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

Monthly Variations of Water Masses in the Yellow and East China Seas, November 6, 1998

The monthly water mass variations in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea are investigated using over 40 years of historical temperature and salinity observations via a cluster analysis that incorporates geographical distance and depth separation in addition to the temperature and salinity. Results delineate monthly variations in the major water masses and provide some insight into formation mechanisms and intermixing. The major water masses include the Kuroshio-East China Sea water (KE), the Yellow Sea surface water (YSS) and bottom cold water (YSB), mixed water (MW), and coastal water (CW). The distribution of the KE water mass reveals the intrusion pattern into the area west of Cheju. A separate mixed water type appears between the KE water mass and the Yellow Sea water masses during winter. The formation mechanism of the YSB appears to be the surface cooling and active mixing in winter. In the East China Sea, during summer, surface water is differentiated from the subsurface water while there is no differentiation during winter. In the Yellow Sea, a three layer system exists in the summer and fall (May–November) while a two layer system exists during the rest of the year. A fresh water mass generated by Yangtze River discharge (YD) is present over the northern East China Sea and the southern Yellow Sea during summer. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seasonal Variation of the Cheju Warm Current in the Northern East China Sea

The Cheju Warm Current has been defined as a mean current that rounds Cheju-do clockwise, transporting warm and saline water to the western coastal area of Cheju-do and into the Cheju Strait in the northern East China Sea (Lie et al., 1998). Seasonal variation of the Cheju Warm Current and its relevant hydrographic structures were examined by analyzing CTD data and trajectories of satellite-tracked drifters. Analysis of a combined data set of CTD and drifters confirms the year-round existence of the Cheju Warm Current west of Cheju-do and in the Cheju Strait, with current speeds of 5 to 40 cm/s. Saline waters transported by the Cheju Warm Current are classified Cheju Warm Current water for water of salinity greater than 34.0 psu and modified Cheju Warm Current for water having salinity of 33.5–34.0 psu. In winter, Cheju Warm Current water appears in a relatively large area west of Cheju-do, bounded by a strong thermohaline front formed in a "" shape. In summer and autumn, the Cheju Warm Current water appears only in the lower layer, retreating to the western coastal area of Cheju-do in summer and to the eastern coastal area sometimes in autumn. The Cheju Warm Current is found to flow in the western channel of the Korea/Tsushima Strait after passing through the Cheju Strait, contributing significantly to the Tsushima Warm Current.     

对马暖流“东海段”的流路与流速

本文全面地分析了此段海流的流路与流速结构，首次提出研究海域近底层的环流示意图。指出在夏季，韩国南岸和日本九州北岸均存在着一支南下的逆流，九州西岸出现两种或多种形式的流路。对马暖流在源地流速很弱，流向不稳定，流路时隐时显不明显，只有离开源地后才逐渐显示出一支海流轮廓；强流区在朝鲜海峡附近。该海流可明显地划分为三段。流速夏强冬弱，夏季流幅宽约８０ｋｍ。     

夏季对马暖流“东海段”的温－盐特征及1987年和1989年夏季的盐度差异

本文分析该海域约７０个测站的温、盐资料，获得以下结果：（１）夏季在对马暖流的源区，于１０～７５ｍ水层内，其流路成一明显的分界线，左（西）侧温、盐度较低，右（东）侧温、盐度较高。（２）夏季对马暖流源区存在着三种海水：高温、高盐水，高温、低盐水和高温、次高盐水。（３）夏季朝鲜海峡地区，东水道的温、盐度高于西水道温、盐度。（４）１９８７年，东海黑潮区、长江口、杭州湾外及东海酉南部海域，夏季的表层盖度，皆比１９８９年同季、同一海域的盐度偏高；而对马暖流“东海段”却出现相反的低盐现象。其原因之一，１９８７年冲淡水势力极强，几乎盘踞了对马暖流源区的大部分海域，使源区盐度下降，并随对马暖流北上输送的缘故。其中：（１）和（４）两点认识系首次提出。     

