Seasonal volume transport variation in the Tsushima Warm Current through the Tsushima Straits from 10 years of ADCP observations

The seasonal variation in the structure and volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current through the Tsushima Straits is studied using the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data obtained by the ferryboat Camellia between Hakata, Japan and Pusan, Korea from February 1997 to February 2007. A robust estimation method to eliminate the effects of aliasing and tidal signals more accurately leads to a significant increase in the volume transport in winter time compared to the previously reported one by Takikawa et al. (2005) who analyzed this ADCP dataset for the first 5.5 years. The 10 years average of volume transport through the Tsushima Straits is 2.65 Sv, and those through the channels east (CE) and west (CW) of the Tsushima Islands are 1.20 Sv and 1.45 Sv, respectively, which represent a 13% increase and an 8% decrease from those of Takikawa et al. (2005). The transport through the CE increases rapidly from winter to spring and then decreases gradually as winter approaches. On the other hand, the transport through the CW increases gradually from winter to autumn and then decreases rapidly as winter approaches. The transport through the CE is larger than that of through the CW from February to April. The contribution of the Ekman transport near the sea surface, which is not measured with the ADCP, to the seasonal volume transport variation across our ADCP section is not significant.     

Variability of Sea Surface Circulation in the Japan Sea

Composite sea surface dynamic heights (CSSDH) are calculated from both sea surface dynamic heights that are derived from altimetric data of ERS-2 and mean sea surface that is calculated by a numerical model. The CSSDH are consistent with sea surface temperature obtained by satellite and observed water temperature. Assuming the geostrophic balance, sea surface current velocities are calculated. It is found that temporal and spatial variations of sea surface circulation are considerably strong. In order to examine the characteristics of temporal and spatial variation of current pattern, EOF analysis is carried out with use of the CSSDH for 3.5 years. The spatial and temporal variations of mode 1 indicate the strength or weakness of sea surface circulation over the entire Japan Sea associated with seasonal variation of volume transport through the Tsushima Strait. The spatial and temporal variations of mode 2 mostly indicate the temporal variation of the second branch of the Tsushima Warm Current and the East Korean Warm Current. It is suggested that this variation is possibly associated with the seasonal variation of volume transport through the west channel of the Tsushima Strait. Variations of mode 3 indicate the interannual variability in the Yamato Basin.     

Hydrographic conditions in the Tsushima Strait revisited

Long-term averaged temperature and salinity distributions in the Tsushima Strait are investigated on the basis of a concurrent dataset of the eastern and western channels during 1971–2000. Both temperature and salinity show a clear seasonal variation with weak and strong stratifications in December–April and June–October, respectively. The largest standard deviations occur in summer around the thermocline for temperature and in the surface layer for salinity. This indicates large interannual variability in the development of a thermocline and low salinity water advection from the East China Sea. The water masses in both channels are distinctly different from each other; the water in the western channel is generally colder and fresher than that in the eastern channel throughout the year. Baroclinic transport based on the density distributions shows a seasonal variation with a single peak in August for the eastern channel and double peaks in April and August for the western channel. However, this cannot explain the seasonal variation in the total volume transport estimated from the sea level differences across the channels. The spatial distribution of baroclinic transport shows a year-round negative transport towards the East China Sea behind the Iki Island in the eastern part of the eastern channel. This negative transport reflects the baroclinic structure between the offshore Tsushima Current Water and cold coastal water. The corresponding southwestward currents are found in both Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and high frequency (HF) radars observations.     

Structure of the Tsushima warm current in the northeastern Japan Sea

By using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements with the four round-trips method to remove diurnal/semidiurnal tidal currents, the detailed current structure and volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) along the northwestern Japanese coast in the northeastern Japan Sea were examined in the period September–October 2000. The volume transport of the First Branch of the TWC (FBTWC) east of the Noto Peninsula was estimated as approximately 1.0 Sv (10⁶ m³/s), and the FBTWC continued to flow along the Honshu Island to the south of the Oga Peninsula. To the north of the Oga Peninsula, the Second Branch of Tsushima Warm Current and the eastward current established by the subarctic front were recombined with the FBTWC and the total volume transport increased to 1.9 Sv. The water properties at each ADCP line strongly suggested that most of the upper portion of the TWC with high temperature and low salinity flowed out to the North Pacific as the Tsugaru Warm Current. In the north of the Tsugaru Strait, the volume transport of the northward current was observed to be as almost 1 Sv. However, the component of the TWC water was small (approximately 0.3 Sv).     

