Observation of the Kyucho in the Bungo Channel by HF radar

Observations of sea surface currents by HF radar were carried out in the Bungo Channel in summer 1992. The current ellipses of M₂ constituent obtained by the observational results agree quite well with those obtained by the ADCP observations, showing that the accuracy of the HF radar measurements is of the same level as ADCP. The results revealed the current structures and their change with the Kyucho in detail. The Kyucho is influenced by the complicated coastal geometry and does not propagate straightly into the Bungo Channel. It propagates further inward after charging the coastal bays with warm water. The current directions change largely, since the currents turn around the stagnant region in the bay filled with the warm water. The northward intrusion begins to be weakened in the southern part of the channel, while it still persists in the northern part. The northward current speeds of the observed Kyucho are about 50 cm/s and sometimes attain 60 to 70 cm/s.