东海对马暖流水来源的数值模拟

本文通过二维数值模拟对1986年6月～1988年12月东海对马暖流水的来源问题进行了初步探讨,结果得出东海对马暖流水的来源基本上分为三种类型:(1)东海对马暖流水主要为东海黑潮水继续北上部分构成;(2)东海对马暖流水由东海黑潮水、东海陆架水以及东海北部黄海大陆沿岸水几部分混合而成;(3)东海对马暖流水几乎全部由东海北部的黄海大陆沿岸水构成。模拟与实测结果基本一致.     

The Taiwan-Tsushima Warm Current System: Its Path and the Transformation of the Water Mass in the East China Sea

Using a temperature data set from 1961 to 1990, we estimated the monthly distribution of the vertically integrated heat content in the East China Sea. We then drew the monthly map of the horizontal heat transport, which is obtained as the difference between the vertically integrated heat content and the surface heat flux. We anticipate that its distribution pattern is determined mainly due to the advection by the ocean current if it exists stably in the East China Sea. The monthly map of the horizontal heat transport showed the existence of the Taiwan-Tsushima Warm Current System (TTWCS) at least from April to August. The T-S (temperature-salinity) analysis along the path of TTWCS indicated that the TTWCS changes its T-S property as it flows in the East China Sea forming the Tsushima Warm Current water. The end members of the Tsushima Warm Current water detected in this study are water masses in the Taiwan Strait and the Kuroshio surface layer, the fresh water from the mainland of China, and the southern tip of the Yellow Sea Cold Water extending in the northern part of the East China Sea. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

东海南部陆架水体2011年夏季温盐结构及其对台湾暖流和黑潮入侵的指示

利用2011年7月5个断面共30个站位的温盐深（CTD）测量资料,分析东海南部陆架水体的温盐结构和温跃层特征,探讨黑潮和台湾暖流对东海陆架水文状况的影响。结果显示,本区广泛存在着浅部温跃层和深部温跃层。浅部温跃层分布于20 m水深以内,跃层强度普遍较弱,具有明显的日内生消变化。深部温跃层分布于中、外陆架和台湾海峡。在中、外陆架的深水区,跃层底界深度约80 m,跃层厚度约10 m;跃层强度大,约为0.8 ℃/m,且较为稳定。在台湾海峡北部,温跃层分布于水深14～30 m,跃层厚度6～10 m,跃层强度偏弱,为0.2～0.5 ℃/m。在温跃层附近,由于上、下层水团温度、盐度的差异,其混合过程常出现盐指现象。在东海陆架90～110 m等深线之间,深部温跃层之下盘踞着一个深层冷水团,水温为16.8～17.6 ℃。黑潮水的入侵,使得外陆架温跃层强度减弱至0.2～0.5 ℃/m;同时,跃层层位上升,厚度加大。温跃层强度可以作为指示黑潮入侵的灵敏指标。当夏季深部温跃层强度低于0.6 ℃/m,同时伴随跃层厚度加大时,可判别为黑潮入侵。本区夏季黑潮锋可以到达110 m等深线附近。在中陆架50～80 m等深线之间,深部温跃层的消失,说明台湾暖流的强烈影响遍及整个水柱;而从南向北,台湾暖流的影响逐渐减弱。台湾海峡北部深层水温度较低,平均值为22.52 ℃,要比东海南部中陆架深层水低3 ℃,这可能意味着台湾暖流深层水主要源于黑潮分支的加入。     

Recent improvements to the physical model of the Bohai Sea,the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea Operational Oceano-graphy Forecasting System