Seasonal variability of the barotropic and baroclinic motion in the Tsushima-Korea Strait

The aim of this study is to elucidate the seasonal variation in the volume transport through the Tsushima-Korea Strait using the sea level difference across the Strait. The sea level difference associated with the baroclinic motion is estimated from the geostrophic current profile, which is calculated as its vertical integrated transport is zero, using the CTD data from 1988 to 1990. The sea level difference associated with the barotropic motion is estimated by subtracting the sea level difference associated with the baroclinic motion from the observed one. The range (maximum-minimum) of the seasonal variation in the volume transport is evaluated about 0.7 Sv on the average, using the sea level difference associated with the barotropic motion. It is one third of the seasonal variation in the volume transport which is estimated from observed sea level difference on the assumption that no baroclinic component exists. Such analyses also indicate that the volume transport was at a maximum in early winter and at a minimum in early spring from 1988 to 1990. The negative correlation is also found between the volume transport through the eastern channel and that through the western channel. Moreover, it is noticed that the seasonal variation in the surface current velocity in the Strait largely contains baroclinic motions which are locally caused in the Tsushima-Korea Strait.     

日本海主要海峡体积输运的季节变化特征

利用变分资料同化技术对P矢量方法进行优化处理,并采用此优化后的P矢量方法优化计算了日本海环流和日本海主要海峡的体积输运.日本海的主要环流系统,比如对马暖流(TWC)及其分支,东朝鲜暖流(EKWC)和日本近岸分支(JNB),极地锋海流(PFC),和日本海中的反气旋式涡,都能够被很好地一一反映出来.另外,优化后的P矢量方法...     

Effect of the along-strait wind on the volume transport through the Tsushima/Korea Strait in September

Recent investigation suggests that volume transport through the Tsushima/Korea Strait often has double peaks during the summer to autumn period with decreasing transport in September. The satellite-observed wind changes from weak northwestward (across-strait) in summer to strong southwestward (along-strait) in early autumn (September) in the strait. Such a strong along-strait wind is related to tropical cyclones, which frequently pass through the East China Sea in September. The effect of the along-strait wind component on the transport variation is examined using a three-dimensional numerical model. The simulated volume transport through the Tsushima/Korea Strait shows realistic seasonal and intra-seasonal variations. According to sensitivity experiments on local winds, the transport variations in September are mainly generated by strong along-strait (southwestward) wind rather than weak across-strait wind. The strait transport responds to the along-strait wind (southeastward), which produces a sea level increase along the Korean coast, resulting in the geostrophic balance across the strait. The transport minimum through the Tsushima/Korea Strait in September can be determined by the combination of the across-strait geostrophic and along-strait ageostrophic balances. The Editor-in-Chief does not recommend the usage of the term “Japan/East Sea” in place of “Sea of Japan”.     

Recent advances in ocean-circulation research on the Yellow Sea and East China Sea shelves

Recent advances in ocean-circulation research on the Yellow Sea and East China Sea shelves are summarized. Observations using acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) suggest that the connectivity of mean-volume-transports is incomplete between the Tsushima (2.6 Sverdrups; 1 Sv = 10⁶ m³/s) and Taiwan Straits (1.2 Sv). The remaining 1.4-Sv transport must be supplied by onshore Kuroshio intrusion across the East China Sea shelf break. The Yellow Sea Warm Current is not a persistent ocean current, but an episodic event forced by northerly winter monsoon winds. Nevertheless, the Cheju Warm Current is detected clearly regardless of season. In addition, the throughflow in the Taiwan Strait may be episodic in winter when northeasterly winds prevail. The throughflow strengthens (vanishes) under moderate (severe) northeasterly wind conditions. Using all published ADCP-derived estimates, the throughflow transport (V) in the Taiwan Strait is approximated as

Seasonal variation of horizontal material transport through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits

We conducted hydrographic observations ten times in the Tsushima Strait to reveal seasonal variations of horizontal material transports such as of heat, freshwater, chlorophyll a, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait (ECTS). The volume, freshwater, and heat transport results are of nearly the same order as results reported in previous studies. The annual mean DIN and DIP transports of 3.59 kmol/s and 0.29 kmol/s are large relative to those of the Changjiang and the Taiwan Strait and are horizontally transported through the ECTS. Nutrient transports are high in July–August and October and low in April and November. Increased nutrient transports in July–August and October are due to the appearance of a cold saline water mass in the bottom layer of the ECTS. Changes in DIN transports in summer and autumn, which account for two-thirds of the total annual DIN transport, would have a large effect on the nitrogen budget and biological productivity in the Tsushima Warm Current region.     

