Spreading of the Amur River plume in the Amur Liman,Sakhalin Gulf,and the Strait of Tartary

This work focuses on a study of the Amur plume spreading during ice-free periods in the Amur Liman and adjacent areas of Sakhalin Gulf and the Strait of Tartary. It was found from MERIS/EnviSat satellite imagery, MERRA wind reanalysis, and Amur discharge data in 2002–2011 that regular transport of Amur plume waters from the Amur Liman to Sakhalin Gulf occurs in June–October. This process is caused by flood discharge of the Amur River in the absence of strong northern winds or when southern winds are strong during periods of moderate discharge. Estimates for the frequency and duration of this process have shown that it occurs on average during half of the days in June–October and can continue up to 2.5 months. Spreading of the Amur plume to the Strait of Tartary is a significantly rarer event. This process takes place only during the Amur’s freshet periods and for strong western wind forcing, which induces southward Ekman transport. The average duration of this process during the ice-free season is estimated as 15 days; however, in individual years, it can be as short as several days.