In order to satisfy the increasing demand for the marine forecasting capacity, the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea Operational Oceanography Forecasting System (BYEOFS) has been upgraded and improved to Version 2.0. Based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), a series of comparative experiments were conducted during the improvement process, including correcting topography, changing sea surface atmospheric forcing mode, adjusting open boundary conditions, and considering atmospheric pressure correction. (1) After the topography correction, the volume transport and meridional velocity maximum of Yellow Sea Warm Current increase obviously and the unreasonable bending of its axis around 36.1°N, 123.5°E disappears. (2) After the change of sea surface forcing mode, an effective negative feedback mechanism is formed between predicted sea surface temperature (SST) by the ocean model and sea surface radiation fluxes fields. The simulation errors of SST decreased significantly, and the annual average of root-mean-square error (RMSE) decreased by about 18％. (3) The change of the eastern lateral boundary condition of baroclinic velocity from mixed Radiation-Nudging to Clamped makes the unreasonable westward current in Tsushima Strait disappear. (4) The adding of mean sea level pressure correction option which forms the mean sea level gradient from the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea to the western Pacific in winter and autumn is helpful to increasing the fluctuation of SLA and outflow of the Yellow Sea when the cold high air pressure system controls the Yellow Sea area.     

黄海暖流源区附近温盐结构及其季节变化

为探究不同季节下黄海暖流在源区的状态,利用韩国海洋数据中心(Korea Oceanographic Data Center)发布的水文数据,对黄海暖流源区附近温盐结构及其季节变化进行了分析。结果表明:年平均状态下对马暖流在济州岛东南存在向西向入侵的趋势,其入侵存在明显的季节变化:秋季最强,冬、春季开始减弱,夏季最弱。济州岛西侧,约在33°30′N、125°30′E处存在一支伸向西北的高盐舌,该高盐舌盐度同样具有明显的季节变化:冬季最强,春季开始减弱,夏季降至最低,秋季盐度开始缓慢回升。黄海区盐度的变化要滞后于对马暖流区盐度变化。冬季朝鲜沿岸水南下入侵程度最强,能到达34°N以南的位置。     

Simulation of Suspended Sediment in the Yellow and East China Seas

Described is an initial attempt to simulate the suspended sediment dynamics relating to tidal and wave forcing during summertime in June 1980 and August 1981 for the Yellow and East China Seas continental shelf. The cohesive/non-cohesive sediment resuspension and movement generated by the interaction between current and wave are modeled by use of ECOMSED and WAM Cycle 4. Model results are compared with observations in US-China Marine Sedimentation Dynamics Program performed for 1980-81 at off the Changiiang estuary. The main features of simulations show that suspended sediment concentrations during the summer decreased markedly offshore as observed during the simulation periods. As for some discrepancies for the mouth of the estuary with high river discharges, i.e., the Changjiang River, the model did not properly reproduce the over-mixing situation in the summer; thus distinct vertical concentration variation in this local region is not agreeable with observation. However, general dispersal patterns of suspended sediment movement seem to be agreeably reproduced for the nearshore shallow region. Some of the procedures of simulation and results are presented and discussed.     

Analysis of the high and low temperature centers and their relation with circulations in the East China Sea

Three warm currents, the Kuroshio, its shelf intrusion branch in the northeast of Taiwan and the Taiwan Warm Current (hereafter TWC), dominate the circulation pattern in the East China Sea (hereafter ECS). Their origination, routes and variation in winter and summer are studied. Their relationship with four major high and low temperature centers is analyzed. Differing from the previous opinion, we suggest that the four major centers are generated to a great extent by the interaction of the currents in the ECS. In summer, a cold water belt in the northeast of Taiwan is preserved from winter between the Kuroshio and the TWC. The shelf intrusion branch of the Kuroshio separates the water belt, and two low temperature centers generate in the northeast of Taiwan. In the southern ECS, the TWC transports more heat flux northward to form a warm pool. But it is separated in the lower layer by the cold water driven by the intrusion branch of the Kuroshio. So the TWC and the intrusion branch of the Kuroshio play a dominating role to generate the high temperature center. The interaction among the eastward TWC, the northward Tsushima Warm Current (hereafter TSWC) and the southward Su Bei Coastal Flow (hereafter SBCF) generates the low temperature center in the northern ECS. In winter, the strengthening of the shelf intrusion branch of the Kuroshio obscures the two low temperature centers in the northeast of Taiwan. For the weakening of the TWC, the high temperature center in the southern ECS vanishes, and the low temperature center in the northern ECS shifts to south.     

