Abstract
Some features of the circulation in the Yellow Sea (hereafter referred to as YS) in the cold season (mid-November through mid-April) are analyzed emphatically by using the observations of several large-scale surveys in recent years together with historical data. Compared with the previous studies, a wealth of observed data have firstly been used in this study to further discuss the origin and path of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC). The analyses show that the YSWC is not a direct branch of the Tsushima Warm Current (TSWC), but derives from the mixed water region formed by TSWC water and the continental shelf water of the East China Sea (ECS). The path of the YSWC has certain seasonal and interannual variations. Then, the basic features of the Cheju Warm Current (CWC) discovered in recent years and its relation to the YSWC are expounded. The studies indicate that the CWC and the YSWC come basically from the same origin, and the main path of CWC is located roughly in water depths of greater than 80 m northwest of Chejudo. At last, the distribution features of the Korea Coastal Current (KCC) are delineated according to the new observations. The results show that the KCC moves toward south along the 40–50 m isobaths west of the Korean Peninsula, and its velocity increases from north to south.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Uda, M., The results of simultaneous oceanographical investigations in the Japan Sea and its adjacent waters in May and June 1934, J. Imp. FishExp. St., 1934, (5): 138–190.
Uda, M., Results of simultaneous oceanographical investigations in the Japan Sea and its adjacent waters during October and November 1936, J. Imp. Fish Exp. St., 1936, (7): 91–151.
Nitani, H., Beginning of the Kuroshio, in Kuroshio-Its Physical Aspects (eds. Stommel, H., Toshida, K.), Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press, 1972, 353–369.
Guan, B. X., Pattern and structures of the current in Bohai, Huanghai and East China Seas, in Oceanology of China Seas (eds. Zhou, D., Liang, Y. B., Zeng, C. K.), Vol. 1, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Pub., 1994, 3–16.
Chen, Z. S., He, Y. C., Lin, X. F. et al., Current in the Yellow Sea, Marine Research (in Chinese), 1979, 3: 1–42.
Lie, H. J., Wintertime temperature-salinity characteristics in the southeastern Huanghai (Yellow Sea), J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 1985, 41: 291–298.
Beardsley, R. C., Limeburner, R., Kim, K. et al., Lagrangian flow observations in the East China, Yellow and Japan Seas, La. Mer., 1992, 30: 297–314.
Kondo, M., Oceanographic investigations of fishing ground in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea (I) Characteristics of the mean temperature and salinity distributions measured at 50 m depth and near the bottom, Bull. Seikai Reg. Fish Lab., 1985, 62: 19–66.
Lie, H. J., On the Huanghai (Yellow) Sea circulation: A review by current measurements, Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 1999, 18(3): 355–374.
Hsueh, Y., Recent current observations in the eastern Yellow Sea, J. Geophys. Res., 1988, 93: 6875–6884.
Tang, Y. X., Zou, E. M., Lie, H. J. et al., Analysis of hydrographic features and circulation situation in the southern Yellow Sea in early spring, Acta Oceanologica Sinica (in Chinese), 1999, 21(5): 1–17.
Tang, Y. X., Zou, E. M., Lie, H. J. et al., Some features of circulation in the southern Yellow Sea, Acta Oceanologica Sinica (in Chinese), 2000, 22(1): 1–16.
Tang, Y. X., Zou, E. M., Lie, H. J. et al., On the origin and path of the Yelloe Sea Warm Current during winter and early spring, Acta Oceanologica Sinica (in Chinese), 2001, 23(1): 1–12.
Yuan, Y. L., Guo, B. H., Sun, X. P., Physical oceanography in pan-Yellow Sea region, Journal Oceanography of Huanghai & Bohai Seas (in Chinese), 1993, 11(3): 1–6.
Guo, B. H., Major features of the physical oceanography in the Yellow Sea, Journal of Oceanography of Huanghai & Bohai Seas (in Chinese), 1993, 11(3): 7–18.
Le, K. T., Mao, H. L., Wintertime structure of temperature and salinity of the southern Yellow Sea and its current system, Oceanologica et Limnologia Sinica (in Chinese), 1990, 21(6): 505–515.
Fang, Y., Zhang, Q. H., Fang, G. H., A numerical study on the path and origin of the Yellow Sea Warm Current, The Yellow Sea, 1997, 2: 18–26.
Su, Y. S., A survey of oceanographical environment and circulation system in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, Journal of Ocean University of Qingdao (in Chinese), 1989, 19(1): 146–158.
Le, K. T., On the origin of the Yelloe Sea Warm Current water, Acta Oceanologica Sinica (in Chinese), 1992, 14(2): 9–19.
Lie, H. J., Lee, S., Lee, J. H. et al., Is the Yellow Sea Warm Current a persistent mean flow? in International Symposium on Progress in Coastal Engineering and Oceanography, September 9–11, 1999, Seoul, Korea, 25–41.
Lie, H. J., Cho, C. H., Lee, J. H. et al., Seasonal variation of the Cheju Warm Current in the Northern East China Sea, Journal of Oceanography, 2000, (56): 197–211.
Lie, H. J., Separation of the Kuroshio water and its penetration onto the continental shelf west of Kyushu, J. Geophys. Res., 1998, 103: 2963–2976.
Lie, H. J., Cho, C. H., On the origin of the Tsushima Warm Current, Journal of Geophysical Research, 1994, 99(12): 25081–25091.
Zhang, F. G., Mao, H. I., Leng, Y. G., Analysis of drift bottle and drift card experiments in the Bohai and Yellow Sea (1975–1980), Chin. J. Oceanol. Limnol., 1987, 5(1): 67–72.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Zang, J., Tang, Y., Zou, E. et al. Analysis of Yellow Sea circulation. Chin.Sci.Bull. 48 (Suppl 1), 12–20 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02900935
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02900935