• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.141-160
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• 2001

The challenge of predicting the Japanese coastal ocean motivated Frontier Observational Research System for Global Change (FORSGC) and the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) to start a multiyear observational programme in the upstream Kuroshio in November 2000. This field effort, the Kuroshio Observation Program (KOP), should enable us to determine the barotropic and baroclinic components of the western boundary current system, thus, to better understand interactions of the currents with mesoscale eddies, the Kuroshio instabilities, and path bimodality. We, then, will be able to improve modeling predictability of the mesoscale, seasonal, and inter-annual processes in the midstream Kuroshio near the Japanese main islands by using this knowledge. The KOP is focused on an enhanced regional coverage of the sea surface height variability and the baroclinic structure of the mainstream Kuroshio in the East China Sea, the Ryukyu Current east of the Ryukyu's, and the Kuroshio recirculation. An attractive approach of the KOP is a development of a new data acquisition system via acoustic telemetry of the observational data. The monitoring system will provide observations for assimilation into extensive numerical models of the ocean circulation, targeting the real-time monitoring of the Japanese coastal waters.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.610-614
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• 2002

Time-mean and absolute geostrophic velocities of the Kuroshio current south of Japan are derived from TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data using a Gaussian jet model. When compared with simultaneous measurements from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) at two intersection points, the altimetric and ADCP absolute velocities correlate well with the correlation of 0.55 to 0.74. The time-mean velocity is accurate to 1 cm s$^{-1}$ to 5 cm s$^{-1}$. The errors in the absolute and the mean velocities are similar to those reported previously far other currents. The comparable performance suggests the Gaussian jet model is a promising methodology for determining absolute geostrophic velocities, noting that in this region the Kuroshio does not meander sufficiently, which provides unfavorable environment for the performance of the Gaussian jet model.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.243-253
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• 2002

Time-mean and absolute geostrophic velocities of the Kuroshio current south of Japan are derived from TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data using a Gaussian jet model. When compared with simultaneous measurements from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) at two intersection points, the altimetric and ADCP absolute velocities correlate well with the correlation coefficient of 0.55 to 0.74. The accuracy of time-mean velocity ranges from 1 cm s$^{-1}$ to 5 cm s$^{-1}$. The errors in the absolute and the mean velocities are similar to those reported previously for other currents. The comparable performance suggests the Gaussian jet model is a promising methodology for determining absolute geostrophic velocities, noting that in this region the Kuroshio does not meander sufficiently and thus provides unfavorable environment for the performance of the Gaussian jet model.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-73
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• 1999

Baroclinic hydraulic model experiments on the time-varying states of the flow pattern and water exchange in Sagami Bay were carried out based on quasi-steady state experiments on the flow pattern. For the model experiments, density changes as well as time changes in the volume transport of the upper layer were executed to investigate the flow response of the bay in the case of a sudden inflow of low density water and variable volume transport into the Sagami Bay. The results of the model experiments showed that when the volume transport was increased frontal eddies or frontal wave streamers from the Kuroshio Through Flow were transferred to the inner part of the bay along with cyclonic circulation in the bay. In addition, density boundary currents appeared and flowed along the eastern boundary of the bay. As the upper layer density decreased, frontal eddies, frontal streamers and coastal boundary density currents occurred and proceeded along the eastern boundary of the bay at a high speed.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 1985

A simple analytic model of the sea surface temperature(SST) is developed in order to understand the effects of the Asian monsoon and the Kuroshio on the annual variations of SST by the Asian monsoon is almost in phase with the incoming radiation whereas that by the Kuroshio is out of phase with the incoming radiation. In the Yellow Sea, due to the heat advection by the Asian monsoon, the yearly mean SST is low and the annual range of SST exceeds 20$^{\circ}C$. The annual range of SST in the northwestern Japan Sea is large because of the combined effects of the Asian monsoon and the cold water advection. In the Kuroshio and in the Tsushima Current regions, the annual range of SST is small and the mean SST is high due to the heat advection by warm currents.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2005

Floating debris was observed using a training ship, KAYA, of Pukyong National University with cruising speed of about 10-12 knot during July 12~25, 2003. The area sampled was the East Sea enclosed by 3 nations, namely, Korea, Japan and Russia, and was divided into 68 unit segments on survey routes [Fig. 1]. Debris fabrication materials were categorized with 6 items, e.g., man-made or natural wood items, paper and cardboard, nylon rope, styrofoam, vinyl and plastic, floating metal and glass containers. All identified items within $100{\pm}10 m$ wide band were recorded but ignored if beyond this boundary. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The average numbers of debris per unit area, $1km^2$, were found as 16.3 pieces (items) in the sea. 2. The highest densities of numbers, $32.3pieces/km^2$, were discovered in vicinity of the Oki strait of Japan, area of 'NEK' in Fig. 1. 3. Especially, styrofoam item only was composed to 63.6% of all in the sea of 'SD', located in the southern part of Dokdo Island, Korea. The item seems to be derive from the Southern Sea of Korea. 4. Therefore, comparing the distribution of debris numbers (the results of above 2 and 3) with flow patterns of Kuroshio currents, it was shown that their relation was good agree each other. Further more surveys are being conducted and a much wider coverage can be achieved with other countries, then it can be obtained that the East Sea is polluted to some extent, where is the origin of debris, and the finding of floating routes and stationary sea.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2006