48ka以来日本海Ulleung海盆南部的海洋沉积环境演化

晚第四纪以来伴随底层水含氧量的剧烈变化,浅色和深色沉积层的交替出现是日本海半远洋沉积物的主要特征。沉积特征分析表明,日本海Ulleung海盆南部KCES1孔的沉积物具有四种不同的沉积构造:均质、纹层、纹层状和混杂构造。深色沉积层一般具有纹层和纹层状构造,并且与我国内陆的千年尺度东亚夏季风强弱变化记录有很好的对应关系,表明纹层沉积物也具有千年尺度的变化规律,从而进一步说明了冰川性海平面变化和东亚夏季风波动应该是Ulleung海盆南部底层水溶解氧含量变化的主要原因。在暖期,在东亚夏季风降水相对增强的影响下,低温、低盐的东海沿岸水对日本海表层水体的贡献要大于对马暖流的贡献,日本海水体间的交换减弱,最终造成缺氧的海底沉积环境。在冷期,夏季风强度的减弱(冬季风增强)加快了日本海西北部深层水的生成,Ulleung海盆南部的底层水含氧量高,相应地沉积了具均质构造的浅色沉积物;在末次盛冰期最低海平面时,日本海成为一个封闭的海盆,降雨量高于蒸发量,水体出现分层,底层水处于停滞缺氧状态。自距今17.5 ka(日历年,下同)以来底层水含氧量较高,对马暖流逐渐成为影响日本海海洋沉积环境的主要因素。Ulleung海盆南部底层水的含氧量在YD期间有一定程度的降低,东海沿岸水的短暂强盛制约了深层水的流通。自距今10.5 ka以来对马暖流强盛,日本海海底处于富氧的沉积环境。     

Winds and Waves in the Yellow and East China Seas: A Comparison of Spaceborne Altimeter Measurements and Model Results

Wind speed and wave height measured by satellite altimeters represent a good data source to the study of global and regional wind and wave conditions. In this paper, the TOPEX altimeter wind and wave measurements in the Yellow and East China Seas are analyzed. The results provide a glimpse on the statistical properties and the spatial distributions of the regional wind and wave conditions. These data are excellent for use in the validation and verification of numerical simulations on global and regional scales. The altimeter measurements are compared with model output of temporal statistics and spatial distributions. The results show that the model simulations are in good agreement with TOPEX measurements in terms of the local mean and standard deviation of the variables (wave height and wind speed). For the comparison of spatial distributions, the quality of agreement between numerical simulations and altimeter measurements varies significantly from cycle to cycle of altimeter passes. In many cases, trends in the spatial distributions of wave heights and wind speeds between simulations and measurements are opposite. The statistics of biases, rms differences, linear regression coefficients and correlation coefficients are presented. A rather large percentage (∼50%) of cases show poor agreement based on a combination of low correlation, large rms difference or bias, and poor regression coefficient. There are indications that wave age is a factor affecting the performance of wave modeling skills. Generally speaking, the error statistics in the wave field is correlated to the corresponding error statistics in the wind field under the condition of active wind-wave generation. The error statistics between the wave field and the wind field become less correlated for large wave ages. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Supply of Heat by Tsushima Warm Current in the East Sea (Japan Sea)