Volume transport of the Tsushima Warm Current, west of Tsugaru Strait bifurcation area

Northern and southern latitudinal transects were conducted west of Tsugaru Strait to estimate the volume transport in this area. It was found that the Tsushima Warm Current is the northward volume transport across the southern transect and the Northward Current is the northward volume transport across the northern transect. The current in Tsugaru Strait,viz. the Tsugaru Warm Current, is the flow remaining when the Northward Current is subtracted from the Tsushima Warm Current. Both CTD transects covered from near-shore to west of the subarctic front, and observed depths were from the surface to the bottom or to 1000-1500 m depth. Our estimations indicate that large interannual variations of volume transport occur, relative to the seasonal ones, with interannual variations sometimes exceeding seasonal variations in the Tsushima Warm Current and the Northward Current. The Tsugaru Warm Current has near-steady transport. Fluctuations in the Tsushima Warm Current are thus transmitted to the Northward Current. Further, our results revealed seasonal variations in the flow: the baloclinic structure became deeper in April and the current axis tended to shift in a near-shore direction in October. Therefore, previous studies, which had shallow reference levels and lacked nearshore stations, may have underestimated the transport and excessive seasonal variations.     

Interannual salinity variations in the Tsushima Strait and its relation to the Changjiang discharge

Interannual salinity variations in the Tsushima Strait are investigated on the basis of historical hydrographic data. The EOF analysis revealed that the most dominant mode is the in-phase salinity variation between the eastern and western channels. The time coefficients of the EOF first mode in summer show a negative correlation with the Changjiang discharge, which indicates that salinity in the Tsushima Strait tends to decrease over summer, related to a large discharge of the Changjiang. The eigenvectors of the first mode are larger in the eastern channel than those in the western channel, though the low salinity water mainly flows through the western channel. This is because the low salinity water spreads into the eastern channel as well as the western channel over summers with a large discharge of the Changjiang. The out-of-phase salinity variation between the channels is extracted as the EOF second mode; this is the predominant variation in the western channel. The time coefficients of the second mode in summer show no significant correlations to the volume transports through the western channel and the transport differences between channels. A relationship between the EOF second mode and variations in the wind stress over the East China Sea is suggested.     

Modeling of the branches of the Tsushima Warm Current in the Eastern Japan Sea

The branches of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) are realistically reproduced using a three-dimensional ocean general circulation model (OGCM). Simulated structures of the First Branch and the Second Branch of the TWC (FBTWC and SBTWC) in the eastern Japan Sea are mainly addressed in this study, being compared with measurement in the period September–October 2000. This is the first numerical experiment so far in which the OGCM is laterally exerted by real volume transports measured by acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) through the Tsushima Straits and the Tsugaru Strait. In addition, sea level variation measured by tide-stations along the Japanese coast as well as satellite altimeters is assimilated into the OGCM through a sequential data assimilation method. It is demonstrated that the assimilation of sea level variation at the coastal tide-stations is useful in reproducing oceanic conditions in the nearshore region. We also examine the seasonal variation of the branches of the TWC in the eastern Japan Sea in 2000. It is suggested as a consequence that the FBTWC is continuous along northwestern Honshu Island in summertime, while it degenerates along the coast between the Sado Strait and the Oga Peninsula in other seasons. On the other hand, a mainstream of the SBTWC exists with meanders and eddies in the offshore region deeper than 1000 m to the north of the Sado Island throughout the year.     

