Observation of the West Korea Coastal Current in the Eastern Yellow Sea During Summer

The West Korea Coastal Current (WKCC) is known to flow northward in summer and southward in winter along the eastern boundary of the Yellow Sea (YS). To examine the variation in the WKCC in the eastern YS, the current was observed at four stations at 15 km intervals along the 36° N line from May to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ocean science journal 2024, 59(4), , pp.51-51
Main Authors: Kim, Jae Yeob, Choi, Byoung-Ju, Lee, Sang-Ho, Jeong, Oujin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic Pollution
Coastal currents
Current velocity
Density gradients
Doppler sonar
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Horizontal distribution
Hydrographic data
Marine & Freshwater Sciences
Oceanography
Offshore
Profilers
Summer
Vertical profiles
Waste Water Technology
Water density
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
해양학
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Summary:The West Korea Coastal Current (WKCC) is known to flow northward in summer and southward in winter along the eastern boundary of the Yellow Sea (YS). To examine the variation in the WKCC in the eastern YS, the current was observed at four stations at 15 km intervals along the 36° N line from May to August 2012 using acoustic Doppler current profilers. In particular, the summertime monthly variation in the WKCC was examined including its strength, vertical structure, and horizontal distribution using current meter and hydrographic data. Over the entire observation period, a northward surface current and a weaker southward subsurface countercurrent were observed. In May and June, the monthly mean surface current velocity ranged from 6.4 to 8.6 cm/s at the onshore stations, while the velocity was slower at the offshore stations. In July and August, the monthly mean surface current velocity reached 11.4 cm/s at the onshore stations and 6.9 cm/s at the offshore stations. The thickness of the upper layer flowing northward ranged from 18 to 50 m. The monthly vertical structure of the geostrophic current estimated using the observed water density data was similar to that of the observed current. This indicates that monthly changes in the WKCC are mainly affected by regional changes in the zonal density gradient. This study is the first to provide data for the monthly vertical structure of the WKCC and the subsurface countercurrent in the eastern YS, thus enhancing the understanding of the summer circulation patterns in the YS.
ISSN:1738-5261
2005-7172
DOI:10.1007/s12601-024-00176-9