A significant surface net heat loss appears around the Kuroshio and the Tsushima Warm Current regions. The area where the surface heat loss occurs should require heat to be supplied by the current to maintain the long-term annual heat balance. Oceanic heat advection in these regions plays an important role in the heat budget. The spatial distribution of the heat supply by the Tsushima Warm Current near the surface was examined by calculating the horizontal heat supply in the surface layer of the East Sea (the Japan Sea) (ESJS), directly from historical sea surface temperature and current data. We have also found a simple estimation of the effective vertical scale of heat supply by the current to compensate net heat loss using the heat supplied by the current in the surface 10 m layer. The heat supplied by the current for the annual heat balance was large in the Korea/Tsushima Strait and along the Japanese Coast, and was small in the northwestern part of the ESJS. The amount of heat supplied by the current was large in the northwestern part and small in the south-eastern part of the ESJS. These features suggest that the heat supplied by the Tsushima Warm Current is restricted to near the surface around the northeastern part and extends to a deeper layer around the southeastern part of the ESJS. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黄、东海西部营养盐浓度近几十年来的变化

通过对以往调查资料和研究成果的总结,发现黄、东海西部海域在近40～50年中NO3-、SiO32-和PO43-浓度均发生了显著的变化,NO3-浓度快速上升,而SiO32- 和PO43-浓度显著下降.NO3-浓度的上升和SiO32-浓度的下降均与它们在长江等河流中的变化趋势一致;PO43-浓度的下降在河流以及长江口海域并不明显,而更多地体现在较为封闭的渤海、黄海.作者推测,NO3-陆源输入的增加,提高了海洋生产力,加强了浮游植物对PO43的吸收可能是造成PO43-在研究区域平均水平下降的一个原因.基于这个假设,设计了一个简单的数学模型,用以计算为了满足目前PO43-的下降量,外界NO3-输出通量所需的增长速率.结果表明,如果增长的氮通量全部是由长江等河流输出的NO3-提供,这些河流NO3-的平均浓度在近几十年中至少增加了7.8 μmol/L.     

黑潮与东海水交换研究

利用高分辨率ROMS(regional ocean modeling system)数值模式模拟东海地区的多年平均流态。数值模拟结果在黑潮的流速、路径、流量等方面与近年来对黑潮的认识相一致。利用模式结果,计算东海及邻近海域主要水道的水通量。结果表明:台湾海峡、中国台湾-西表岛之间水道是海水进入东海的主要通道,对马海峡、吐噶喇海峡、大隅海峡与西表岛-宫古岛-冲绳岛-庵美大岛之间水道是海水流出东海的主要通道。分析PN断面的流量的变化特征,结果表明黑潮流量在春季与夏季较大,秋季与冬季较小,年平均流量为24.16 Sv,与前人研究结果一致。计算跨越200 m等深线的年平均净向岸体积输送为0.99 Sv,在台湾东北与九州西南地区表现为黑潮入侵陆架地区,年平均入侵流量分别为1.907 Sv与0.065 Sv,在黑潮中段地区,跨越200 m等深线流量呈现交错状分布,年平均净通量为0.982 Sv,表现为由东海陆架地区流向黑潮。上述结果对黑潮与东海之间物质与能量交换研究有一定参考价值。     

东海、南黄海浮游植物粒级结构及环境影响因素分析

对粒径分级叶绿素a含量进行分析,探讨了南黄海和东海海域2000年秋季表层浮游植物的粒级结构特征及其环境影响因素.在整个调查海域范围内,叶绿素a平均含量为0.72 mg*m-3,各粒级浮游植物叶绿素a含量对叶绿素a总量的贡献有显著差异,小型(Microplankton,>20 μm)、微型(Nanoplankton,3～20 μm)和微微型(Picoplankton,0.45～3 μm)浮游植物的贡献率分别为31.2%,49.0%和19.8%.小型浮游植物主要分布在江苏沿岸和长江口附近;微型浮游植物在整个海域的分布较均匀,以浙江沿岸和南黄海东部为高值区;微微型浮游植物主要分布在南黄海中部和东海东南部.通过浮游植物粒径分级叶绿素a和环境因子的相关性分析,发现在调查海域营养盐与浮游植物叶绿素a的相关系数随着浮游植物粒径的增大而从负逐渐变正,说明高的营养盐含量区域较大粒径的浮游植物占有较大优势.依据浮游植物粒径分级叶绿素a和环境因子对调查站位进行的聚类分析结果和海域水团的分布以及卫星遥感图显示的水色差异之间有密切联系,聚类分析方法是研究浮游植物分布和环境因子之间关系的一种有效方法.     