Frontal areas between warm and saline waters of the Kuroshio currents and colder and diluted waters of the East China Sea (ECS) influenced by the Changjiang River were identified from the satellite thermal imagery and hydrological data obtained from the Coastal Ocean Process Experiment (COPEX) cruise during the period between March $1^{st}$ and $10^{th}$, 1997. High chlorophyll concentrations appeared in the fronts of the East China Seas with the highest chlorophyll-a concentration in the southwestern area of Jeju Island (${\sim}2.9\;mg/m^3$) and the eastern area of the Changjiang River Mouth (${\sim}2.8\;mg/m^3$). Vertical structures of temperature, salinity and density were similar, showing the fronts between ECS and Kuroshio waters. The water column was well mixed in the shelf waters and was stratified around the fronts. It is inferred that the optimal condition for light utilization and nutrients induced both from the coastal and deep waters enhances the high phytoplankton productivity in the fronts of the ECS. In addition, the high chlorophyll-a in the fronts seems to have been associated with the water column stability as well.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.spc3
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• pp.397-407
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• 2011

To understand the vertical structure of ocean currents from raw data observed by lowered-ADCP (LADCP), these data require post-processing. Data were processed using Krahman's version 10.8 processing software based on Matlab. It is estimated the influence of auxiliary data affecting the processed current structure. The bottom-tracked velocities and the GPS information significantly contribute the offset on reference velocities in the bottom layer and barotropic ones in the middle layer, respectively. Good quality data can be obtained when LADCP is least tilted in pitch and roll during observation. In situ application of LADCP to the (northward) volume transports of Kuroshio in the East China Sea proved to be 24.8. Sv (= $1{\times}10^6m^3s^{-1}$) in October 2007, and 28.2 Sv in June 2008, respectively. The volume transport is relatively large over the continental slope when compared to the shelf or the deep sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.291-306
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• 2021

From the climate change scenario experiments of 21 models participating in Coupled Climate Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 6, future changes of sea surface temperature (SST) and Kuroshio in the Northwest Pacific were analyzed. The spatial feature of SST change was found to be related to the change of the current speed and spatial distribution of Kuroshio. To investigate the relationship between the change in latitude of the Kuroshio extension region, which flows along the boundary between the subtropical gyre and the subarctic gyre in the North Pacific, and the large-scale atmospheric circulation due to global warming, the zero-windstress curl line for each climate change experiment from 9 out of 21 models were compared. As the atmospheric radiative forcing increases due to the increase of greenhouse gases, it was confirmed that the zero-windstress curl line moves northward, which is consistent with the observation. These results indicate that as the Hadley Circulation expands to the north due to global warming, the warming of the mid-latitudes to which the Korean Peninsula belongs may be accelerated. The volume transport and temperature of the Tsushima Warm Current flowing into the East Sea through the Korea Strait also increased as the atmospheric radiative forcing increased.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.58-60
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• 2004

Sea level variations and sea surface circulations in the Korean seas were observed by Topex/Poseidon altimeter data from 1993 through 1997. In sea level variations, the West and South Sea showed relatively high variations with comparison to the East Sea. Then, the northern and southern area in the West Sea showed the range of 20∼30cm and 18∼24cm, and the northern west of Jeju island and the southern west of Tsushima island in the South Sea showed the range of 15∼20cm and 10∼15cm, respectively. High variations in the West Sea were results to the inflow in sea surface of Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) and bottom topography. Sea level variations in the South Sea were due to two branch currents (Jeju Warm Current and East Korea Warm Current) originated from Kuroshio Current (KC). In sea surface circulations, there existed remarkably three eddies circulations in the East Sea that are mainly connected with North Korea Cold Current (NKCC), East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) and Tushima Warm Current (TWC). Their eddies are caused basically to the influence of currents in sea surface circulations; Cyclone (0.03 cm/see) in the Wonsan bay off shore with NKCC, and anticyclone (0.06 cm/see) in the southwestern area of Ulleung island with EKWC, and cyclone (0.01 cm/see) in the northeastern area of Tushima island with TWC, respectively.