The Current Structure of the Tsushima Warm Current along the Japanese Coast

The branching of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) along the Japanese coast is studied based upon intensive ADCP and CTD measurements conducted off the Wakasa Bay in every early summer of 1995–1998, the analysis of the temperature distribution at 100 m depth and the tracks of the surface drifters (Ishii and Michida, 1996; Lee et al., 1997). The first branch of TWC (FBTWC) exists throughout the year. It starts from the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits, flows along the isobath shallower than 200 m along the Japanese coast and flows out through the Tsugaru Strait. The current flowing through the western channel of the Tsushima Straits feeds the second branch of TWC (SBTWC) which develops from spring to fall. The development of SBTWC propagates from the Tsushima Straits to Noto Peninsula at a speed of about 7 cm sec⁻¹ following the continental shelf break with a strong baroclinicity. However, SBTWC cannot be always found around the shelf break because its path is influenced by the development of eddies. It is concluded that SBTWC is a topographically steered current; a current steered by the continental shelf break. Salient features at intermediate depth are the southwestward subsurface counter current (SWSCC) between 150 m and 300 m depths over the shelf region in 1995–1998 with the velocity exceeding about 5 cm sec⁻¹, although discrepancies of the velocity and its location are observed between the ADCP data and the geostrophic currents. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Process of the Tsushima Current formation revealed by ADCP measurements in summer

In order to clarify detailed current structures over the continental shelf margin in the East China Sea, ADCP measurements were carried out in summers in 1991 and 1994 by the quadrireciprocal method (Katoh, 1988) for removing diurnal and semidiurnal tidal flows from observed flows, together with CTD measurements. We discussed the process of the Tsushima Current formation in the East China Sea. The Tsushima Current with a volume transport of 2 Sv (1 Sv=10⁶ m³s^–1) was found north of 31°N. A current with a volume transport of 0.4 Sv was clearly found along the 100 m isobath. Between the Kuroshio and the current along the 100 m isobath, southeastward component of velocity was dominant compared to northwestward one. Four eastward to southeastward currents were found over the sea bed shallower than 90 m depth. Total volume transport of these four currents was 1 Sv, and they seemed to be originated from the Taiwan Strait. Intrusion of offshore water into the inner shelf northwest of Amami Oshima was estimated to have a volume transport of 0.6 Sv. It is concluded that the Tsushima Current is the confluence of these currents over the continental shelf margin with the offshore water intruding northwest of Amami Oshima.     

Significance of Shallow Bottom Friction in the Dynamics of the Tsushima Current

A simple analytical model is considered for the dynamics of volume transport of the Tsushima Current. This model is basically baroclinic but allows bottom friction over the shallow regions connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Japan Sea basin, and is thus different from previous models which are either purely barotropic with bottom friction predominating over the whole domain, or purely baroclinic with bottom friction completely ignored. Compared to the previous barotropic model, this model is not only more realistic but also gives much simpler results. It gives the observed downstream sea level slope, which is not seen in the previous baroclinic model. As a result, the estimated transport of the Tsushima Current is closer to the observational data than those of previous models. This model indicates that the localized bottom friction acting over the shallow regions not only controls the transport of the Tsushima Current but also moves the stagnation point of the western boundary current northward. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Low-Frequency Temperature Variability at Fukue Island Located Southwest of the Tsushima Straits

Sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface salinity variations at Fukue Island (located southwest of the Tsushima Straits) were investigated. In spring, low-frequency SST fluctuations with periods of 10–20 days predominate. Synthetic analysis of in situ observation and satellite infrared image reveals that these SST fluctuations are caused by movement of mixed warm water masses which have a temperature intermediate between those of the Kuroshio and the East China Sea (ECS) shelf waters. Since these fluctuations do not correspond with those in the Tsushima Straits, it is indicated that these water masses can hardly pass the Tsushima Straits while retaining their original water properties. In July, SST fluctuations with a period of several days are also found at Fukue Island. Since these SST fluctuations show an opposite correspondence with its salinity fluctuations and a good correspondence with the SST fluctuations at Okinoshima in the Tsushima Straits, it is inferred that warm and low-salinity water originated from the ECS shelf water causes these fluctuations and intrudes into the Tsushima Straits.     