Depositional environment in the southern Ulleung Basin, East Sea (Sea of Japan), during the last 48 000 years

The present study is based on the sedimentological data from a piston core KCES1 off the southern Ulleung Basin margin, the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The data include sediment color (L^*), X-ray radiographs, grain size distribution and AMS¹⁴C date. Four kinds of sediments (homogeneous, laminated, crudely laminated and hybrid sediments) are identified according to the characters of the sedimentary structures that were considered to reflect changes in bottom-water oxygenation. Alternations of dark laminated/crudely laminated sediments and light homogeneous sediments represent millennial-scale variations that are possibly associated with the high-resolution changes in the East Asian monsoon (EAM). The relative contributions of the East China Sea Coastal Water (ECSCW) and the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) were likely the main reasons for the repetition of the anoxic and oxic depositional conditions in the East Sea since the last 48 ka BP. During the interstadial, the strengthen summer EAM was attributed to the expansion of the ECSCW because of more humid climate in central Asia, and then more strongly low-salinity, nutrient-enriched water was introduced into the East Sea. The ventilation of deep water was restricted and therefore the dark laminated layer deposited under the anoxic bottom water condition. During the lowest stand of sea level in the last glacial maximum (LGM), the isolated East Sea dominated by stratiˉed water masses and the euxinic depositional environment formed. The homogenous sediments have been predominating since 17.5 ka BP indicating that the TWC has intruded into the East Sea gradually with the stepwise rise of sea level and the bottom water oxygen level was high. During the late Younger Dryas (YD) period, the last dark laminated layer deposited because the ventilation of bottom water was restricted by stronger summer EAM. The TWC strengthened and the bottom water became oxic again from 10.5 ka BP.     

Recent sediment accumulation and origin of shelf mud deposits in the Yellow and East China Seas

Modern (last 100 yr) accumulation rates of shelf mud deposits in the Yellow and East China Seas were investigated using the distribution of excess ²¹⁰Pb (²¹⁰Pb_ex) in sediment core samples. Compilation and merger of new and previously published data helped clarify sediment accumulation in these seas. The estimated accumulation rates, together with data of suspended sediment concentrations, provided findings on the sediment budget, origin, and transport pathway of the mud deposits. The overall accumulation distribution in the Yellow and East China Sea shelf revealed a general, cross-shelf decreasing trend along the sediment dispersal system away from the rivers, except for the South Sea (SSM) and southeastern Yellow Sea (SEYSM) mud patches found along the Korean coast. Notably, ²¹⁰Pb_ex activity profiles within the SSM and the SEYSM yielded a relatively high accumulation rate of 2-5 mm/yr, implying a sedimentation rate of 4-15 × 10⁷ tons per year in this coastal zone. Such an annual accumulation rate is about one order of magnitude greater than the total sediment discharge (6-20 × 10⁶ tons/yr) from Korean rivers, suggesting an additional offshore source. The distribution pattern of the well-defined suspended plume clearly showed the possible transport and exchange of fine-grained sediments between the ECS shelf and the coastal area of Korea, especially during winter. Such a high accumulation in Korean coastal areas is attributable to the sediments supplied from the mud deposit of the ECS (i.e., SWCIM), with origins in Chinese rivers. Therefore, the Korean coastal area may be an important sink for some of Chinese river sediments being transported from the south by the Yellow Sea Warm Current.