Seasonal variation of the Korea Strait Bottom Cold Water and its relation to the bottom current

Abstract

Analysis of high resolution hydrographic and current data revealed that the Korea Strait Bottom Cold Water (KSBCW) flowed into the Korea Strait from May to January and contained two temperature minimums, one in August/September and another in December/January. With the main current flows confined within 70 km of the Korean coast, maximum southwestward bottom currents corresponded with the temperature minimums. Time‐series of bottom current and temperature near the Korean coast clearly showed that the bottom temperature decreased as the bottom current strengthened. Seasonal variation of the KSBCW was linked to the combined effects of the barotropic and baroclinic current variations in the Korea Strait. The annual minimum bottom temperature of the KSBCW was associated with the maximum southwestward baroclinic component. The KSBCW had a secondary maximum southwestward bottom current and secondary minimum temperature in December/January when the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), flowing into the East/Japan Sea (EJS), had the minimum volume transport.