• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.48-62
• /
• 1998

Seasonal volume transport on the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf is investigated in terms of objectively fitted transport streamfunction fields based on the current meter data of the Texas­Louisiana Shelf Circulation and Transport Processes Study. Adopted here for the objective mapping is a method employing a two-dimensional truncated Fourier representation of the streamfunction over a domain, with the amplitudes determined by least square fit of the observation. The fitting was done with depth-averaged flow rather than depth-integrated flow to reduce the root-mean-square error. The fitting process filters out $11\%$ of the kinetic energy in the monthly mean transport fields. The shelf-wide pattern of streamfunction fields is similar to that of near-surface velocity fields over the region. The nearshore transport, about 0.1 to 0.3 Sv $(1 Sv= 10^6\;m^3/sec)$, is well correlated with the seasonal signal of along-shelf wind stress. The spring transport is weak compared to other seasons in the inner shelf region. The transport along the shelf break is large and variable. In the southwestern shelf break, transport amounts up to 4.7 Sv, which is associated with the activities of the encroaching of energetic anticyclonic eddies originated in Loop Current of the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) of streamfunction variability contains $67.3\%$ of the variance and shows a simple, shelf-wide, along-shelf pattern of transport. The amplitude evolution of the first EOF is highly correlated (correlation coefficient: 0.88) with the evolution of the along-shelf wind stress. This provides strong evidence that the large portion of seasonal variation of the shelf transport is wind-forced. The second EOF contains $23.7\%$ of the variance and shows eddy activities at the southwestern shelf break. The correlation coefficient between the amplitudes of the second EOF and wind stress is 0.42. We assume that this mode is coupled a periodic inner shelf process with a non-periodic eddy process on the shelf break. The third EOF (accounting for $7.2\% of the variance) shows several cell structures near the shelf break associated with the variability of the Loop Current Eddies. The amplitude time series of the third EOF show little correlation with the along-shelf wind.

• Ocean Science Journal
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.89-102
• /
• 2007

The surface circulation of northern South China Sea (hereafter SCS) for the period 1987-2005 was studied using the data of more than 500 satellite-tracked drifters and wind data from QuikSCAT. The mean flow directions in the northern SCS except the Luzon Strait (here after LS) during the periods October_March was southwestward, and $April{\sim}September$ northeastward. A strong northwestward intrusion of the Kuroshio through the LS appears during the $October{\sim}March$ period of northeasterly wind, but the intrusion became weak between April and September. When the strong intrusion occurred, the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the LS was $388cm^2/s^2$ which was almost 2 times higher than that during the weak-intrusion season. The volume transport of the Kuroshio in the east of the Philippines shows an inverse relationship to that of the LS. There is a six-month phase shift between the two seasonal phenomena. The volume transport in the east of the Philippines shows its peak sis-month earlier faster than that of the LS. The strong Kuroshio intrusion is found to be also related to the seasonal variation of the wind stress curl generated by the north easterly wind. The negative wind stress curl in the northern part of LS induces an anticyclonic flow, while the positive wind stress curl in the southern part of LS induces a cyclonic flow. The northwestward Kuroshio intrusion in the northern part of LS happened with larger negative wind stress curl, while the westward intrusion along $20.5^{\circ}N$ in the center of the LS occurred with weaker negative wind stress curl.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.121-132
• /
• 1993

A three-dimensional barotropic model is used to compute meteorologically-induced circulations in the East Sea for monthly, seasonal and annual basis. The computed barotropic responses have shown that in the upper part of the 40$^{\circ}$ North latitude. counterclockwise meso-scale eddies have been formed off Dong Han Man, middle part of the East Sea and sea area between the Siberian coast and Hokkaido throughout the year except summer season. These results are in good agreements with some of earlier schematic circulation diagram.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2001

In order to clarify the seasonal variation of the residual current and the material transportation process in Hiroshima Bay, JAPAN, the real-time simulation of residual current and particle tracking by using the Euler-Lagrange model were carried out. The calculated tidal current, water temperature, and salinity showed good agreement with the observed ones. The residual currents showed a southward flow pattern at the upper layer, and a northward flow pattern at the lower layer. The flow structure of the residual current in Hiroshima Bay is an estuarine circulation affected by density flow and wind driven current. The residual current plays an important role of material transportation in the bay.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.298-308
• /
• 1994

Ocean circulation in the Northeast Pacific Ocean is simulated using a high-resolution primitive equation numerical model with realistic bottom topography. The goal is to explain better the details of observed interannual variability of the circulation in the Gulf of Alaska. Our numerical model suggests that there is no seasonal shift in the Alaska gyre and that the interannual variability. reported earlier, is most likely the result of embedded mesoscale eddies in the dynamic topography. Such eddies have been observed in hydrographic. satellite-tracked drifters and altimeter data from the Gulf of Alaska.

