitology and forced by the monthly mean air-sea fluxes of momentum, heat, and freshwater derived from the Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set. High-resolution and low-viscosity are identified as the key factors for a better representation of the exchange of waters through narrow straits and passages between the marginal seas and their adjacent waters. The dynamics of the loop currents and eddies in the South China Sea and Celebes Sea are examined in detail. It has found that the anticyclonic loop and detached eddies from the Kuroshio through the Luzon Strait play an important role in transporting warm and salty water into the South China Sea, while the cyclonic circulation of the Mindanao Current in the Celebes Sea plays a role in contributing cold water to the Indonesian throughflow. The deep undercurrent of the western Pacific is shown to provide fresher water to the South China Sea and Celebes Sea. These modeling results suggest that the exchange processes via the narrow straits and passages are of fundamental importance to the maintenance of water masses for the marginal sea region.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2000

Even though recurring eddies at the terminal end of the East Korean Warm Current have been identified in the thermal infrared imagery from the NOAA/AVHRR sensor and ocean color data from Orbview-2/SeaWiFS sensor, it is difficult to make observation in the field regarding recurring eddies located around the Wonsan coastal area in North Korea. But we could get in situ data related to an eddy from an ARGOS satellite tracking drifter trapped in the eddy on January 4th, 1999. An ARGOS drifter, a NOAA satellite tracked buoy was trapped by the eddy during January 4th.March 18, 1999. The ARGOS drifter rotated 10 times per 72 days on the edge of the eddy located at $39^{\circ}N$, $129^{\circ}E$. The diameter of the eddy was about 100 km. The horizontal rotation velocity of the recurring cold-core anti-cyclonic eddy was 1.53 km/h(42 cm/sec). The sea surface temperatures of the eddy varied from $14.7^{\circ}C$ on January 5, 1999 to $9.6^{\circ}C$ on March 18,1999. To study the mechanism of the recurring eddy. we tried to find out the relationship between the vector of the drifter moving in the eddy and the wind vector in Sokcho and Ulleung Island located near the eddy in southern Korea, and the difference in sea level between Ulleung Island and Mukho. We hope the results of this study would be useful for calibration and validation data of simulation and numerical modeling studies of the recurring eddy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-93
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• 2015

Three-dimensional structures of large ocean rings in the Gulf Stream region are investigated using the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Numerically simulated flow structures around four selected cyclonic and anticyclonic rings are compared with two different horizontal resolutions: $1/12^{\circ}$ and $1/48^{\circ}$. The vertical distributions of Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) are analyzed using Finite Size Lyapunov Exponent (FSLE) and Okubo-Weiss parameters (OW). Curtain-shaped FSLE ridges are found in all four rings with extensions of surface ridges throughout the water columns, indicating that horizontal stirring is dominant over vertical motions. Near the high-resolution rings, many small-scale flow structures with size O(1~10) km are observed while these features are rarely found near the low-resolution rings. These small-scale structures affect the flow pattern around the rings as flow particles move more randomly in the high-resolution models. The dispersion rates are also affected by these small-scale structures as the relative horizontal dispersion coefficients are larger for the high-resolution models. The absolute vertical dispersion rates are, however, lower for the high-resolution models, because the particles tend to move along inclined eddy orbits when the resolution is low and this increases the magnitude of absolute vertical dispersion. Since relative vertical dispersion can reduce this effect from the orbital trajectories of particles, it gives a more reasonable magnitude range than absolute dispersion, and so is recommended in estimating vertical dispersion rates.