• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.943-948
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• 2003

Variation of the polar front in the East Sea is studied using temperature and dissolved oxygen data obtained from Japan Meteorological Agency from 1972 to 1999. Variation of the polar front in the East Sea has a close relation to the variation of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC). When the TWC spreads widely in the East Sea, polar front moves northward. The spatial variation of the polar front is greater in the southwestern area of the East Sea and the northern area of Tsugaru Strait where the variation of the TWC's distribution area is greater than those in others of the East Sea. Hence, in the southeastern area of the East Sea, that is, between near Noto peninsula and Tsugaru Strait, the spatial variation of the polar front is not so wide as in the southwestern area because the flow of TWC is stable.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.27-42
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• 1993

Based on the Results of Marine Meteorological and Oceanographical Observations during 1966∼1987 and the Ten-day Marine Report during 1970∼1989 by Japan Meteorological Agency, the possible area where the Japan Sea Proper Water (JSPW) can be formed is investigated by analyzing the distribution of water types in the Japan Sea. The Japan Sea can be divided into three subareas of Northern Cold Water(NCW), Polar Front(PF) and Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) by the Polar Front identified by a 6℃ isothermal line at the sea surface in vinter. Mean position of the Polar Front is approximately parallel to the latitude 39∼40。N. The standard deviation of the Polar Front from the mean position of about 130km width is the smallest in the region between 136。E and 138。E where the Polar Front is very stable, because the branches of the Tsushima Current are converging in this region. However, standard deviations are about 180∼250km near the Korean peninsula and the Tsugaru Strait due to greater variability of warm currents. In the NCW area north of 40∼30。N and west of 138。E, the water types of the sea surface to the loom depth are similar to those of the JSPW. This fact indicates that the surface layer of the NCW area is the possible region of the JSPW formation in winter.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.401-414
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• 2004

Temperature, salinity, alkalinity, pH, nutrient, chlorophyll, and iron were measured within the upper 250m water column around the Antarctic Polar Front in the Scotia Sea from late November to early December 2001. Temperature and salinity showed a rapid change across the Polar Front, and the temperature minimum layer existed only in the southern area of the Polar Front. Total $CO_2$ and nutrient concentrations were relatively high and increased rapidly with water depth in the southern area of the Polar Front, which was resulted from upwelling of the Antarctic deep water containing high concentrations of total $CO_2$ and nutrient. ${\Delta}C:{\Delta}N:{\Delat}P$ ratios measured in the norhem and southern areas of the Polar Front were 75:11.4:1 and 84:12.5:1, respectively, which were lower than the Redfield ratio. ${\Delta}Si:{\Delta}N$ ratio (3.65) measured in the southern area of the Polar Front was two times higher than that (1.95) in the northern area. These two ratios were higher than the ratio (1.0) measured in the temperate and tropical oceans. Chlorophyll concentrations were extremely high in the area of $59^{\circ}{\sim}60^{\circ}S$, which was attributed to favorable environmental conditions for phytoplankton growth in this area, such as sufficient iron, high water column stability, and high silicate concentration.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1044-1055
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• 1997

To find out generating mechanism of eddies in the polar frontal zone of the East Sea, we carried out a series of numerical experiments using the nonlinear $1^{1/2}-layer$ model allowing the effect of the polar front. We assumed the polar front at about $39^{\circ}N$ in zonal direction with the cold water region in the northern part and the warm water region in the southern part of the model ocean. To examine the effect of the frontal motion without the influence of the Tsushima Current from the beginning of the geostrophic adjustment, the initial state of the model ocean was assumed motionless. Eastward current was caused by the geostrophic adjustment process in the polar frontal zone that induced a steady northward coastal current along the Korean coast to satisfy the mass continuity. The overshooting of this coastal current acted as an initial disturbance of the zonal flow field which caused meanders and eddies. The spatial scales of eddies were in good agreement with the baroclinic instability theory.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.415-423
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• 2009

To investigate low frequency acoustic transmissions in the Sub-Polar Front(SPF) of the East Sea, numerical experiments are conducted with Range dependent Acoustic Model(RAM) using Circulation Research of the East Asian Marginal Seas(CREAMS) data and Autonomous Profiling Explorer(APEX)) data. Significant seasonal variations of sea water properties are existed across the Sub-Polar Front(SPF) region from the north and the south. The model results show that Transmission Loss(TL) decrease(about 20dB) with ideal front in the warm region whereas TL increase(about 25dB) with ideal front in the cold region. Regardless of season(both in summer and winter), when the sound source is located in the cold region of the SPF, the model results show weak TL, compared to the case of the source in the warm region(Maximum difference of TL reaches 28dB). This difference between the cases when the source is located in the cold region and the warm region, is accounted for from the different vertical profiles of sound speed in both regions.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.6_2
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• pp.1179-1192
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• 2018