• 한국해양학회지
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1981

The seasonal variations of surface current patterns in the Japan Sea were drawn out from the results of drift bottle experiments, current measurements and hydrographic observations during 1979∼1980. The North Korean Cold Current(NKCC) and the East Korean Warm Current(EKWC) were common features of circulation in the eastern sea of Korea. The intrusion of NKCC along the Korean coast became strong in summer(average velocity of 47.4cm/sec off Jumunjin and 23.4cm/sec near Jugbyeon) when the Tsushima Current was strong. But there was no indication of the NKCC in November 1979. Dynamic topography(August & November 1979) and satellite picture(November 1979) seemed to show the topographic steering of EKWC beginning off Janggigab. Drift bottles arrived at the Japaness coast were affected significantly by the strong Tsushima Current in summer and by the predominant northwesterlies in winter instead of weak current.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.403-411
• /
• 2012

Among others, a question that has long been unanswered is why the seasonal variation of volume transport is larger in the Soya and Korea/Tsushima Straits than in the Tsugaru Strait. An attempt is made to answer this question in terms of the island rule with friction being taken into account. The problem is idealized as a simple model. The model results indicate that volume transport through a channel is determined not only by the circulation created around the adjacent island but also by those created around the neighboring islands farther away. The latter is due to the presence of bottom friction in the channels. The volume transports through the Korea/Tsushima, Tsugaru and Soya Straits estimated from the model using observed wind data show the general pattern of observed seasonality, although they contain large errors associated with the uncertain frictional parameter employed in the model. The model indicates that the observed seasonality arises essentially from the fact that wind stress curl changes its sign, from negative in the summer to positive in winter, following a large fluctuation of zero-stress curl latitude east of Hokkaido.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.27-44
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study is to investigate predictability of the seasonal simulation by the METRI (Meteorological Research Institute) AGCM (Atmospheric General Circulation Model), which is a long-term prediction model for the METRI 3-month prediction system. We examine the performance skill of climate simulation and predictability by the analysis of variance of the METRI AGCM, focusing on the precipitation, 850 hPa temperature, and 500 hPa geopotential height. According to the result, the METRI AGCM shows systematic errors with seasonal march, and represents large errors over the equatorial region, compared to the observation. Also, the response of the METRI AGCM by the variation of the sea surface temperature is obvious for the wintertime and springtime. However, the METRI AGCM does not show the significant ENSO-related signal in autumn. In case of prediction over the east Asian region, errors between the prediction results and the observation are not quite large with the lead-time. However, in the predictability assessment using the analysis of variance method, longer lead-time makes the prediction better, and the predictability becomes better in the springtime.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.253-264
• /
• 2002

Surface ozone concentrations measured at 40 monitoring sites in three major cities (Seoul, Busan, and Daegu) of Korea during 1993~2000 were analyzed to understand the characteristics of temporal and spatial distributions. Trends were analyzed for annual mean, 95th percentiles of daily 8-hour maximum and days exceeding 8-h ozone standard of 60 ppb. Three indicators exhibited increasing trends (+0.75 ppb yr$^{-1}$ , +2.20 ppb yr$_{-1}$ , and +5.35 days yr$_{-1}$ on average) throughout the study period at all cities. Diurnal and seasonal variations were the largest in Seoul followed by Daegue and Busan, due to the high photochemical production and titration of ozone (Seoul), strong wind and constant supply of background ozone from the ocean (Busan). In the urban centers and industrial areas at all cities, scavenging of ozone by NO reduces the daily 8-hour maximum ozone by 10 ppb on average. High concentrations of ozone have frequently occurred in downwind eastern (Seoul and Daegu) or northern (Busan) sides of the territory. In particular, the coastal area of Busan had relatively high ozone level due to the local sea land breeze circulation. The results indicated that the temporal and spatial variations of ozone concentration were non -uniform and were closely related to the local environments; emission levels, climates, and geographic locations.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
• /
• v.2
• /
• pp.844-847
• /
• 2006

In this work Topex/Poseidon altimeter data 1993 - 2002 were used. There are three altimetry tracks (one ascending and two descending) that cross Tatar Strait. The data were collected in the points of sub-satellite tracks with the step 0.25 degree. 10-years average values were calculated for each month. The seasonal sea level variations were compared with tide gauges data. The well expressed annual cycle (with maximum at July-August and the minimum at February-March) prevails in the Tartar Strait. However, the seasonal variations expressed much weakly in both the altimetry track points and Kholmsk - Nevelsk tide-gauges that locate close to La Perouse Strait because of Okhotsk Sea influence. The sea level slopes between the Sakhalin Island and the continent coasts were analyzed in different seasons. We found that sea level increases near Sakhalin coast in spring and summer that corresponds to the northward flow. In autumn, otherwise, the sea level decreases near Sakhalin Island that corresponds to southward current. This result is verified by the CTD data gathered on the standard sections. Well-expressed upwelling is observed near coastline of Sakhalin Island in fall season. This phenomenon is caused by the northerly and the northwesterly wind which are typical for cold season.