Characteristics of water mass under the surface mixed layer in Tsushima Straits and the southwestern Japan Sea in autumn

Two different cold waters were found under the surface mixed layer in Tsushima Straits and the southwestern Japan Sea in autumn 2004. One is cold saline water with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen, and the other is cold less saline water with a high concentration of dissolved oxygen. The older saline water originates from the bottom of the East China Sea, strongly influenced by the Kuroshio water with high salinity. The bottom density in the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits is coincident with that of the East China Sea in autumn, corresponding to the season when the cold saline water was frequently found in the Tsushima Straits. The newer less saline water originates from the front of Tsushima Warm Current between the Tsushima Warm Current water and the surface cold water in the Japan Sea. This water is formed by subduction above the isopycnal surface from the front of the Tsushima Warm Current.     

Structure and seasonal variability of the deep mean circulation of the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

The horizontal structure of deep mean circulation and its seasonal variability in the Japan/East Sea (JES) were studied using profiling float and moored current meter data. The deep circulation in the Japan Basin (JB) flows cyclonically, basically following f/H contours. The correlation between the directions of deep current and f/H contour increases as |▿(f/H)| increases, reaching remarkably high correlation coefficient (>0.8) values in steep slope regions in the JB. In contrast to the JB, the deep mean circulation in the Ulleung/Tsushima Basin (UTB) is generally weak and cyclonic accompanied by sub-basin-scale cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies. The UTB shows a poorer correlation between directions of deep current and f/H contours than other basins. The time-space averaged deep mean current is about 2.8 cm/s and the volume transport in the deep layer (800 m to bottom) in the JB reaches about 10 Sv (10 × 10⁶ m³s⁻¹), which is about four times greater than the inflow transport through the Tsushima Straits. A salient feature is that the amplitude of deep mean current in the JB reveals a remarkable seasonal variation with a maximum in March and minimum in October. The annual range of the seasonal variation is about 30% of the mean velocity, whereas that in the southern JES (UTB and Yamato Basin) is weak.     

Downstream transition of the Tsushima Current west of Kyushu in summer

In order to clarify detailed current structures west of Kyushu, ADCP measurements were carried out in July and September 1990 by the quadrireciprocal method (Katoh, 1988) for removing diurnal and semidiurnal tidal flows from observed flows. On the basis of these results, together with data of routine oceanographic observations, we study the downstream transition of the Tsushima Current west of Kyushu in summer. In the southwest of the Goto Islands, a northward current identified as the Tsushima Current was clearly found. In the south of Cheju, a westward current bifurcated from the Tsushima Current. In the northwest of the Goto Islands, the Tsushima Current narrowed and its velocity became strengthened. Salinity of the Tsushima Current water was much diluted by a current from the Cheju Strait. Near the west coast of the Goto Islands, a countercurrent bifurcating from the Tsushima Current often occurred. The volume transport of the Tsushima Current was 2.3 Sv (1 Sv=10⁶ m³s^–1) on the northern side of latitude 31°N. The substantial bifurcation of the Tsushima Current toward the Eastern and Western Channels of the Tsushima Strait occurred in the vicinity of Tsushima. The volume transport through the Western Channel was two to three times larger than that through the Eastern Channel. The baroclinic component in volume transport of the Tsushima Current west of Kyushu was much smaller than that in the Japan Sea.     

Cooling-Induced Current in the Upper Ocean of the Japan Sea

The most plausible scenarios for seasonal to interannual variabilities and their possible causes are investigated for the Tsushima Current system passing through the Japan Sea. The study is based on the north and south two-box model across the polar front in an idealized upper ocean of the Japan Sea. The boxes are connected by lateral diffusive heat transport and cooled by atmospheric forcing at the annual mean state. The south box, i.e. the Tsushima Current region, only interacts with the outside warmer box in the East China Sea and has an eastward thermal-driven current originating in the outside box. The magnitude of this current depends on the strength of the thermal gradient between the north and south boxes; the inflow of warm waters can therefore be maintained by net heat loss through the sea-surface. I call such a thermal-driven inflow process a "Cooling-Induced Current" system in the present study. Under periodical heat forcing, the perturbation response of the model to water temperature fields and inflow transport were examined. It is shown that the lateral diffusion time across the polar front (over a period of 10 years) is crucial to the interannual modeled response. An analysis of the seasonal heat budget suggests that the heat transported into the Japan Sea from the East China Sea in summer is stored mainly within the Tsushima Current region and contributes to heat loss by the sea-surface cooling in winter.