In order to detect the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) among the main fronts in the Southern Ocean, this study is based on the combinations of satellite-based sea surface temperature (SST) and height (SSH) observations. For accurate PF detection, we classified the signals as front or non-front grids based on the Bayesian decision theory from daily SST and SSH datasets, and then spatio-temporal synthesis has been performed to remove primary noises and to supplement geographical connectivity of the front grids. In addition, sea ice and coastal masking were employed in order to remove the noise that still remains even after performing the processes and morphology operations. Finally, we selected only the southernmost grids, which can be considered as fronts and determined as the monthly PF by a linear smoothing spline optimization method. The mean positions of PF in this study are very similar to those of the PFs reported by the previous studies, and it is likely to be well represents PF formation along the bottom topography known as one of the major influences of the PF maintenance. The seasonal variation in the positions of PF is high in the Ross Sea sector (${\sim}180^{\circ}W$), and Australia sector ($120^{\circ}E-140^{\circ}E$), and these variations are quite similar to the previous studies. Therefore, it is expected that the detection approach for the PF position applied in this study and the final composite have a value that can be used in related research to be carried out on the long term time-scale.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2004.05b
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• pp.89-92
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• 2004

Potential vorticity is useful to illustrate mechanism and distribution pattern of current circulation the upper layer in the East Sea is divided into three part following like surface layer, Tsushima Warm Current(TWC) layer. Potential vorticity shows well the meandering of the TWC and polar front and circulation cell ill the northern part of polar front.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.457-472
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• 2011

To elucidate the trophic role of heterotrophic nano- and microplankton (HNMP), we investigated their biomass, community structure, and herbivory in three different water masses, namely, south of Polar Front (SPF), Polar Front Zone (PFZ), the Sub-Antarcitc Front (SAF) in the Drake Passage in the Southern Ocean, during the austral summer in 2002. We observed a spatial difference in the relative importance of the dominant HNMP community in these water masses. Ciliates accounted for 34.7% of the total biomass on an average in the SPF where the concentration of chlorophyll-a was low with the dominance of pico- and nanophytoplankton. Moreover, the importance of ciliates declined from the SPF to the SAF. In contrast, heterotrophic dinoflagellates (HDFs) were the most dominant grazers in the PFZ where the concentration of chlorophyll-a was high with the dominance of net phytoplankton. HNMP biomass ranged from 321.9 to 751.4 $mgCm^{-2}$ and was highest in the PFZ and lowest in the SPF. This result implies that the spatial dynamic of HNMP biomass and community was significantly influenced by the composition and concentration of phytoplankton as a food source. On an average, 75.6%, 94.5%, and 78.9% of the phytoplankton production were consumed by HNMP in the SPF, PFZ, and SAF, respectively. The proportion of phytoplankton grazed by HNMP was largely determined by the composition and biomass of HNMP, as well as the composition of phytoplankton. However, the herbivory of HNMP was one of the most important loss processes affecting the biomass and composition of phytoplankton particularly in the PFZ. Our results suggest that the bulk of the photosynthetically fixed carbon was likely reprocessed by HNMP rather than contributing to the vertical flux in Drake Passage during the austral summer in 2002.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.277-288
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• 2005

Spatial distribution and vertical structures of water masses around the Antarctic continental margin are described using synthesized hydrographic data. Antarctic Surface Water (AASW) over the shelf regime is distinguished from underlying other water masses by the cut-off salinity, varying from approximately 34.35 to 34.45 around Antarctica. Shelf water, characterized by salinity greater than the cut-off salinity and potential temperature less than $-17^{\circ}C$, is observed on the Ross Sea, off George V Land, off Wilkes Land, the Amery Basin, and the Weddell Sea, but in some shelves AASW occupies the entire shelf. Lower Circumpolar Deep Water is present everywhere around the Antarctic oceanic regime and in some places it mixes with Shelf Water, producing Antarctic Slope Front Water (ASFW). ASFW, characterized by potential temperature less than about $0^{\circ}C$ and greater than $-17^{\circ}C$, and salinity greater than the cut-off salinity, is found everywhere around Antarctica except in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen sector. The presence of different water masses over the Antarctic shelves and shelf edges produces mainly three types of water mass stratifications: no significant meridional property gradient in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas, single property gradient where ASFW presents, and a V-shaped front where Shelf Water exists.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.407-418
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• 2008

Seawater samples were collected at discrete depths from five stations across the polar front in the Drake Passage (Antarctic Ocean) by the $20^{th}$ Korea Antarctic Research Program in December, 2006. Nitrate concentrations of seawater increase with depth within the photic zone above the depth of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW). In contrast, ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of seawater nitrate decrease with depth, showing a mirror image to the nitrate variation. Such a distinct vertical variation is mainly attributed to the degree of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton as well as organic matter degradation of sinking particles within the surface layer. The preferential $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ assimilation by the phytoplankton causes $^{15}{NO_3}^-$ concentration to become high in a closedsystem surface-water environment during the primary production, whereas more $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ is added to the seawater during the degradation of sinking organic particles. The water-mass mixing seems to play an important role in the alteration of ${\delta}^{15}N$ values in the deep layer below the UCDW. Across the polar front, nitrate concentrations of surface seawater decrease and corresponding ${\delta}^{15}N$ values increase northward, which is likely due to the degree of nitrate utilization during the primary production. Based on the Rayleigh model, the calculated ${\varepsilon}$ (isotope effect of nitrate uptake) values between 4.0%o and 5.8%o were validated by the previously reported data, although the preformed ${\delta}^{15}{{NO_3}^-}_{initial}$ value of UCDW is important in the calculation of ${\varepsilon}$ values.